Afrobeat legend Tony Allen has died.
According to a reports, the famed Fela Kuti drummer and songwriter passed away on Thursday (April 30) in Paris.
While his cause of death is so far unclear, Allen would have been 79 or 80 years old.



Born in 1940 in Lagos, Nigeria, Tony Allen began playing drums at age 18 while working as an engineer for a local radio station. He was influenced by Nigerian and Yoruba music such as juju and highlife, and in 1964 joined Fela Kuti’s highlife band, Koola Lobitos, earning praise from Kuti for his ability to combine sounds like highlife and jazz together. In 1969, Kuti renamed his band Africa 70, and their musical direction changed to a more militant and funk-heavy approach, defined by the shuffling rhythms of Allen’s drums. Allen recorded over 30 albums with Fela Kuti and Africa 70, including such acclaimed records as Zombie and Expensive Shit. At the end of the ’70s, Allen eventually left the group due to disagreements over royalties.

Allen released a number of solo albums throughout his career, including 2017′s The Source, and recently released a posthumous collaboration with fellow African musical pioneer Hugh Masakela, Rejoice. Brian Eno once said that Allen was “perhaps the greatest drummer that’s ever lived.”

After Manu Di Bango, Tony Allen also leaves us.
Bad time for the groove !

 

Last edited: May 1, 2020

 

Last edited: May 1, 2020

I could stay all night posting videos of Tony Allen in all styles of music he touched like the Afrobeat when he played with Fela Kuti or with much more classical Jazz bands.
Finally, here is a video where he collaborates on a fusion project with the Detroit Electronic Music Dj and creator of Underground Resistance, Jeff Mills.

 

Last edited: Jun 3, 2020

One of my personal heroes. Was listening to "Alagbon Close", "Expensive Shit" and "Eko Ile" today while exercising and then... I see this tragic news. No words can do justice to how important this guy was, is and will always be. Rest in Peace, master.

 

Saw Tony Allen play with Jeff Mills less than a year ago and listened to his music quite a bit throughout different periods of my life. RIP

 

Rest in Power.

 

omfg.... thats it folks... afrobeat is officially dead

 

I saw Sean Kuti & Egypt 80 last year and I'd say that it's alive

 

Thanks for the examples of his playing. Dynamite!
It's so nice to hear a real drummer playing real drums recorded well.
I get so sick of 808's, sorry.
That's why I play a cheap Roland pad kit to control Addictive Drums. Ain't real, but ain't bad either.
And it's nice to play a drum kit (through headphones) at 2 am in the morning without cops showing up.