(Omo Aje, OLPS1338).
Fuji is a kind of smooth transe music...
... played originally by some Nigerian muslims (generally yoruba people as taking roots in Were music). The style was popularized from the 70s by Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister, who considerered it was a mixture of sakara, juju, apala, gudugudu (basically all yoruba styles), and evolved to become one of the major styles in Nigeria in the 90s, in opposition to Juju. It remains today a lively and very popular style, Wasiu Ayinde Barrister being a major artist (check KWAM1 or K1 the Ultimate as he's surnamed now).
Here's one of his earlier LPs from 1987, recorded at Afrodisia studio in Lagos. Great transition between the 70s Fuji and recent production. Let the polyrhthmic drums and the incantatory voices bring you up,
Alhadji Wasiu Ayinde Barrister - B face:
Islam's spread in black Africa influenced differently local musical cultures and contributed to emergence of some particular musical styles (you can find some similarities with gnaoua transe from morocco, sahel transe or soudan paterns: the way "call and answer" is sung, comon incantation melodies (as the intro of this B face LP), and many other apsects. Sahara and Sahel working as a kind of "Black Atlantic" or crossroads area with multiplicity of exchanges between North Africa, berbers, funlani, touaregs, and muslims from West Africa countries.
To find information, please note he changed his name Barrister to Marshall, so this is his discography : here.
►► If you like Yoruba rooted music, try Juju HERE, or Apala HERE.
►► Or check some Fulani Afrobeat HERE.
