The First Case of the Nigerian Prestige

As frequent listeners to the show will remember, I often combine Ghana and Nigeria into single themes for my shows. These were the only two countries in Western Africa who were colonized by the British, and both countries absorbed heavy doses of jazz music on English language radio shows. Nigeria and Ghana both contributed to the birth and evolution of highlife music, and both countries went on to embrace the afrobeat sound in the 70s.

So it's easy to play music from those 2 countries side by side. But today I am focusing on Nigeria alone, and will try to highlight some of the factors that made Nigerian music unique from the parallel efforts occurring in Ghana.

The top of today's set features a handful of songs from the latest Nigeria/Ghana compilation on the Soundway label, "Highlife on the Move." Early material dates from the mid-50s to the mid-60s, such a pleasure to hear African music of that era well-preserved. There is very little guitar work in the early music from Nigeria; they favored the spit-and-polish of jazz and marching band traditions. This music is like a tonic for the senses; it will be a good day today!

We move forward into the late 60s as the set progresses... this is a period of civil war in Nigeria, yet the music of the era projects a unique spirit of calmness and spirituality. Nigerian highlife singers possessed a unique style that often warbles between a soft croon and a musical yodel. 

We move into harder 70s sounds as we near the end of the set, including another epic afrobeat track from Fela Kuti. I will only leave Nigeria at the end, as I wrap up today's set with a special treat:  two tracks from a current act that has caught my ear... scorching afrobeat from French act Les Freres Smith.