Afrobeat Pioneer Tony Allen Has Died
The drummer played with Fela Kuti...
Afrobeat pioneer and rhythm legend *Tony Allen* has died.
The Nigerian musician came of age during an incredible era for Lagos nightlife, when countless clubs offered virtually every type of music under the sun.
Drawn towards jazz, his dexterity, technical exactness, and stunning touch made him sought after, drawn into the orbit of Fela Kuti.
The rhythmic lynchpin of Kuti's seminal Africa '70 group, he helped invent afrobeat, with those long, heady jams powered by his incredibly inventive approach to drumming.
Departing from Fela Kuti as the 80s dawned, he moved to Paris, where he led a number of different projects.
Lauded by Brian Eno as the finest drummer on the planet, Tony Allen also worked with Damon Albarn in The Good The Bad & The Queen.
Most recently working alongside fellow African jazz great Hugh Maskela on a full length LP, he leaves behind an enormous legacy.
News of Tony Allen's death was confirmed through his family - the drummer was 79, and the cause of death has yet to be confirmed.
Clash met Tony Allen in 2017 for a memorable lunch time interview - holding his knife and fork in that traditional jazz grip, he exudes a remarkable, beatific sense of calm.
Re-visit that interview *HERE.*
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