Tony Allen THE SOURCE

[ghost of miles]

Listening to this recent Blue Note release right now from long-time Fela Kuti drummer Tony Allen and enjoying it a great deal. Here's a review from the online magazine Pitchfork:
 

Tony Allen: The Source

I somehow missed the Blakey EP tribute that came out earlier this year but would be curious to hear it as well.

Edited November 6, 2017 by ghost of miles

[mjazzg]

Yes, The Source is a good listen, one I've retuned to a number of times over the last few months.Not groundbreaking perhaps but no less enjoyable for that

[crisp]

I haven't played The Source yet but the Blakey EP was very good. Not knowing anything about Allen or his band I was pleasantly surprised.

[JSngry]

So, is he playing hardbopblakeystyle on thee, or is he playing some variant of how he played with Fela?

I have very much enjoyed his records with Jimi Tenor, and, obviously, Fela. Just not sure how big of a hurry I am in to hear him do any retro-hard-bop. Hoping for something other than that?

[Dan Gould]

2 hours ago, JSngry said:

So, is he playing hardbopblakeystyle on thee, or is he playing some variant of how he played with Fela?

I have very much enjoyed his records with Jimi Tenor, and, obviously, Fela. Just not sure how big of a hurry I am in to hear him do any retro-hard-bop. Hoping for something other than that?

That review linked above doesn't sound like anything to be labelled retro-hard-bop.

[JSngry]

Indeed it does not! Now I'm sort of interested. If they're looking to push my button, this will start the button to be pushed, for sure:

But The Source isn’t a jazz album, per se: Allen’s drums don’t typically swing so much as jitter and jiggle, with boundless syncopated rhythms that sound like a giant squid menacing a drum kit. Nor is it an Afrobeat album, with Allen’s band comprised largely of Parisian jazz musicians plus Cameroonian guitarist Indy Dibongue; Damon Albarn makes a low-key contribution to “Cool Cats.” Rather, this is an album that straddles jazz and Afrobeat in an elegant push-and-pull that sometimes edges closer to the former, sometimes wanders closer to the latter, and often sits joyfully in the middle.

Giant squid...not so much, but straddling push-pull, yeah, ok.

[optatio]

Tonight I will see Tony Allen on stage in our Deutsches Theater (German Theater) from 1890 as part of the 40^th Göttinger Jazzfestival. He will present his new album „The Source“!

Line-up: Tony Allen (dr), Nicolas Giraud (tp), Yann Jankevitch (sax), Indy Dibongue (g), Jean-Philippe Dary (keys), Matthias Allamane (b).

The venue:

 

Edited November 10, 2017 by optatio

[soulpope]

1 hour ago, optatio said:

Tonight I will see Tony Allen on stage in our Deutsches Theater (German Theater) from 1890 as part of the 40^th Göttinger Jazzfestival. He will present his new album „The Source“!

Line-up: Tony Allen (dr), Nicolas Giraud (tp), Yann Jankevitch (sax), Indy Dibongue (g), Jean-Philippe Dary (keys), Matthias Allamane (b).

The venue:

 

Enjoy ... pls - if feasible - share your impressions thereafter ...

[optatio]

On 10.11.2017 at 9:21 AM, soulpope said:

Enjoy ... pls - if feasible - share your impressions thereafter ...

Tony Allen in Göttingen:

                                                                                                                                                                                                        ©Jörg Linnhoff

Tony Allen on stage: There is no chance not to think at Art Blakey! I saw Art Blakey in the nieneties with Wallace Roney, Julian Priester, Javon Jackson, Benny Green and Peter Washington. Art Blakey was visibly impressed by Benny Green's playing. On the other side Tony Allen: A stoic poker face! But there was a certain 'messenger feeling' by Nicolas Giraud (tp) and Yann Jankielewicz (ts), responsible for the compositions and arrangements. But what a change with Tony Allen when he played after all 'Moanin' as encore from his vinyl „A Tribute To Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers“ (Blue Note France 5781091, 2017)! Long-lasting applause by the audience - live is live!

CD-insert of „The Source“ (Blue Note France 5781091) with autographs of Indy Dibonge, Nico Giraud, Yann Jankielewicz and Tony Allen.

Edited November 12, 2017 by optatio

[soulpope]

1 hour ago, optatio said:

Tony Allen in Göttingen:

                                                                                                                                                                                                        ©Jörg Linnhoff

Tony Allen on stage: There is no chance not to think at Art Blakey! I saw Art Blakey in the nieneties with Wallace Roney, Julian Priester, Javon Jackson, Benny Green and Peter Washington. Art Blakey was visibly impressed by Benny Green's playing. On the other side Tony Allen: A stoic poker face! But there was a certain 'messenger feeling' by Nicolas Giraud (tp) and Yann Jankevitch (ts), responsible for the compositions and arrangements. But what a change with Tony Allen when he played after all 'Moanin' as encore from his vinyl „A Tribute To Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers“ (Blue Note France 5781091, 2017)! Long-lasting applause by the audience - live is live!

CD-insert of „The Source“ (Blue Note France 5781091) with autographs of Indy Dibonge, Nico Giraud, Yann Jankielewicz and Tony Allen.

Glad you had a memorable concert ....  thnx for the feedback + pics  ....