FOR reasons that cannot be fully explained, post-war eras have had their different ways of impacting positively on the musical cultures of the world. As a global phenomenon, the end of World War II in 1945 marked the beginning of well-defined musical trends. Even the end of Nigerian Civil War opened fresh dimensions and challenges for the Nigerian music scene in 1970.The end of World War II in 1945 saw ex-servicemen and other Nigerian coming back home with exposure to foreign musical culture. Some of them like Bobby Benson combined music with cabaret. But when he discovered that show business was not profitable, he ploughed his experience with music-making to establish the Bobby Benson jam session that eventually created Taxi Driver, the beginning of Nigerian highlife.Other musicians who came from overseas to create and add value to the new musical scene included Willie Payne, Sammy Akpobot, Consul Anifowoshe who all worked together with local musicians were the pioneers of highlife and dance music in Nigeria.As a global phenomenon, World War II changed the directions of music all over the world. In Europe, which was known more for classical music, rock began to take root. It was at this time that the Beatles were discovered from Liverpool with Paul McCartney and John Lennon revolutionising the entire rock scene as composers and all were eventually influenced while in America, rock musicians of African extraction performed from the blues background.Following on the heels of this post-war development was the emergence of a crop of white American musicians who followed the path of their British counterparts. Elvis Presley, the Rolling Stones, The Who, The Animals and many more kept the scene alive.The end of World War II gave birth to the famous West African Rhythm Brothers led by Ambrose Campbell in London. But before he travelled, he was a member of the Jolly Boys Orchestra who were known for such hits as In the public interest of the boys and Atari Ajanaku. The music changed drastically in London where the band settled into the residency of Club Afrique. Instead of its guitar-dominated Jolly Brothers approach back home, the inclusion of musicians of West Indian extraction added trumpets, saxophones, and clarinets to the frontline section and enriched the band's harmonic progressions with melodic structures still in the idiom of highlife.The West African Rhythm Brothers were immediately signed on by Emile Shalit, the owner of Melodisc Records. This was the beginning of the band's hit successes some of which found their ways into Nigeria.The West African Rhythm Brothers set the pace for other Nigerian and Ghanaian groups some of whom were also signed on to Melodisc. Notable among them were Nat Atkins and the Crazy-Bees of Ghana and Rans Boi and his group also of Ghana.The Nigerian Civil War was one of the factors that contributed to the decline aspects of highlife from 1969 to 1970. But with the end of the war, pop music of the progressive type emerged. Apparently, there was a musical vacuum that relegated highlife and other forms of Nigerian music to the background during the war. The bands that were conscripted into the army including the ones led by Victor Olaiya, St. Augustine, Rex Lawson, Celestine Ukwu and others only played to entertain soldiers in situations that reduced highlife to background music.With Fela Ransome Kuti and Victor Uwaifo introducing new elements into highlife in 1965, a bold statement was already made to the effect that the music was dynamic and that it was bound to evolve in order to carry the youth along. But the youths were completely denied this opportunity with primary focus on the war.They had to listen to foreign stations to be abreast with happenings in the world in order to align with other youths of the world. Some listened to music that frittered from neighbouring Cameroun and Zaire.The result was the emergence of progressive pop groups such as Wrinkars Experience whose Fuel for Love was a big hit at the time. The 'Strangers' the group, also made waves with a hard driving rock sound that identified with Nigerian musical culture. There were various other pop groups including the Cee Jebs and Funkees who all depended on their various fans for patronage. The recording industry took advantage of the situation.One of the albums that eventually came from the Funkees in 1974 with production in London was Point of No Return. Produced and recorded in London at the time on Amba Records, Point of No Return featured such tunes as Afro funk, itself, Abraka, Ole, Dancing in the nude, Life and I can't be satisfied.The Funkees at the time of this recording were powerful musicians who were good instrumentalists as well as singers. Mohammed Ahidjo was the lead singer who also played percussion while the late Jake Sollo, a great guitarist who had a successful stint with Osibisa played lead guitar, organ, piano. He also sang and played miscellaneous percussion instruments. Harry Mosco was on the second guitar and vocals while Danny Heibs played drums with Sonny Akpabio who also sang featured on the conga. Roli Patterson played Bongos and other percussion instruments.A highly disciplined outfit, accent was on rhythm, heavy percussion while vocal harmonies were richly established with the combination of all the members of the band.The Funkees and the other rock bands would perhaps have succeeded in entrenching a rock tradition on the scene at the time, but Fela Anikulapo Kuti's Afrobeat was already generating irresistible vibrations that had already attracted the youth into the band-wagon. Johnny Haastrup had registered a good impression with Give the beggar a chance while Segun Buknor was also adding great value to the development of Afrobeat with Poor man no get brother. There were many others including singer, composer and trombone player Fred Fisher who was boosting his own approach and interpretation with aselegun rhythms from Esan in Edo State of Nigeria.Post civil war highlife saw the emergence of Celestine Ukwu in 1971 with a different type of highlife. It also embraced guitar-based highlife as opposed to the big band type and was dominated by Warrior and the Oriental Brothers who eventually paved the way for combo highlife to flourish.
Click here to read full news..
