African High Life is the debut album by Nigerian drummer and percussionist Solomon Ilori, recorded in 1963 and released on the Blue Note label.Blue Note Records discography accessed January 31, 2011 The album was reissued on CD in 2006 with three bonus tracks recorded at a later session.
Reception Allmusic awarded the album 4 stars, and reviewer Brandon Burke stated, "This is a very enjoyable if not essential album of traditional African highlife music set to dance tempos".Burke, B. [ Allmusic Review] accessed January 31, 2011 The All About Jazz review by Chris May called the original album "pleasant, if unspectacular, palm-wine highlife outings from the West African tradition, distinguished by some masterful drumming, but diminished by strangely inept alto saxophone contributions" but stated the bonus tracks "anticipate—with great brio and deep grooves—the astral jazz of the late '60s and early '70s, and the world jazz which has in turn followed".May, C. African High Life All About Jazz Review June 14, 2006
Track listing All compositions by Solomon Ilori "Tolani (African Love Song)" – 7:44 "Ise Oluwa (God's Work Is Indestructible)" – 5:39 "Follow Me to Africa" – 5:29 "Yaba E (Farewell)" – 5:30 "Jojolo (Look at This Beautiful Girl)" – 7:17 "Aiye Le (The Troubled World)" – 3:25 "Gbogbo Omo Ibile (Going Home)" – 11:47 Bonus track on CD reissue "Agbamurero (Rhino)" – 13:54 Bonus track on CD reissue "Igbesi Aiye (Song of Praise to God)" – 13:22 Bonus track on CD reissue Notes Recorded at Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey on April 25, 1963 (tracks 1–6) and October 30, 1964 (tracks 7–9)
Personnel Solomon Ilori – vocal, pennywhistle, talking drum, guitar Chief Bey, Roger Sanders (tracks 7–9), Ladji Camara (tracks 7–9), Sonny Morgan (tracks 7–9) – conga, hand drum, percussion Josiah Ilori – sakara drum, cowbell (tracks 1–6) Robert Crowder – conga, shekere, cowbell (tracks 1–6) Montego Joe – conga (tracks 1–6) Garvin Masseaux – conga, xylophone, cowbell (tracks 1–6) Jay Berliner – guitar (tracks 1–6) Hosea Taylor – alto saxophone, flute (tracks 1–6) Donald Byrd – trumpet (tracks 7–9) Hubert Laws – tenor saxophone, flute (tracks 7–9) Elvin Jones – drums (tracks 7–9) Ahmed Abdul-Malik (tracks 1–6), Bob Cranshaw (tracks 7–9) – bass Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson – piano, musical director
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