Yesterday no post, today two. Oriental Brothers International are
back with a short but fine album at the GG. These guys really love
one another, photo’s didn’t lie back in those days. The brothers Satch,
Dan, Godwin and Warrior scored hit after hit during the 70’s. This ’87 LP
is, if you count Warriors albums aswell, their eighth album here.
I’ve always had a certain weekness for this oriental highlife.

tracks;

1 Onye egbula nwanne ya
2 Anyi abiala ozo

If you listen to African music some time, take Nigerian music.
You know Juju, Highlife, Fuji, Apala, and then you hear Sir Victor
Uwaifo. I had never heard anything like his music, every song has
something new, original, with surprising instrumental touch. It is
supposingly highlife but with an unusual poppy flavour.
Victor Uwaifo was a professional wrestler in 1960 and
hitmaker in 1970 with ‘Joromi’, and his own
studio and art-laboratory.

tracks;

1 Iranm’ iran
2 Ovbialeke bolozo
3 Ewere noyoyo
4 Kpomokpa nagan bie
5 Ogiobo
6 Sakpaide special

Prince Nico Mbarga must have been so hot in those days.
On more then one of his covers Nico shows off his high heeled
boots, one leg before the other, sophisticated look. No but serious,
ever since he made ‘Sweet Mother’, Prince Nico was very popular
throughout Western Africa and beyond. As far as I’m concerned, his
cool looks are completely justified and this is one of his better albums.

tracks;

1 Music line
2 Oh ! Death
3 Welenga
4 Rocafill
5 Stella

The Oriental Brothers International is one of Nigeria’s most
important highlife bands, their popularity spanned some two
decades. On this LP from 1975 leadership is in the hands of
G. Kabaka Opara. The group’s cast changed quite a few times.
I found this funny video to accompany this album’s final track.
Hope U enjoy !

tracks;

1 Oriental’s special
2 Osa enwe akwu
3 Onyeoma nmadu ‘eji egbuya
4 Ihe onye eche
5 Ihe oma adighi onye oso
6 Otu’nwa

From 1979 is this one by the great looking Oliver de Coque.
I love the background vocals on this LP and the stacato guitars
in track #3. It was requested by Alexsam and I was so lucky to
have it. Now everybody’s happy, you, he and me too, enjoy it.

tracks;

1 People’s Club of Nigeria
– Kayi bilibe ndu
2 I salute Africa
3 All fingers are not equal

Oliver de Coque was a master in appearing exentric on his covers.
How do you like this 1980 version of his majesty, complete with
feather- duster and crown, shining like a new crowned king. Even
the textual lay-out is totally cool, I just love these covers. And then
the music of course is about his identity among other topics.
Nigerian highlife with lots of splendid guitars, listen to Oliver
de Coque and his Expo 76 Ogene Sound Super of Africa.

tracks;

1 Uwa bu aja
– Ije ewele
– Kano / Gombe special
2 Identity
3 Nwa bu ife ukwu

On Rogers All Stars this sweet LP by the Super Negro Bantous.
It is very hard to find some decent information on this group, I’ve
been looking around but did not really find any. Their sound is a
bright and strong sparkling Nigerian highlife with sublime guitar
and rhythms that make you wanna move, so give in and let go.
This Lp must be from around 1983 I guess.
So put aside table and chairs,
these are the Super Negro Bantous!

tracks;

1 Marriage promise
2 When I lost my job
3 Trouble and jealousy
4 Bekosse

The juju-train rolls on and on, with those one track LP sides it’s hard
to detemine where one title goes over into the next. This results in a
two track file where in fact we hear 12 songs. Since I also don’t under-
stand a word of Nigerian, the voices are like instruments to me aswell.
Step on and let the Chief Commander take you on a Yoruba juju ride.

tracks;

1 Fimi lokan bale oluwa
2 Araiye e ma pa kadara mi da
3 Mase ri talent re mole
4 Ko seni to mola
5 Alhaji chief M.K.O. Abiola
6 Akorikoda
7 Epo ila gbara re lowo obe
8 Ise owo mi a to mi je
9 Ada tomu sansan
10 Ogun aiye kan kole ri wa mu
11 E se amin adura
12 Wundia ti ko ba loko

We have seen a few Oliver de Coque’s before at the GG but
today’s LP has something different. I don’t know how but
this one sounds somehow more original. And a funny thing
is the fact that his band is called Expo 79 on this LP, while
on all other albums it’s called Expo 76. Maybe an occasional
joke, 1979 was the year of release.
I think Oliver displays superb guitarplay on this album, so all
together, beautiful LP. This one is for John Beadle, I saw you
were looking for it’s titles John, here they are.

tracks;

1 Ife uwa abu nike
– Nke chi nyelonye
2 Jomo Kenyatta
3 It is good to be good

I’ve got a little extra for you tonight, I.K. Dairo’s juju is different.
He uses guitar and accordeon and gives the songs a touch
of gospel while keeping the flowing beats and rhythms going.
Check this out Cole.

tracks;

1 Salome
2 Labutu yeke
3 Late Chief Shonibare
4 Ise aje
5 Omo alaro
6 Erere muture
7 Ladejola oginni
8 Ise owo-mi-mo-nje
9 Elele ture
10 Aye wa kale