September 13, 2010

Osadebe encore

There is always room for one more album by the consistent highlife king, Chief Stephen Osita Osadebe. This one, from 1981, has all the usual ingredients (see older posts, here, here, here and here): something about a social club, including the naming of all the board members, recited steadily by Osadebe, with sung interruptions, spacious spatial guitars occasionally shifting from left to right (and back), the evolution of rhythmic patterns, gradually leading to a trancelike state, a sense of well-being*, perhaps even extasy (try dancing...), followed by blissful satisfaction.
With this in mind it is easy to understand the Chief's smile on the back of the sleeve.

Added bonus on this album is the repetition on the B-side of one of my favourite tracks from his 1970s repertoire. You may remember "Onu Kwulunjo" from "Festac Explosion 77 Vol.2". On that lp the song only lasts 4'31; here it goes on for more than 14 minutes. On the downside I have to add that the sound quality of the earlier lp is significantly better, - and not only as a result of a better state of the vinyl.

Polydor POLP 056



* I was nearly tempted to write "wellness", but luckily managed to control myself... (phew)
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9 comments:

  1. oro13 September 2010 at 15:01

    Merci Sanctuaire pour ce nouvel opus, ou opium.
    Merci pour ce sourire qui soigne mon rhum !

    Oro

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  2. dial africa14 September 2010 at 01:28

    Phew!

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  3. Anonymous14 September 2010 at 01:38

    Does anyone know what's keeping a company like Stern's from embarking on an Osadebe reissue project like they did for Franco (apart from time and money of course)? Licensing problems? With all the attention being given to the most obscure of Nigerian psych rock, boogie, etc. (which is all great), I find it a bit sad and frustrating that it's nearly impossible to find any cds or records by Osadebe and other giants of African music ... Downloads are ersatz ...

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  4. Momo29 September 2010 at 17:45

    Many thx

    i just read the death of Mangala Camara! RIP

    http://maliweb.net/category.php?NID=65397

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  5. b2v12 October 2010 at 14:25

    thanks a lot ! always a blessing !

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  6. Kabaka Mwanga XV21 October 2010 at 13:58

    Hello wrldsrv. Hope you are well. Please come back soon.

    Nice autumn.

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  7. Mark28 August 2012 at 14:31

    I'm confused about you referencing the track "Onu Kwulunjo" from Festac Vol. 2, because I can't find any such track on the copy of that record that you posted (nor a track that is 4:31, or that sounds like Side B here). Is that track on a different LP perhaps?

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  8. Anonymous24 June 2013 at 15:47

    I'm putting together a group of Osadebe LPs on an mp3 chip for my wife, who's never heard him, before, but enjoys a few things that aren't half as good. Just wanted to note you've got the best collection of the Chief up on the Web,right now, and I am most grateful.

    So will be my wife, in a bit.

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  9. WrldServ25 June 2013 at 11:26

    @glinka21: Once you get the taste of the consistent highlife king you'll be hooked for life....
    He is a regular on my mp3player, and has been for decades now.

    ReplyDelete