Afrodizz

If I had to list the three things I hate most in life, that list would look exactly like this: (one) Nazis, (two) Saxophones, (three) Honey-Dew Melons

Listening to a saxophone is like vomiting into an already dirty diaper and gargling the results. Over the last 30 years, and especially throughout the 70's and 80's the saxophone was an important part of popular music. Because of this atrocity; so many potentially great tracks were ruined by replacing the customary guitar solo with the sax (look no further than the 70's solo output of any Beatle). Thankfully that trend has tapered off as the sax is now rarely heard (in it's solo form) outside of jazz circles, by jazz people, smoking jazz cigarettes.

Needless to say I have never seen the appeal of the saxophone except when it comes to the rhythmically dirty and totally awesome appeal of Nigerian inspired afro-beat music. In the afro-beat sense the saxophone is merely a player in a huge game of different instruments. It is rarely showcased in a solo, however when it is in the limelight you hear it much darker and much deeper than you would in a typical pop song.

So up first is Afrodizz: a Montreal ensemble who are long over due for a new album. Both of these tracks were taken from their 2004 album "Toots". Following is Fela Kuti (the Father of all afro-beat) and a classic cut from master of Ethiopian Jazz, Mulatu Astatke

Afrodizz - Killing Floor

Afrodizz - Water and Fish

Fela Kuti - Trouble Sleep Yanga Wake Am

Mulatu Astatke - Yegelle Tezeta