THE HISTORY OF JAZZ IN NIGERIA

ORIGINS
The earliest form of Western Music introduced into Nigeria were
choral chants and hymnals introduced by Portuguese Missionaries
In the 15th and 16th century. This was followed by more conventional
Choral music

This was then followed by classical music introduced in the mid nineteenth
Century. At the same time Martial music, such as marching bands had been
Introduced by Colonial Forces. The latter was to have the greatest influence

Brass bands were introduced in consequence and local variations were

Introduced, the most popular being the Lagos Mozart Orchestra
AKA The Calabar Brass Band. These Combined Brass Band music with
indigenous languages.
THE SILENT BROWNE REVOLUTION
• Born in Lagos in 1895, he stowed away on a ship and travelled to Poland
In 1922, where he initially worked as a labourer.

• He soon found his way to Poland’s vibrant entertainment scene and

attached himself with a Jazz band in the city. Learning the drums and
later Joining a Jazz ensemble at the famous Ziemanska Club in Warsaw

• He was soon to become one of the most notable Jazz Musicians in the
city, eventually recording and releasing an album in 1928. This was the
first Jazz album ever to be recorded by a Nigerian

• He continued to play in various venues till the Second World War, when he
joined the Polish resistance Army, fighting till the very end of the war. He
was later recognised as a hero of the Polish resistance

• He moved to Britain in 1956, where he died in 1976.

 THE ORIGINAL DIXIELAND JAZZ BAND
WHO RECORDED THE FIRST JAZZ ALBUM EVER IN 1917
 FURTHER EXTERNAL INFLUENCE
NEW ORLEANS JAZZ

Eddie Lang Louis Armstrong Lennie Johnson

 WEST AFRICA LISTENED AND LEARNED….
BUT SPOKE IN ITS OWN LANGUAGE

Domingo Justus George Williams Aingo

 THE BIG BAND BOSSES

Benny Goodman Duke Ellington Count Basie Glenn Miller

• Two of the biggest influences on Big Band and Swing Jazz were Clarinettist Benny Goodman
And Trombonist Glen Miller, who actually played together as part of Ben Pollack’s Band and later,
the Allstars Orchestra, alongside other greats Bix Beiderbecke, Tommy Dorsey and Coleman Hawkins.
Miller wrote the classic Room 1411 with Goodman in 1928.Goodman performed at a sold out concert
in Carnegie Hall in 1938, which signalled the gentrification of Jazz music. Miller was to form a parallel
but similar path recording a number of classics, such as Tuxedo Junction, In the mood etc before his
death in 1944 in a plane crah

• On the parallel, Duke Ellington started his career in 1919, playing at small functions and slowly growing
His popularity till his signing on by New York’s Cotton Club, which signalled his trajectory into a global
Jazz legend performing all over the world with some of the world’s greatest and releasing several
renowned works Creole Love Call, Black and Tan, It don’t mean a thing, if it ain’t got that swing to
name a few.

• Count Basie started his career in 1920 in New Jersey, playing with several bands before setting up his band
In 1935. He innovated with two Tenor Saxophonists, introduction of the Flute and recorded several classics
including Honeysuckle Rose, Cherokee, April in Paris etc
 E.T MENSAH + GUY WARREN PIONEERS
OF BIG BAND AND AFRO-JAZZ

E.T MENSAH GUY WARREN

E.T Mensah launched his band in 1931 playing in the Accra Orchestra, starting with the
Piccollo and later playing the Trumpet, Piano, Alto and Tenor Saxophone. He joined the
Accra Rhythm Orchestra Band In 1946 playing Swing Jazz alongside British, American and
West Indian Soldiers

In 1946, Mensah, Guy Warren and others joined the Tempos was a full scale Swing Orchestra,
Experimenting with Afro-Cuban and Caribbean rhythms, Swing and African Rhythms- Highlife.
The Tempos which released a string of hits, once performing with Louis Armstrong during his
visit to Ghana in 1956.

The Tempos became the model of Big Bands all through West Africa, including Nigeria. This
Established the linkage between the Highlife and Swing Jazz.
NIGERIAN SWING JAZZ REVOLUTION

THE BOBBY BENSON JAM SESSION ORCHESTRA

• The return of expatriate Nigerian stars like as Bobby Benson, Tunde Amuwo, Bob
Edwards, Willy Payne, Soji Lijadu, among others from Europe. These pioneers
started out mimicking the big band sounds of Glen Miller and Benny Goodman.
The Guitar style of Charlie Christian and the Saxophone sounds of Coleman
Hawkins and Earl Bostic.

• They played a mixed bag that included calypso, Latin – American stuff, jive,
dance and ball room styles such as waltz, quickstep, tango, fox trot and even
highlife. However, to underscore the fascination they had for jazz, almost all these
early bands adopted jazz tunes for self identification:

• The Bobby Benson Jam Session had Benny Goodman’s standard, Soft Winds as its
signature tune while Tunde Amuwo adopted the Charlie Christian classic, Seven
Eleven

• REF: Benson Idonije Jazz Music in Nigeria

THE LEGENDS OF THE 1950’S
THE NBC ORCHESTRA
In the 1950’s, the Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) Dance Orchestra, emerged as the
leading big band Orchestra in Nigeria.

• It was directed at various times by the legendary Musicologists- Fela Sowande and
Steve Rhodes and became the rallying point for serious Jazz musicians. Aside from
Jazz,the band played dance music of different types.

• It featured such individualists and soloists as trumpeters Mike Falana and E.C.
Arinze, Upright-Bassist Ayo Vaughan, tenor saxophonist Chris Ajilo, guitarist Stan
Plange Fela among others.
• Ajilo in particular was to record what became the first Afro-Beat Track – Ariwo. He
also
• Collaborated in a number of avant-garde compositions with Fela, notably “Ara
Ijesha gbe nu iya”
ELDER STEVE RHODES
 1960’s THE RISE OF THE TITANS
THE FELA RANSOME-KUTI QUINTET
• The Fela Ransome - Kuti Quintet, was founded in 1963 by Fela Ransome-
Kuti). He has earlier recorded his debut album a year earlier.
• He had been encouraged to form a Jazz Quintet during an Interview on
the Radio Nigeria, weekly jazz programme (anchored by Benson
Idonije), upon his arrival from the UK in 1963.
• The quintet found him doubling on trumpet and piano, with Don
Amaechi on guitar; Emmanuel Ngomalio, on bass; John Bull, on drums
and Sid Moss on piano, with BENSON Idonije as Manager.
• The band played regularly on Monday nights at the iconic Cool Cats
Inn, Ebute Meta, a magnet for jazz enthusiasts. The band attracted guest
stars like trumpeter Zeal Onyia; saxophonist Taiwo Okupe; Steve
Rhodes; pianist Art Alade among others.
• Its fare consisted of covers of modern jazz standards, such as Charlie
Parker’s Billie’s Bounce, Miles Davies Bags groove, Gershwin’s But not for
me and Errol Garner’s Misty, which were identified with contemporary
times.
• The Quintet, which also recorded and performed as the Highlife Rakers,
later became the Koola Lobitoes in April 1965 and the Afrika 70 in 1970.
 1960’s THE RISE OF THE TITANS
THE FELA RANSOME-KUTI QUINTET
1960’s THE RISE OF THE TITANS
THE JAZZ PREACHERS

The Afro-Jazz Quartet 1962

The other influential force in the spread of modern Jazz at the time was the Afro-Jazz
ensemble, formed in 1962, which later became the Jazz Preachers in 1964.

It’s personnel was a quartet initially including Zeal Onyia on trumpet; Bayo Martins on
drums, Chris Ajilo on tenor saxophone and Ayo Vaughan on bass. It later expanded into a
quintet, with the inclusion of pianist and singer Art Alade.

Benson Idonije describes the Preachers as a more mainstream jazz ensemble, with more
bias to Swing Jazz, playing standards like Ellington’s Perdido, C-Jam Blues etc

Mention must also be made of the quiet but consistent work of the scion of a great legacy,
Tony Benson, who could best be described as one of Nigeria’s finest Jazz Organists, with
His decterity on show at Caban Bamboo from the late 1960’s. His style was in the mould
Of the great Jimmy Smith and Benson often had Smith’s “The Cat” as his signature tune.
Tony Benson
SPECIAL TRIBUTE
MAUD MEYER
THE SECOND GENERATION OF NIGERIAN JAZZ EXPORTS

Ambrose Campbell
THE SECOND GENERATION OF NIGERIAN JAZZ EXPORTS

MIKE FALANA+ SAMMY DAVIS JR

 Solomon Ilori
The first Nigerian to be signed by Blue Note Records
THE SECOND GENERATION OF NIGERIAN JAZZ EXPORTS

Bayo Martins + Art Blakey

Mary-Afi Usuah
THE SECOND GENERATION OF NIGERIAN JAZZ EXPORTS

FELA RANSOME-KUTI
THE SECOND GENERATION OF NIGERIAN JAZZ EXPORTS

MICHAEL OLATUNJI
 JAZZ OUTSIDE LAGOS
THE NORTHERN SCENE

BALA MILLER AND THE PIRAMEEDS

• Bala Miller started his music career at the CMS Grammar School Lagos, where he
Was encouraged by Chief TOS Benson, also an old boy.

• He began his professional career by joining the Lagos Mozart Orchestra/Calabar

Brass Brand, where he learnt to play a variety of Instruments, including his favoured
Instrument, the Trumpet.

• After a career as a Manager with Nigeria Breweries as a Manager, he formed Northern

Nigeria’s foremost Big Band Orchestra, playing Swing Jazz, with one of his most popular
Signature tunes being Louis Armstrong’s version of ‘When the Saints go marching in’.

• The Pirameeds later became a huge cross-over phenomenon, performing a range of

Genre, from Swing Jazz, through Highlife to Afrobeat.
JAZZ OUTSIDE LAGOS
THE EASTERN SCENE
As in the North, Swing Jazz was the dominant form of Jazz prevalent in Eastern Nigeria in the
1950’s and 1960’s. Bands would play a combinationOf Swing Jazz and Highlife standards,
largely at a variety of events, ranging from Ballroom to Community Dances.

Some of the biggest players in the Eastern Big Band scene in this period included The great Chief
Bill Friday, Akunwata Stephen Amechi and E.C.Arinze, who trained a generation of stars who
Were to make their mark in years to come, such Stephen Osadebe, Rex Williams and many more
Wiliams in particular was to attract the attention of Louis Armstrong, during his visit to Nigeria, when
He marked the young man as having a bright musical future.

The standard fare of these bands were as said Swing Jazz classics by Benny Goodman, Glen Miller
And Louis Armstrong. However unlike Lagos, there was no immediate transition to Modern Jazz, in
Fact it may even be said that these bands merely performed Swing Jazz as add-on’s to their main
Repertoire- Highlife. However it may also be said that at the early stage of Big Band Highlife, the
Lines of difference between Jazz and Highlife were in many ways blurred.
 SPECIAL MENTION
THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE MEN OF THE FORCE

NIGERIAN POLICE BAND LED BY TOMMY OBEY

At the onset of this presentation, the contributions of the Army Brass Band’s to the
Nascent origins of Jazz was mentioned. This contribution was to continue through the
Evolution of Nigerian Jazz, through the efforts of the Nigerian Army and Nigerian Police
Band’s (later the Nigerian Navy and Airforce from 1964 onwards).

These Band’s would characteristically provide entertainment at formal functions, especially

Ballroom Dances. The standard fare being cover versions of Swing Jazz hits, of the now
Ubiquitous Benny Goodman, Duke Ellington, Glen Miller and others.

The Nigerian Police Band was however to gain greater fame, with its high quality personnel
Including the highly talented Saxophonist Tommy Obey and the better known Bernard
Odiase, who arranged the music to Nigeria’s fiorst National anthem.
THE 1970’S- 1980’S
The 1970’s and 1980’switnessed the emergence of a new generation of highly talented Nigerian
Jazz Instrumentalists, many of whom plied their trade in the diaspora. Prime examples
Of this category included Saxophonists Lasisi Amao and Peter King. Amao and King played
in some Of Europe’s finest Jazz venues and ensembles. King had been part of the African Messengers
alongside Bayo Martins and Mike Falana, who oured the UK in 1961. The key innovation of the period was
Experimentation by Nigerian Jazzists with the new phenomenon of Jazz Funk

Keyboardist Gboyega Adelaja after travelling to the USA for studies, launched himself into
The Jazz scene, grounded in the Piano from his days at the CMS Grammar School. He toured
And recorded with the great Hugh Masekela. His debut album titled Colourful environment was
One of the finest Jazz-Funk albums ever recorded in Nigeria.

Also in the USA, Percussionist Aleke Kanonu Performed as a super session man with a wide variety of top
acts. He however made a name For himself with hiseponymously named solo Jazz-Funk album,
featuring a young Wynton Marsalis and another joint album with Tolbert the Miracle Man.

In Nigeria the Jazz scene was relatively quiet in he 1970;s, Jazz revolution occurred with the opening
of three important Jazz venues in Lagos, the first being Fran and Tunde Kuboye’s Jazz 38, in Ikoyi, Lagos;
Veteran Pianist and impresario Art Alade’s Art’s Place, in Yaba. The last being Muyiwa Majekodunmi’s
Jazzville, also at Yaba
In the 1980’s Jazz 38 in particular became Nigeria’s most important Jazz venue, with
the standing band being the Extended Family Band, fronted by vocalist Fran
Kuboye,. Others being Tunde Kuboye on Bass and Emmanuel Ngomalio and Duro
Ikujenyo on Piano, at different times. Guests like Fela and Femi Anikulapo-Kuti
would grace the club periodically. Likewise the club became a favourite haunt of
visiting expatriate Jazz musicians.

Art’s Place featured Art Alade and his coterie of high quality Jazz veterans such as
his previous co-travellers, Bayo Martins, Wole Bucknor, Sunmi Smart-Cole, Sid Moss
and many others, performing a range of evergreen Jazz and Highlife standards.

Muyiwa Majekodunmi’s Jazzville on the other than catered for a younger more
bohemian audience. The standing band consisted of some excellent amateur and
Professional musicians, such as Eric Mann, Willie Bestmann, Ayo Bankole Jr, Tunde
Ajijedidun, Dele Sosimi, Femi Elias and many others. There were also notable guest
appearances from the aforementioned Fela and Femi Anikulapo-Kuti. The musical
Offerings ranged from Traditional to Avant-garde and Fusion, in short any and
everything was on offer in an iconoclastic environment.

One of the biggest International concert tours of the 1980’s was that by Bebop
legend Dizzy Gillespie, organised by the Jazz Club of Nigeria, headed by Alaba
Okupe. He toured Lagos and Port Harcourt, in fact receiving a Chieftaincy title the
Basheere of Iperu-Remo.
ALEKE KANONU
PETER KING GBOYEGA ADELAJA
FRAN KUBOYE TUNDE KUBOYE
1990- PRESENT JAZZ RENAISSANCE
The 1990’s saw a renaissance in Jazz music awareness, spurred by the growth of a
Number of live Music venues, providing receptive hubs for Jazz music fans. This in
Turn provided for a for serious Jazz Musicians to ply their trade and earn a living. The result being
That Jazz increased its mass appeal. Some of these clubs being the aforementioned, Jazz 38,
Run by the Kuboye’s, Muyiwa Majekodunmi’s Jazzville, Jazz et al, featuring Bisade Ologunde
Pinto’s, owned by Funmi and late Segun Onabolu, which played host to an excellent array of soon
To be Superstars like Kayode Olajide, Biodun Batik, Agboola Shadare , Mike Aremu etc Ibadan’s Segi
And Benin’s Prest Club also provided vibrant venues for Jazz expression at the time.

A new generation of excellent musicians emerged in this wave, aside from those mentioned, others such
As Funsho Ogundipe and Laitan Adeniji emerged with varied genre influences, ranging from Smooth
To Afro-Jazz. The 90’s also saw the emergence of the Gospel Jazz phenomenon, with acts like Kunle
Ajayi, Mike Aremu, Kunle Odutayo, Bright Gain and more. The 90’s also saw the emergence of older
Veterans who now gained prominence, such as Greek-Nigerian Jazz Guitarist, Sotirios Papadopoulos,
Fronting the band Spice, Afro-beat super sideman, Duro Ikujenyo and Jazz Express (later Excite Band)
featuring of ex-Steve Rhodes Voices sidemen Willie Bestmann and Nik Abel. Also female vocal power
Was on display with the likes of powerhouse talents- Yinka Davies, Ayinke Martins, Maya, Thelma
Okorie and more.

There were featured events hosted by a number of organisations, such as Alliance Francaise, The Goethe
Institut and British Council, which featured both foreign and local artistes either individually or on the
Same stage.
Femi Kuti, Biodun Batik Sotirios Papadopoulos and Excite
FELA and Dede Mabiaku at Jazzville
The new millennium saw the continued upward mobility of the Nigerian Jazz
renaissance with a tradition of musicianship established. A new culture of
Formal musical training had arisen in the previous decade and grew
exponentially with growth in the number of institutions, notably the Muson
School and Peter King school’s of Music amongst other, which provided
Training modules in Jazz Music, alongside the formal training available in
Tertiary institutions

The new generation of performers include Saxophonist Yemi Sax, Drummer

Daniel Isele, singer Diana Bada and many more emerged. Confidently
asserting their artistic originality and skills to a generally receptive audience.

A new generation of large Jazz Concerts emerged, such as the Lagos

International Jazz Festival, run by Ayo Shadare’s Inspiro, The Lagos Jazz Series
Concert, run by Oti Bazunu, the Bayelsa and Calabar Jazz Festibvals and
Gospel Jazz Festivals, which all attracted a powerful array of International and
local stars
 The Diasporan Dominators

Femi Temowo

He learnt his craft in Church in the UK, studied Music and has worked with some of
The world’s finest, such as Amy Winehouse, George Benson, Soweto Kinch, Courtney Pine
Andrea Bocelli etc. Released his debut album “Orin meta” in 2011.
 DELE SOSIMI
Early tutelage under Fela, and later played with Femi Kuti. He moved to
The UK and founded his Afrobeat Orcestra, performing Afrobeat and Jazz. Performed
At such venues as the Jazz Café, WOMAD, Royal Albert Hall, Joe Zawinul;s Birdland,
Montreux Jazz Festival and many more.
 Lekan Babalola
Percussionist, who started out with Fela and expanded His trajectory, eventually performing
with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers Ernest Ranglin, Branford Marsalis, Roy Ayers, Damon Albarn,
Tony Allen. He won two Grammy awards, for work on Ali Farka Toure and Cassandra Wilson’s
Album’s in 2006 and 2009
 Michael Olatuja
Bassist, born in the UK to Nigerian parents, he studied music and became
A popular session man, working with Stevie Wonder, Terence Blanchard, Chaka Khan
andThe Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, amongst many others. He however performs solo
as a Jazz Musician alongside his wife Alicia Olatuja
 Tunde Jegede
Born in the UK to a Nigerian artiste father, he learnt the Kora under the tutelage of one
Of the world’s greatest Kora Masters. He studied Music at the Purcell and Guildhall Schools
Specialising in the Cello. As part of his quest for discovery of his African Classical Music roots,
He delved into improvisational Jazz, founding the Jazz Griots and experimenting deeply into
The linkages between both spaces. His art straddles two complex and formal worlds of music
And he has worked with some of the world’s finest in both fields. Currently Creative Director at
MUSON.
FIN