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johne · 03-02-2009, 08:27 PM

Nigera (juju, apala, fuji, afro-beat, highlife)
Nigerian music is so diverse, and there is so much, it's hard to know where to start. Here's just a sampling:

Juju started in the 1920s as "bar music", but was updated and was made world-known by King Sunny Ade in the 1980s. Most have likely heard of him and his music, which is heavy on percussion, electric guitar, and vocals:
King Sunny Ade â€“ Ja Funmi â€“ Listen free and discover music at Last.fm or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbIhmfZNBOE

Apala is even more traditional than juju, therefore, it depends more on percussion and traditional instruments. It's roots are in the Yoruba people (like juju and fuji) and is closely associated with Islam. (If you've watched Ramadan observance on tv, you've probably heard traditional apala.) The most important apala musician is Haruna Ishola, but I'm linking to music by his son, Musiliu Haruna Ishola, who is keeping apala traditions but updating the music today. I would put this in the category of GREAT:
Musiliu Haruna Ishola - Soyoyo :: ADERADIO ::

Fuji is an integration of juju and apala. It uses more traditional instruments, mainly percussion and has roots in Islam, like apala, but it has more the energy and contemporary sound of juju, but even fresher. There are two leading fuji musicians, Sikiru Ayinde Barrister and Ayinla Kollington. I like Barrister a lot; here is a cut from a more recent album, Fuji London Garbage (again, GREAT):
Chief Dr Sikiru Ayinde Barrister - Fuji London Garbage - Free MP3 Stream on IMEEM Music

Adewale Ayuba is another fuji musician whom I really like (maybe the BEST one):
Adewale Ayuba - Bubble - Free MP3 Stream on IMEEM Music

I think juju, fuji and apala represent one strain of Nigerian music; another strain exists that begins with African folk music and pulls in influences from rock, funk and jazz (Afro-beat) and danceable "uptempo" and jazz (Highlife). All three are represented by a giant in Nigerian music, Baba Ken Okulolo. He has 3 different bands, each one representing one of these 3 types of music: African Folk (Nigerian Brothers); Afro-beat (Kotoja); and Highlife (West African Highlife Band). Here are 3 sample albums from each band, but only 30 second samples of all tracks:
CD Baby: BABA KEN OKULOLO & THE NIGERIAN BROTHERS: Songs from the Village
CD Baby: BABÃ KEN OKULOLO: Best of BabÃ¡ Ken Okulolo & Kotoja
CD Baby: WEST AFRICAN HIGHLIFE BAND: Salute to Highlife Pioneers

Afro-beat: The most important Afro-beat musician is the pioneer of the genre, Fela Kuti . His most recognized song is probably Water No Get Enemy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdV1V...eature=related
(See jackhammer's Fela Kuti thread, also.)

Fela's son, Femi Kuti, is carrying on the tradition of his father and is definitely worth a listen as well. He has free tracks on his myspace page at:
http://www.myspace.com/femikuti

Highlife has even more roots in Ghana, so sometime later I will post full tracks of Ghanaian Highlife music.

03-02-2009, 08:27 PM	#9 (permalink)
johne Music Addict Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Long Island, NY, USA Posts: 114	Nigera (juju, apala, fuji, afro-beat, highlife) Nigerian music is so diverse, and there is so much, it's hard to know where to start. Here's just a sampling: Juju started in the 1920s as "bar music", but was updated and was made world-known by King Sunny Ade in the 1980s. Most have likely heard of him and his music, which is heavy on percussion, electric guitar, and vocals: King Sunny Ade â€“ Ja Funmi â€“ Listen free and discover music at Last.fm or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbIhmfZNBOE Apala is even more traditional than juju, therefore, it depends more on percussion and traditional instruments. It's roots are in the Yoruba people (like juju and fuji) and is closely associated with Islam. (If you've watched Ramadan observance on tv, you've probably heard traditional apala.) The most important apala musician is Haruna Ishola, but I'm linking to music by his son, Musiliu Haruna Ishola, who is keeping apala traditions but updating the music today. I would put this in the category of GREAT: Musiliu Haruna Ishola - Soyoyo :: ADERADIO :: Fuji is an integration of juju and apala. It uses more traditional instruments, mainly percussion and has roots in Islam, like apala, but it has more the energy and contemporary sound of juju, but even fresher. There are two leading fuji musicians, Sikiru Ayinde Barrister and Ayinla Kollington. I like Barrister a lot; here is a cut from a more recent album, Fuji London Garbage (again, GREAT): Chief Dr Sikiru Ayinde Barrister - Fuji London Garbage - Free MP3 Stream on IMEEM Music Adewale Ayuba is another fuji musician whom I really like (maybe the BEST one): Adewale Ayuba - Bubble - Free MP3 Stream on IMEEM Music I think juju, fuji and apala represent one strain of Nigerian music; another strain exists that begins with African folk music and pulls in influences from rock, funk and jazz (Afro-beat) and danceable "uptempo" and jazz (Highlife). All three are represented by a giant in Nigerian music, Baba Ken Okulolo. He has 3 different bands, each one representing one of these 3 types of music: African Folk (Nigerian Brothers); Afro-beat (Kotoja); and Highlife (West African Highlife Band). Here are 3 sample albums from each band, but only 30 second samples of all tracks: CD Baby: BABA KEN OKULOLO & THE NIGERIAN BROTHERS: Songs from the Village CD Baby: BABÃ KEN OKULOLO: Best of BabÃ¡ Ken Okulolo & Kotoja CD Baby: WEST AFRICAN HIGHLIFE BAND: Salute to Highlife Pioneers Afro-beat: The most important Afro-beat musician is the pioneer of the genre, Fela Kuti . His most recognized song is probably Water No Get Enemy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdV1V...eature=related (See jackhammer's Fela Kuti thread, also.) Fela's son, Femi Kuti, is carrying on the tradition of his father and is definitely worth a listen as well. He has free tracks on his myspace page at: http://www.myspace.com/femikuti Highlife has even more roots in Ghana, so sometime later I will post full tracks of Ghanaian Highlife music. __________________ http://www.last.fm/user/jenyc Last edited by johne; 04-04-2009 at 01:35 AM.