Tony Allen: Afrobeat’s Impossible Drummer 

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He was living in New York City at one point later in his life and I regret never heading out to see him playing. Whenever a favorite older musician performs, advice: go. Don’t postpone it, go - show the love and go enjoy what senior musicians do.

I was lucky enough to know Tony well and had many adventures with him including in Nigeria, DR Congo and across the world. I was lucky enough to be at his very last show at Church of Sound in London in March 2020, a few weeks before he died. He gave me his signature sticks at that show and they are one of my most treasured possessions as I saw him hit his very last symbol crash with them at the end of that show. oh how he is missed !

It's really fascinating how so much modern music is heavily influenced by a people most people have never heard of.

I had the privilege to play with tony allen 2 times in oslo in a club called BLUE it was amazing , the first time i joined his band and i sang , the second time i was playing my concert and he came with his band and joined me : I m so thankfull

I remember hearing him say one of the reasons he left Africa 70 was because there were too many people on stage (that is, a lot of people getting paid for not doing much). Him being replaced by four drummers is ironic.

I worked in Lagos in 75/76, and would drive past Fela Kutis house, but stupidly never saw him play. Great video, thank you.

i never heard of him, i will start being more gentle because of him

The most underrated drummer, he's half of afrobeat but seldom talked about... Thanks for sharing! Also, I had no idea he was playing on "La Ritournelle", I always loved that groove not realizing!

I'm not a drummer but I had the good fortune to be in the studio when he recorded once. I was amazed by how little he moved while playing. Like you say in the video he only lightly touches the drums and his upper body is almost still. I love some of his own albums as well - Black Voices (sampled by J Dilla for Common) and also The Source which is his tribute to Blakey. Great video. Subscribed

Being a heavy handed Rock and Funk drummer this individual just blows me away 100%respect thanks for the BIO bro

I bought a cassette tape of Fela in the early 80's, not knowing what I was buying, and to only be following this drummer ever since.

Expensive Shit and Water No Get Enemy were absolutely life changing for me. Glad to see Tony Allen getting more much deserved attention

A HELL of a drummer.

As a teen in the UK, in the ‘80s, in my circle, it wasn’t uncommon to find Fela Kuti vinyl in peoples record collections, often these were original from the ‘70s, handed down from the record collections of parents or older friends, or perhaps found in one of the plethora of record shops dotted around the city. If the sleeves were tatty, they nevertheless invariably had fascinating artwork that declared loudly the political revolutionary nature of the content. Often these records had a half hour track on each side, and the hypnotic funky drumming was of course Tony Allen. I played along to them often as I taught myself bass guitar.

Jay Dilla was a genius for that flip! Respect to the Legendary Tony Allen!!

Subscribed and liked after 30 seconds. I never do that. Good shit.

I was fortunate to jam out with him once in a tiny late night bar in Paris, after a chance encounter. He came across as a mischievous, yet humble man always eager to play, even though he was in his late seventies back then (must have been around 2019). A true legend, his passing will always mark a real loss to anyone who loves real music... and most of all the world will now be short one truly authentic, kind soul. Rest In Peace. Thanks for this well-informed and respectful tribute.

For all your magnificent contributions to humanity - THANK YOU, TONY‼

I fucking love Tony Allen

All I meant by my comment I wish for peace and love for this world we live in. This cat happens to be one of my favorites and a huge influence.

Loved Tony Allen:fantastic ,relaxed, innovative and propulsive .All simultaneously!

This was great, and Mr Allen deserves all his flowers for being pretty much the foundation of Afrobeat. The part of Africa 70 that I have trying to figure out forever was the bass player. Apparently, the bass player would always be changed or swapped out between different bass players. But man the basslines from Africa 70s work was always so cold to me!!!

I was never into Afrobeat before this video.

Caressing the drums...❤

Nice spot! Tony is one of my favorite drummers, up there with Max, Elvin, Art. I didn't know too much about his early years, so this is cool. Another person on that list is Changuito, who weaves a similar set of influences: Yoruba, Funk, and Jazz, but through a Cuban lens. He was also very similarly revolutionary, and his innovations are instrumental to Songo, Timba, and modern Salsa as well. Worth a look.

I'd like it if these videos were longer and we saw more playing. I'd happily sit through a whole song at the end in particular.

I've seen him once. He is a great inspiration for me!

Fascinating! Loved this!

Fantastic!

Awesome video, thank you!

Legend. Thanks, this channel rules man.

Thx for this tribute !

love this

I had the chance to see him live several times in different styles and different groups. It was always magical and I'm pretty sure he used to live in my neighbourhood in Paris as I was seeing him on the streets of Belleville quite often.

Respect to Baba Tony,his grooves remains with us .

Just remarkable. Check out the album he did with Fela and Ginger Baker.

The Legend!☝🏾

I love these videos, and will definitely check out many of this albums!!

Substantial content, thank you 🙌🏼

Awesome 🥁

This was very informative! Thank you!

Fantastic tribute -deserving a sub

This was a pleasant watch. Thank you.

Great video, I love Tony's music and I love how you empahsised his approach to constant innovation, well done!

Great video!!!!

Very nice, well done!!!

brilliant

Subtle brilliance ❤

Very worthwhile!

Awesome...Tres EDUCATIONAL...Thank YOU...bigggtime.

Total genius!

Stellar

So original

My group Loose Caboose, acted as opening act for King Sunny Ade, near the univ. of Massachusetts, in the early 80’s, on their first american tour. 20 musicians, and we loaned them all of our equipment, to enable our promoter to host the show. I played guitar from the mid 1960’s, tracked jazz musicians, as a child. I was drawn to the open space/jam music, where a musician would begin to speak in his own voice, like Archie Shepp, would say, to us, in person. Roy Haynes, was knocking it out of the Boston musical park, and I learned early, who had the mojo workin’. When it came time, early 70’s to promote the reality of riddim music, 5-7 points of light occurred. Afrobeat was the root though not a commercial offering. The real racist music publishing apartheid, in amerigo round, was circled in a wagon train. Round about 1976. I was surrounded by musicians who wanted to chase obscure Grateful Dead ideas, that were not money makers. At the time, I and I musicians, broke from the limited industry, and began to play interesting black and brown music, to diversify, and unite the ‘smarter students’ ,in the class. A singer came to me, and my 5- piece stage band, who was Tina Turner’s cousin, from the Bullock clan in N.C., born in Boston, as we were. Long story, my singer loved Bob Marley, and went right to him. We’d bring herbs fe de musicians dem. Eventually , being recorded by Tough Gong, fe 2 albums. In the massa-choose-its reality, we opened acts, for bigger recording artists, like Taj Mahal, Gil Scott Heron, Bonnie Raitt, Black Uhuru, Junior Reid, Half Pint, and more if I could remember.

Such a cool channel, never heard of this man yet I sense his widespread influence. I will research him more bc of this video. Subbed, thank you!

A great and thoughtful video essay, letting a legend's work speak for itself. I'm a writer and storyteller, I will apply the phrase caressing the drums to words I use from now on.

I used to hear these guys were a huge influence to some British acts like Peter Gabriel and Phil Collins. Would appreciate more insight on that, but this video is an essential reminder we all need 🙏

Thanks

Ghost Thud - for Mr. Allen

I would have loved to hear what he and Changuito could come up with. Thanks for introducing me to Tony. I'm now going to go down a rabbit hole . . .

would have enjoyed more music clips. great quote: I don't beat the drums; I caress them. Astounding.

Im an American musician who really loves Afro Beat. I made a track as BKstank called "Thats That Shit" inspired by these kind of grooves.

Fela Kuti is probably part of the reason I enjoy the music of Mdou Moctar so much lol. Something about this sound hits deep into the soul of anyone who hears the music (or sees the music...maybe lol). I also very much enjoy so called "gypsy jazz" and the crossover with afrobeat is definitely noticeable. The mediterrainean ocean and phoenicians and greeks and whoevers.

I played the drums for many years and i can usually pick up the beat of any song pretty quickly. Tony Allen is the only one in which i have to put an outworldly effort to understand exactly what he was doing.

hey thanks

Great! Not often the drummer gets a shout.

It might be too much to expect other drummers to play such complex and interesting parts as Tony. However it would be great is there were at least a few who could play with the same level of self control and not hit them so hard.

💯💯💯✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾

Absolute metronome in a metronome

He onces played 2 gigs with a Finnish jazz big band. 2 rehersals. A horn player said that from the rehersal you couldn’t really be sure what to expect from the guy. Then back stage before the first performance Tony Allen had done some yoga moves for warm up, kept mostly to himself and smoked a joint. This made the horn guy a bit worried-afterall it was very structured music and a big band - not some jam with a quartet or quintet for example. A couple of bars into the first song, the whole band was completely locked in into a very tight time - and leaning a 100% on Allen, said the brass guy. Easiest time keeping ever, he also said. Rip Tony Allen

The best way I can describe the drum style of Fela Kuti is the drummer needs to play VERY tonally, and also still play complex rhythm and accents. And without crowding the percussion. So the drums are kinda like a tonal instrument that functions into an overal chord with every other instrument, and especially the percussion section (if they are on stage). The drummer needs to sing with their drums essentially. AND still play the drums.

Saw him play live multiple times with TV ON THE RADIO. Awe inspiring.

I compilated Tony Allen greates drums groove in playlist Tony Allen - Afrobeat Drums Groove Score Collection: ru-vid.com/group/PLYsXiOiqESq2d66So6qJgj-ZIhcMhcse1

❤

Subbed

Check out the song YeYe De Smell by Fela Kuti on the album "Live" that song has both Tony Allen and Ginger Baker playing on it and they each have their own solos back to back! Its amazing. The whole album is a masterpiece from top to bottom, no skips... so much energy, passion, and groove all throughout. And if you've ever seen the movie The Harder They Fall you will also recognize the first song "Let's Start" from the end of that film.

Like to know he got the knowledge form a Chicago source, nice: )

Peace to Tony Allen. He always gave his credit to Black American funk and James Brown. He said all African drummers copied Black American music to its core.

gret

👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

And he’s first team all-Defence.

Knew about Fela but never heard about Mr Allen. Try not bobbing your head at 7:50

Where can we found the video with the solo at the end ? Rly nice video man ! Ty

For the people who don't know the history of Afrobeats

Peace Tony, thanks for the inspiration, hope you're having fun there on the other side!

Don't forget his collabs with Jimi Tenor

Never heard Max Roach called "Roach" before...

poison - rocket juice and the moon

What is that ride?

I think this video is fantastic, however its missing a very big exploit about the creation of afrobeat.. It was when Fela met James Brown and heard what he was doing in the 70's... We all know what happened after...Love it!

Has anybody seen Tony Allen and Dikembe Mutombo in the same room? I have my suspicions! 🤣

I would think Tony Allen and Ginger Baker crossed paths in Nigeria in the 1970s - don't know.

So important to rennet the snare drum is all level and very little accents. The hats and snare are just dancing.

Another victim of the pandemic. Of all the drummers I have seen live, & I have seen some greats, he was the most impressive

What polyrhythms?

Kobe Bryant had a ton of respect for this guy, and you can clearly see why in this video

Nobody comes close.

lot of 6

Dear friend, High-Life music comes from Brazilian music and not Western Jazz. King Sonny Ade the High-Life stile front runner said in his book. At the Brazilian Quarter in Lagos Capital of Nigeria.