Tony Allen

Nigerian-born drummer Tony Allen was the unofficial musical director for Fela Kuti’s legendary band Africa 70 from 1968 to 1979. Self-taught, greatly influenced by American jazz, he was one of the pioneers of the Afrobeat sound. After working with Fela, he formed his own band in Lagos where he played until leaving for Europe in 1984. After a short spell in London, he moved to Paris where he continues to live and work. His solo work is one marked by a thirst for innovation and new sounds, ranging from dub to hip hop and electronic music. In 2007 he was part of a project/CD called The Good, the Bad and the Queen with Damon Albarn.

While Fela was radically pan-African, Tony Allen is fundamentally open to mixing cultures. While Fela was behind every note played by his group, Tony Allen leaves those who play with him freedom to be inspired. And while Fela became more and more political in his discourse and general attitude, Tony Allen became more and more musical. As if the two former accomplices (the leader of Afrobeat and his mythical drummer) had shared between them the slogan "Music is the weapon of the Future" : "Music is a weapon" for Fela and "Music is the future" for Tony. Yet during the 60s they had invented this alchemy of traditional African sounds and Black American rhythms together.

Their joint adventure began in 1964 in a group called "Koala Loubitos" that played a jazzy version of Highlife (music originally from Ghana). Following a tour of the United States, Fela and his group laid down the foundations of Afrobeat. At the same time (1969), Tony Allen became leader of the orchestra, taking it towards new horizons. "Before meeting Fela, Tony told the magazine "Trax" in 1999, I was already the best drummer in the country. I had been classically trained but I wanted to play differently, not like the Americans but quite simply in an African style. I was looking for something unique. After that, everyone wanted to play like me...".

In 1979, the two men parted company and Tony Allen formed his own group, the "Mighty Irokos". They recorded three albums. But Tony was not comfortable as leader of the band and they soon split. He left Nigeria for Japan. In 1984, he moved to London where he stayed for two years before settling in Paris. He recorded two records there, already a mix of Afrobeat and electronic music but not hugely successful. Little by little Tony was drawn into the Paris jazz scene and its clubs, progressively locking himself into a ghetto. But the team running the Cithéa (an avant-garde bar-club with a very groovy programme of concerts) decided to sign Tony on their label "Comet Records", convinced of his potential on the dancefloor.

They released "Ariya" on vinyl, quickly whipped up by the city’s major DJs. Comet then decided to release an album. "Black Voices" came out in 1999, produced by Doctor L. Mixing his music with electronica, playing with young white and inspired guitarists, reducing the place of the horn and percussion section to a minimum (even sometimes totally getting rid of them), Tony Allen’s conception is completely open, no doubt influenced by jazz :

"I write the backbone, essentially rhythmic, but the project remains open. Improvisation is essential.". At over 60 years of age, Tony Allen is in the process of creating an absolutely experimental form of Afrobeat.

Magali Bergès