Tony Allen – Secret Agent (2022 Remaster) (2009/2022) [Official Digital Download 24bit/48kHz]

Tony Allen – Secret Agent (2022 Remaster) (2009/2022)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/48 kHz | Time – 54:14 minutes | 697 MB | Genre: Jazz, World
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © World Circuit

For fifteen years, Tony Allen drummed for Fela Kuti and invented Afrobeat with him. When Kuti died in 1997, Tony Allen did everything he could to protect and promote his musical legacy. This is especially true for the political content of Afrobeat: insurgent resistance, protest, freedom struggles. Various Nigerian singers and the Tony Allen touring band create the insane sound from the African motherland of Afrobeat – Nigeria – in real time. Hypnotic vocals and the muscle-bound brass passages create a rhythm that flows into the blood without detours – a joy-fest for every aficionado of African music. The band moves in the tradition of Fela Kuti’s formation “Afrika 70”. Even if Tony Allen calls his album “Secret Agent” – there is no sense of secrecy here. It is pure music that needs the light of day like a fish needs water.

Tony Allen (1940 – 2020) has long been acknowledged as Africa’s finest drummer and one of the continent’s most influential musicians. Together with Fela Kuti (with whom he played for 15 years) Allen co-created Afrobeat – the hard-driving, horns-rich, funk-infused, politically insurrectionary style which became such a dominant force in African music and such an influence worldwide. His iconic drumming has since underpinned an extensive catalogue of solo works as well as collaborations with the likes of Damon Albarn (as part of The Good, The Bad and The Queen), Charlotte Gainsbourg, Sebastien Tellier, Grace Jones, Malian superstar Oumou Sangaré, Jeff Mills and Hugh Masekela.

“It’s no surprise that Tony Allen’s [Secret Agent] does nothing to dim his reputation as one of the world’s greatest drummers. He’s the personification of subtlety, leading from the back and carefully pushing and prodding the music, but doing this so cleverly that half the time people don’t even notice he’s there. He’s certainly a man whose four limbs operate independently, setting up cross- and counter-rhythms that add extra levels of texture and complexity to the music.” (Chris Nickson, AMG)

“While seeking to revive Afrobeat from the roots, Tony Allen imposes here a modernist vision and achieves the best possible synthesis between Yoruba foundations, Blue Note jazz arrangements and electro sound resolution.” (Les Inrockuptibles)

Tracklist:
1-1. Tony Allen – Secret Agent (2022 Remaster) (05:18)
1-2. Tony Allen – Ijo (2022 Remaster) (05:10)
1-3. Tony Allen – Switch (2022 Remaster) (04:45)
1-4. Tony Allen – Celebrate (2022 Remaster) (07:50)
1-5. Tony Allen – Ayenlo (2022 Remaster) (04:54)
1-6. Tony Allen – Busybody (2022 Remaster) (04:31)
1-7. Tony Allen – Pariwo (2022 Remaster) (05:51)
1-8. Tony Allen – Nina Lowo (2022 Remaster) (05:41)
1-9. Tony Allen – Atuwaba (2022 Remaster) (00:48)
1-10. Tony Allen – Alutere (2022 Remaster) (03:41)
1-11. Tony Allen – Elewon Po (2022 Remaster) (05:41)

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