Ogun marks their 40th anniversary by releasing this superb album from drummer Louis Moholo-Moholo's Unit as an octet including Alexander Hawkins on piano, John Edwards on bass, and Jason Yarde on saxes, performing a heartfelt tribute to The Blue Notes live in Italy.
"Wild but still songlike collective thrashes swell out of catchy hooks (as on the title track); the street-brass sound of the old Brotherhood of Breath big band is echoed in struts like Irmite Is Right; the sonorous chant Dikelelu has a rumbling, Coltranesque undertow; and bassist John Edwards' crunching basswalk under Hawkins' zig-zagging piano solo on Sonke is awesome. There are protracted encores and namechecks at the end, but they all add to the sensation of being present at a gig you'd remember for a long time." - John Fordham
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Alexander Hawkins / piano
John Edwards / bass
Louis Moholo-Moholo / drums
Jason Yarde / saxphones
Ntshuks Bonga / saxophones
Henry Lowther / trumpet
Alan Tomlinson / trombone
Francine Luce / vocals
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Recorded live in Milan, 2012 by Gianni Grassilli. Cover by Naiel Ibarrola.
Available as 320kbp MP3 or 16bit FLAC