Nigeria 70 Is Funk Fueled

Originally released riding a wave of global interest in Afrobeat at the trun of the decade, Strut's original Nigeria 70 set broke the mould for African compilations when it first surfaced in September 2001. Digging deep into Nigeria's archives the collection showcased for the first time on CD the stunning variety of fusions recorded across the country during the 70's. Now, thanks to the fine folks at Strut this groundbreaking compilation has been re-mastered and re-issued as yet another wave of interest Afrobeat begins to crest.

The double disc set that makes up Nigeria 70 is filled with 23 tracks of funky variations from every corner of the country. Made up of a very subtle mix of sounds and vibes Nigeria 70 almost approaches jazz at times while being straight up soulful and funky at others. This is an album which prides itself on it's knowledge, obscure grooves and unheard of artists and that's what makes every minute of this compilation unbelievable. This is funk, jazz, and soul in it's rawest and purest state and it's not like anything you've heard or will hear anytime soon. From the Arabic flavorings or songs by Joni Haastrup and Bala Miller to the Yoruba soul of Segun Bucknor you can't help but listen to this record with a sense of wonder and discovery.

Listening to Nigeria 70 is like stumbling across a buried chest of funky treasure where every tune is a gem worth it's weight in platinum. Strut has done a magnificent job of plowing through the Nigerian archives and preserving these tracks as if they were priceless antiquities. Thanks to remastering the songs here sound fresh and crisp and as if they had just been issued; talk about relevance. Having spent hours with Nigeria 70 I can honestly say you'd be hard pressed to find a bad track amongst the bunch that make up this compilation.

What Nigeria 70 does so well is proves that music is truly a universal language and that no matter where you go, you can always find good music. Sure the compilation is influenced by it's surroundings but the original ingredients are still there and that regional influence only adds color and flavor to the sounds. Nigeria 70 is a brilliant exploration of Nigeria's once burgeoning funk and soul movement. Strut has outdone themselves here and one hopes that the continue their exploration of African countries by offering more compilations! Kenya 70 anyone?