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Onitsha Native Orchestra - Oje Mba (Nigeria, late 1930s)


Playing Next: Derin Bello | Holy Spirit Come | Live from Flato Theatre | FULL
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This is off the comp released in 2008 by Savannahphone Records: Delta Dandies: Dance Bands In Nigeria, 1936-1941. Don't know anything about the band other than how they present in 2 tracks off this comp, which is the only time they've appeared on modern wax as far as I know.

For some reason I didn't find this remarkable the first time I listened to it, but I'm wondering what the hell I was thinking, because this is brilliant. It's a strange brew of familiar elements -- the distinctive central african guitar picking style; the chorus' delayed joining in the lead singer's vocal lines, where they alternate between words and straight harmonics; what sounds like a cane flute (anyone hear Henry Thomas there?); the almost afro-cuban percussion. The more times I listen to it, the more of an enigma it becomes, which is when you know you've struck a deep vein.

Not sure if Savannahphone is still around -- they released 4 comps of 70s central african music in the late 2000s, but haven't put anything else out since 2009. Schade: https://www.discogs.com/label/169158-Savannahphone


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