African music has unseat the wastern music. It touches the soul really deep. The melody is electrifying. You cannot stop an idea whose time has come, it's time for Africa music,
Professor Akiwowo played this piece over and over during my stay in his home in Ife..a really captivating eulogy to the train master Akiwowo.....Baba as he was fondly called did his thing with passion..Both men were cousins..now both passed..RIP..Michael Olatunji's music lives on..
I was lucky enough to work a show with Baba and Mickey, back in '87. Baba was easily the greatest human being I met in my years doing sound. A consummate artist and genuinely concerned for everyone around him.
I was blessed to have a mother who knew good music; she bought the album, "Olatunji: Drums of Passion" when I was four years old in 1960, I believe. As with other music, it was just part of my life...and now I have the CD and listen to it when no one is looking, because I still get "lost" in it!!! Timeless...
I was at this show, and have never forgotten how high pure percussion took us all. I've had music take to some far out places, but this was really special. The Neville Brothers were there that night as well, and the Dead were bang-on with 2 killer sets, but them Drums blew my mind entirely, could have gone home right then totally happy. I played talking drum for years thinking of him.
I saw him perform at the Starwood festival, and there could be 50+ drummers in a drum jam. He was playing for classes in African Dancing!! That is an experience like no other, it's like the drums are alive, and everyone is part of some kind of communal mind while playing together and just being part of that experience. I wish I could do that on a regular basis it is one of the most spiritual experiences of my life. 1994.
Baba will be letting them all handle the talking drums, He passed away.. one of my best friends, mentors and heros!I was there for this show, I think I mixed this part of the show at the New Years show... it'was long ago and it was fun! BabA!!! YEA!
@Turgorful >>you have gone to the heart of Baba and what he had to teach ..that "LOVE Is the Greatest Emotion in the World " i had the honor of playing and singing with Baba and the Drums of Passion ..Gordy..Sanga ..Frank ..Sikiru...one of the highlghts of my life !
We had his first album in my family home, 1959 I believe it was. I still have it. When I met him in '91 I could see it touched him when I told him that, and then I realized that it was indicator of support 'way back when he first started recording. He was a beautiful man, gentle yet strong in his dignity, morality and spirituality. He used to do a yearly tour where he'd come through town for some concerts and a week of dance and drum classes. They often taught Fanga, the Yoruba dance of welcoming, back in those years. There's a video of him, a big drum group, and a class of dancers dancing Fanga -- search it out, it was one of Baba's signature presentations of Yoruba culture.
While I have not seen the Drums of Passion album for many years I can still recall the liner notes for Akiwowo- "train conductor- do you call this having a good time?"
@rocknrollhoochiekoo1 it is generally used for the talking drum. I have never seen the stick used for any other drums personally, although there are zillions of drums. Ps: the "guy" is a Nigerian drum master who among other amazing things played with Miles Davis in the 1950's He has hands that are precision. i stood 5 feet from him in a workshop session and he was tempered so that 100 drummers all set their volume and re-set their whole approach to what he did that day. R.I.P. Baba!
@Turgorful I was given the Drums Of Passion part of this show to mix. now ya gotta know the Ultra sound crew. we did a sound check. come time for the show. they swapped the connectors. so it was 1/2 in reverse on the console, no time to re plug it took me about 2 minutes to figure out what was happening. I re eq'd in less then 2 minutes. looked back at the crew and they are laughing their asses off at me. I passed the test with flying colors. Bastards love em all tho best crew in the world
