Description
Nigerian multi-instrumentalist Rick Asikpo began his career while studying in Houston, where he joined the local Black artist collective The People’s Workshop. Now, his legendary 1981 album, recorded at River City Studio in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, has been reissued.
Originally released only in his native Nigeria, this album had extremely limited distribution, making original copies so difficult to find that they are considered mythical. At its core is a fusion of the sophisticated funk he absorbed while studying in the United States and the vibrant rhythms unique to Nigeria. It is truly worthy of being called the “missing link” between Texas and Lagos.
Layer upon layer of synthesizer tones washes over deep grooves heavily influenced by Earth, Wind & Fire. His musical range is astonishingly broad, from the infectious rhythms of uptempo tracks like “Disco Life” and “Jam” to the mellow, Donny Hathaway-esque “Let’s Get High” and the smooth, mid-tempo two-step soul of “Love.”
What emerges from the grooves of the vinyl is more than mere nostalgia. It is a vivid soundscape where the textures of meticulously programmed synths collide with the heat of live beats. The full scope of his talent, also featured on Soundway’s acclaimed compilation “Doing It In Lagos,” is distilled into this single album.
A1. Got To Be Me
A2. Love Love
A3. Jam I
A4. Disco Life
B1. Too Hot
B2. Let's Get High
B3. Jam II
B4. Noin'U
Mythical soul/boogie record recorded in Louisiana by Nigerian multi instrumentalist Rick Asikpo when he was studying in Houston.
Rick Asikpo started his musical career while studying in Houston, joining local Black Artist collective The People’s Workshop, before returning to Nigeria and releasing a run of successful albums throughout the 80s.
“Got To Be Me” was recorded at River City Studio in Baton Rouge in 1981 but was only released back in Nigeria and sold little at the time, with original copies vanishingly hard to find.
Layers of synths wash over drawn out, Earth, Wind and Fire inspired grooves, moving from the uptempo “Disco Life” and “Jam” to the languid boogie and two step soul of “Love” and
Donny Hathaway-esque “Let’s Get High”. The album is shot through a Texan/Nigerian filter that stands as a missing link between the dancefloor experiments of Houston and Lagos
As featured on Soundway’s seminal “Doing It In Lagos” compilation.
