The Source cover

The Source

Released

Tony Allen, the legendary drummer who invented Afrobeat, traveled in many different directions after leaving Fela Kuti’s band. He embraced funk, electronic dance music, and even hip-hop, but in 2017, he made one of his greatest records. The Source features a five-piece horn section, guitar, keyboards, and upright bass, playing funky, polyrhythmic jazz compositions written by Allen and saxophonist Yann Jankielewicz. The drumming is incredible, of course; Allen’s ability to combine rhythmic complexity and skull-thumping power (brought to the fore on “Cruising,” to pick just one example) makes this a ridiculously head-nodding, neck-snapping disc, but the band arrangements are tight and high-energy, too, combining bebop fluidity with the gutsy blare of classic soul.

Phil Freeman

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