Babalola, Lekan / Songs Of Icon
| Album: | Songs Of Icon | Collection: | World | |
| Artist: | Babalola, Lekan | Added: | Feb 2007 | |
| Label: | Mr. Bongo | |||
A-File Activity
| Add Date: | 2007-03-04 | Pull Date: | 2007-05-06 | Charts: | Electronic, Reggae/World |
|---|
| Week Ending: | Apr 29 | Apr 22 | Apr 8 | Mar 25 | Mar 18 | Mar 11 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airplays: | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
Recent Airplay
| 1. | Jun 20, 2009: | No Cover, No Minimum: Weekend Edition
Kabioye |
4. | Apr 21, 2007: | New World Disorder
Kabioye (Mark De Clive/Lowe Remix Feat Af3ca Antoine) |
|
| 2. | Jan 04, 2008: | No Cover, No Minimum: Extended Wanderings
Kabioye |
5. | Apr 20, 2007: | Around the World: No Cover, No Minimum.
Ide Osun |
|
| 3. | Apr 27, 2007: | No Cover, No Minimum
Kabioye |
6. | Apr 06, 2007: | No Cover, No Minimum
Obalaiye |
Album Review
Fo
Reviewed 2007-03-03
Reviewed 2007-03-03
LEKAN BABALOLA – “Songs of Icon”
Mr. Bongo, 2006
NIGERIA/U.K. – Jazz, Afrobeat and Yoruban spirituality merge in this fantastic, varied release, with percussionist Babalola laying down thick carpets of rhythm. He’s been active for nearly 30 years, working with everyone from Roy Ayers to Fela to Spike Lee. Unfortunately, the rest of the band is uncredited. The first (white) disc is basically a modern-jazz record with an African twist, and the second (black) is remixes. The remixes are fine I guess, but I’ll stick with those killer originals…
Fo’s Picks: Disc I – 1, 3, 4, 5, 7 / Disc II – 4, 5
DISC ONE (Originals)
1. 05:37 – soulful afrobeat with funky horns, jazz guitar, layers of percussion
2. 05:48 – nice African/Latin jazz, but the last minute is full of glitches! Arg!
3. 04:08 – happy time! Perky horns, active drums, and everybody sings!
4. 03:55 – infectious afrobeat stomp built on a simple theme; too short!
5. 09:02 – Pretty Yoruban chant, group voc and soothing, undulating rhythms
6. 05:58 – relaxed afrocentric jazz switches to a dark, insistent beat
7. 06:23 – late night jazz-club sound with some echo, rich bass, fine solos
8. 11:09 – solo bass first & last 3 minutes, chugging hipster jazz in between
DISC TWO (Remixes)
1. 8:18 – layered samples over chugging beat, male vox, rock guitar break
2. 8:20 – skittery beat; call/response vox, some shouts, beeps. Way too long.
3. 8:20 – vocal snippets weave through stripped-down synth-tone patchwork
4. 5:59 – upbeat, lightly funky; keeps much of the original, adds English vox
5. 7:34 – guitar/bongo intro; solid upbeat groove with a generally sunny feel
6. 6:53 – stomping beat, little vocal snippets, synth riffs; then rolls along nicely
7. 6:20 – basic beat + electric bass, English vox; little of the original remains
8. 3:08 – the beats & some accents from #2 above
9. 5:24 – another version of #5 above, starts more spare, then blossoms
[ Fo ] 3/3/07
Mr. Bongo, 2006
NIGERIA/U.K. – Jazz, Afrobeat and Yoruban spirituality merge in this fantastic, varied release, with percussionist Babalola laying down thick carpets of rhythm. He’s been active for nearly 30 years, working with everyone from Roy Ayers to Fela to Spike Lee. Unfortunately, the rest of the band is uncredited. The first (white) disc is basically a modern-jazz record with an African twist, and the second (black) is remixes. The remixes are fine I guess, but I’ll stick with those killer originals…
Fo’s Picks: Disc I – 1, 3, 4, 5, 7 / Disc II – 4, 5
DISC ONE (Originals)
1. 05:37 – soulful afrobeat with funky horns, jazz guitar, layers of percussion
2. 05:48 – nice African/Latin jazz, but the last minute is full of glitches! Arg!
3. 04:08 – happy time! Perky horns, active drums, and everybody sings!
4. 03:55 – infectious afrobeat stomp built on a simple theme; too short!
5. 09:02 – Pretty Yoruban chant, group voc and soothing, undulating rhythms
6. 05:58 – relaxed afrocentric jazz switches to a dark, insistent beat
7. 06:23 – late night jazz-club sound with some echo, rich bass, fine solos
8. 11:09 – solo bass first & last 3 minutes, chugging hipster jazz in between
DISC TWO (Remixes)
1. 8:18 – layered samples over chugging beat, male vox, rock guitar break
2. 8:20 – skittery beat; call/response vox, some shouts, beeps. Way too long.
3. 8:20 – vocal snippets weave through stripped-down synth-tone patchwork
4. 5:59 – upbeat, lightly funky; keeps much of the original, adds English vox
5. 7:34 – guitar/bongo intro; solid upbeat groove with a generally sunny feel
6. 6:53 – stomping beat, little vocal snippets, synth riffs; then rolls along nicely
7. 6:20 – basic beat + electric bass, English vox; little of the original remains
8. 3:08 – the beats & some accents from #2 above
9. 5:24 – another version of #5 above, starts more spare, then blossoms
[ Fo ] 3/3/07
Track Listing