"Rejoice" is a very special collaboration between Tony Allen, the legendary drummer and co-founder of Afrobeat, and Hugh Masekela, the master trumpet player of South African jazz.
Having first met in the 70s thanks to their respective close associations with Fela Kuti, Allen, the Nigerian master drummer widely hailed as the co-founder of Afrobeat (and long-time member of alt-rock supergroup The Good The Bad & The Queen), and Masekela, South Africa’s legendary trumpet player, talked for decades about making an album together. When, in 2010, their touring schedules coincided in the UK, the moment presented itself and producer Nick Gold took the opportunity to record their encounter. The unfinished sessions, consisting of all original compositions by the pair, lay in archive until after Masekela passed away in 2018. With renewed resolution, Tony Allen and Nick Gold, with the blessing and participation of Hugh’s estate, unearthed the original tapes and finished recording the album in summer 2019 at the same London studio where the original sessions had taken place. Allen and Masekela are accompanied on the record by a new generation of well-respected jazz musicians including Tom Herbert (Acoustic Ladyland / The Invisible), Joe Armon-Jones (Ezra Collective), Mutale Chashi (Kokoroko) and Steve Williamson.
For this Special Edition, World Circuit have gone back to the original
2010 mixes and added previously unheard parts from the 2019 sessions to
create 8 reimagined bonus mixes.
- Tony Allen, drums
- Hugh Masekela, trumpet, flugelhorn
- Joe Armon-Jones, keyboards, piano
- Mutale Chashi, bass
CD 1
01. Robbers, Thugs and Muggers (O'Galajani)
02. Agbada Bougou
03. Coconut Jam
04. Never (Lagos Never Gonna Be the Same)
05. Slow Bones
06. Jabulani (Rejoice, Here Comes Tony)
07. Obama Shuffle Strut Blues
08. We've Landed
CD 2
01. Robbers, Thugs and Muggers (O'Galajani) (Cool Cats Mix)
02. Agbada Bougou (Cool Cats Mix)
03. Coconut Jam (Cool Cats Mix)
04. Never (Lagos Never Gonna Be The Same) (Cool Cats Mix)
05. Slow Bones (Cool Cats Mix)
06. Jabulani (Rejoice, Here Comes Tony) (Cool Cats Mix)
07. Obama Shuffle Strut Blues (Cool Cats Mix)
08. We've Landed (Cool Cats Mix)
