Nana’s Sunday Jams: Inter-Reformers A Tunde - Chief Commander Ebenezer Obey

Published on 2020-08-16 00:00:00 by Nana Fani-Kayode

Banner a_rtwork by the majestic Trav, all of Nanas jams are gathered in_ this playlist.Yes and yes, Sunday Jammers! Peace and salutations. Hope the mini-reset has restored any parts of you that might have melted in the heat and revived you in time for the next stop on the Sunday Jams tour. If you’re a regular reader of the monthly Deep Cuts strand, the topic of this month’s edition prompted today’s choice. Check it out upon publishing next Saturday.

The Legendary Afrodisia Label

The label is Afrodisia, home to the musical titan, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, and many, many other legends, including King Sunny Adé, Christy Essien Igbokwe, and Commander Ebenezer Obey. These artists and their bands were foundation stones on which modern music from West Africa, and beyond, was built. Those forms include Afrobeat, Afrofunk, Highlife, and more recently, Hiplife. The label, like many other indies, was born out of a larger entity (in this case, Decca Records). Decca created an outpost for the growing voice of West African music that was in turn responding to musical turnings in Europe and America, reinterpreted through local perspectives and traditions. The forms were various, and the bangers were immense.

Commander Ebenezer Obey and the Jùjú Sound

In homage to that, I nominate ‘Inter-Reformers A Tunde’ by the Commander, Ebenezer Obey. Not as provocative or rowdy as Kuti, and to some degree lesser known, but equally important in terms of creating a foundation and also just being a musical boss. Obey’s musical genre is called Jùjú, not to be confused with the magical belief system. Jùjú is a Yoruba word (the Yoruba are an ethnic group found in Nigeria along with the Igbo and Fulani peoples), meaning “something is being thrown.” Jùjú comes from a traditional Yoruba percussion style which, post-World War II, incorporated electronic elements along with fusing reggae, jazz, funk, and so on.

Ebenezer Obey’s music is an example of this modern style. This track in particular is a favorite. It reminds me of elegantly dressed women, rolling their hips in their Aṣọ Oke fabric and sharply tied ìgẹ̀lẹ (a traditional headwrap), matched by equally dapper men donned in Agbádá (wide-sleeved robes suits) who were stepping in time. The sound is layered, driven, and held by the percussion. The guitar provides a rhythm inside the rhythm, sharp and so, so sweet, feeling almost rock-inspired. The vocals are laid back but incredibly intricate, following a choral structure characteristic of the big band outfits of this genre. It takes its time, so take the time. The track pays homage to the Moon for lighting up the night, calling out that they have come to play and giving thanks to God for the blessings of being able to play—so, so joyful and stirring.

If you’re a lover of Carnival and are sad at missing it this year, I suggest searching out some Carnival-inspired punch recipes, adding a bit of West African Afro flavor to your playlist, and wiling out with the Commander.

Written by Nana Fani-Kayode