Fela Kuti - O.d.o.o. (overtake Don Overtake Overtake) - VINYL LP

Shakara is one of a clutch of early 1970's albums, on which Fela's Afrobeat transitioned from stage to something approaching full-grown form. Shakara (1971) includes three of mature Afrobeat's signature ingredients. There are two guitarists, rhythm guitarist Tutu Shoronmu and tenor guitarist Segun Edo. The pair's repetitive, interlocking riffs - part melody, part rhythm - play a similar role to the rhythm and mi-solo guitars used in contemporary Congolese rumba. Fela's Broken English lyrics extend his music's audience beyond Yoruba speakers and make his words understandable across Anglophone Africa. And female backing vocalists echo Fela's lead vocals in what was to become Afrobeat's trademark call-and-response pattern. In InchLady,Inch Fela highlights the adoption of European social habits to the detriment of African culture. InchShakaraInch is a mainly instrumental track, with a brief lyric, sung in Yoruba, warning against boasters and braggarts. Up-tempo, with a suitably turbulent horn arrangement, it includes strong solos from Fela on keyboards and the fearsome Igo Chico on tenor saxophone.

Limited blue colored vinyl LP pressing. This album was Fela's full-on sonic revenge on the military regime that attacked and brutalized him and his compound in Lagos twice in 1974. The raids on his Kalakuta Republic were an attempt by the Nigerian police and army to silence Fela. Brought to trial on trumped up charges with no substantive evidence, the court dismissed the case, set him free, and made him an even larger hero to the people of Nigeria. The album narrative delves deeply in the post-colonial corruption of Nigerian institutions and the grueling and brutal manner the police and the military treated all unfortunate enough to be caught up in their grip. This edition is pressed on Gulf of Guinea Blue (opaque blue) vinyl.

Alagbon Close was named after the headquarters of the Nigerian Criminal Investigation Department in Lagos. It was where Fela was detained after the 2nd raid on his home failed to find anything incriminating. The title track calls out the Nigerian police's violence, arrogance and apparent immunity from prosecution. Alagbon Close was also the first of Fela's albums to have a sleeve designed by Ghariokwu Lemi, whose artwork became an integral part of Afrobeat's message. To mark it's 50th anniversary, the album is presented on Jollof orange color vinyl in a single pocket, wide-spine jacket with gold foil OBI strip.