easy kabaka brown: opotopo

Soundway presents a very limited vinyl-only reissue of an obscure LP by the enigmatic Nigerian artist Easy Kabaka Brown. The LP was originally released and recorded by Philips/Phonogram in 1976 and only sold in very small numbers. Musically it's an intriguing mix of mostly Nigerian highlife with a bit of Afro-jazz sung in the language of Kalabari from the Delta region of Southern Nigeria. From the bouncy good times of "Belema" to the deeper extended Afro workout of "Agboho," this unique album stands out from thousands of others of its time with a sound of its own that draws on many influences, with Congolese and Latin touches, to jazz trumpet and psychedelic organ lines. Easy Kabaka Brown (Opotopo was his nickname) was a versatile and eccentric musician who recorded two full-length albums (this is the first) and only a couple of 45s. Soundway have deemed this record way too sweet to be forgotten -- it's a record that will give you a golden, warm feeling. Your toes will tap, your face should smile, and it certainly deserves to be heard by far more than only the few hundred people who bought it nearly 40 years ago. Strictly limited to 1,000 180 gram vinyl copies and released in a rigid paste-on sleeve, these will not last long, so don't sleep on it. LP comes with a free download of the entire release.