It was the sound of post-independence Nigeria, a time of celebration and wealth but, ultimately, of political oppression. The music reflected the times - a heady mix of traditional rhythms and big band highlife with the new rock, soul and jazz sounds crackling through transistor radios from Europe and the U.S. The rulebook of Nigerian musical heritage was ripped up as Santana, The Beatles and James Brown became as relevant to young players as Nigerian heroes like  Haruna Ishola, Victor Olaiya and E. T. Mensah. Led by the towering influence of Fela Anikulapo Kuti, established Nigerian stars and the rawest of college bands alike forged new fusions and began using their music confidently as a vehicle for new variations of traditional parables and thinly veiled social commentary.

Back in 2001, the first edition of NIGERIA 70 on Strut broke the mould for African compilations, a 3CD powerhouse featuring a wide spectrum of musical styles from across the 1970s and an audio documentary tracing the music’s history. For 2007, Strut delve deeper into the Lagos underground for NIGERIA 70: LAGOS JUMP, another essential box of West African dynamite with the emphasis firmly on the dancefloor. From the heavy jazz of Peter King to Bola Johnson’s scratchy Afro funk and the rolling grooves of juju legend Sir Shina Peters, the album captures a rich and unique era in West African music.

There has been a more open-minded approached by Western artists towards African music across the board this year and the traditional pigeon-holing of “world music” seems to be changing. Other than crossover acts such as Tinariwen who topped ‘Best of Albums’ lists in 2007 in a wide spectrum of media, young and exciting bands such as Vampire Weekend and Foals have been experimenting with traditional West African arrangements and influences on their respective debuts. Damon Albarn has created a number of spontaneous ‘Africa Express’ collaboration events across the UK in the past year and has secured a whole stage at this year’s Glastonbury featuring artists such as Franz Ferdinand, Baaba Maal, Amadou & Mariam, Bassekou Kouyate, The Magic Numbers, Martina Topley Bird, Gang Of Four and more. Post-Live 8, the aim is to achieve a positive engagement with African music.

Compiled by leading Afro archivist Duncan Brooker and Strut’s Quinton Scott, NIGERIA 70: LAGOS JUMP forms another chapter in the rich musical background of Africa and, as followers of the Strut label will have come to expect, it is accompanied by a full booklet featuring extensive sleeve notes by Ghana-based author and journalist, John Collins.

For more info check:  www.strut-records.com/nigeria70