TONY ALLEN – Secret Agent (2022 Remaster) – 2LP – 180g Vinyl

2LP – 180g Black Vinylhoused in a Gatefold Sleeve with OBI Strip and 4-Page Booklet.

His 2009 World Circuit debut, the raw and uncut Secret Agent, has all the ingredients that combine to make Afrobeat so special – fat, full-throated, hard riffing horns; nagging tenor guitars; jazz- and funk-informed saxophone and trumpet work outs; effervescent chicken-shack keyboards; lyrics rich in folk metaphors and proverbs, some of which confront state corruption and oppression (Kutis most frequent targets); deep-soul call and response vocals; and, of course, energising everything around it, Allens majestic drumming.

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 Sangar, Jeff Mills and Hugh Masekela.

Tracklist:

A1. Secret Agent
A2. Ijo
A3. Switch

B1. Celebrate
B2. Ayenlo
B3. Busybody

C1. Pariwo
C2. Nina Lowo
C3. Atuwaba

D1. Alutere
D2. Elewon Po