The Funkees were a Nigerian
afro-rock Afro rock is a style of rock music with West African influences. Afro rock bands and artists in the late 1960s and early 1970s included Osibisa, Assagai and Lafayette Afro Rock Band.
Style
The style relies on the use of rock string instruments ...
group formed in the late 1960s. They moved to
London in
1973
Events January
* January 1 - The United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland and Denmark enter the European Economic Community, which later becomes the European Union.
* January 15 – Vietnam War: Citing progress in peace negotiations, U.S. ...
and quickly gained prominence in the expatriate West African and West Indian music scene, but fragmented four years later. They specialized in
funky, upbeat, highly danceable afro-rock that often featured lyrics sung in
Igbo, as well as English. Originating as an army band after the
Nigerian Civil War, they contributed to the outpouring of upbeat music produced by young people in Nigeria in response to the darkness of the recently concluded civil conflict. In 2012, Soundway Records reissued a compilation of their recordings from the mid-1970s, leading to a resurgence of interest in the band.
Members
*
Harry Mosco Harry Mosco Agada was the lead vocalist of the band ''The Funkees'', when the band split up after FESTAC 77
Festac '77, also known as the Second World Black and African Festival of Arts and Culture (the first was in Dakar, 1966), was a major inte ...
— guitar, vocals, gong
* Chyke Madu — drums, vocals
* Sonny Akpabio — congas
* Jake N. Sollo — guitar, organ, piano, vocals
* Danny Heibs — bass, vocals, percussion
* Tony Mallett
* Mohammed Ahidjo — vocals, percussion
* Roli Paterson — bongos
Discography
* 1974 — ''Point of No Return''
* 1976 — ''Now I'm A Man''
* 2012 — ''Dancing Time: The Best of Eastern Nigeria's Afro Rock Exponents 1973-77'' (reissue compilation)
References
External links
The Funkees @ DiscogsThe Funkees @ Allmusic
{{DEFAULTSORT:Funkees
Nigerian rock music groups