Oduduwa
Description
Reissue of the 80s 12” single from Trinidadian musician Oluko
Imo (Black Truth Rhythm Band), featuring Fela Kuti and Femi
Kuti.
Recorded between Lagos and New York in 1988, the tracks sit
at the fault line of the Trinidad-Yoruba connection, blending
calypso heritage with the Afrobeat and jazz of Nigeria.
On the A-side, title track ‘Oduduwa’ is a brooding slice of
peak-era Transatlantic Afrobeat, blending a heartfelt plea for
social justice and equality with a haunting piano line, shuffling
drums and ethereal sax solo.
The song takes its name from Oduduwa, the founder of the Ife
Empire, who is also seen as a divine Orisha (deity) in Yoruba
culture, one that is often evoked by musicians and activists in
Trinidad as a signifier of Yoruba heritage on the island.
On the flip, ‘Eyes Are Getting Red (Were Oju Le)’ is a long-lost
slice of low slung Afrobeat featuring both Fela and Femi Kuti.
Classic Nigerian horns and keys combine with Oluko Imo’s
Caribbean-influenced guitar and Fela’s virtuoso sax solo,
bridging the musical gap between Lagos and Port of Spain.
Tracklist
1. Oduduwa
SIDE B
1. Were Oju Le (The Eyes Are Getting Red)
