MUYEI POWER-SIERRA LEONE IN 1970s USA.
MUYEI POWER-SIERRA LEONE IN 1970s USA.
In the early seventies, Muyei Power had established a reputation as one of Sierra Leone’s top dance bands. Along with Afro Nation, Sabaoh 75 and Super Combo, Muyei Power provided the soundtrack to daily life in Freetown, Sierra Leone’s capital. Their music was a fusion of the music that was popular in Sierra Leone. This included Afrobeat, funk, jazz, pop, rock and soul. Muyei Power fusion of these genres proved popular not just in Sierra Leone, but much further afield.
This included in Spain and later, America. By 1975, the Orchestre Muyei Power had a sumer residency in Las Palmas. Their unique Afro-Rock sound quickly won over locals and tourists. The Orchestre Muyei Power lengthy sets were a mixture of covers of rock music and traditional Afro-beat. Throughout the summer of ’75, the Orchestre Muyei Power were hugely popular. So much so that a single Orchestre Muyei Power At The Beach Club was released. Following that summer residency in Las Palmas, the Orchestre Muyei Power followed the sun and headed to California.
When Muyei Power arrived in California in late 1975, they were originally booked to play on the college circuit. Just like in Spain, Muyei Power were soon winning friends and influencing audiences. As a result, Muyei Power toured extensively through the West Coast right through 1976. It was during this period that Muyei Power recorded five songs.
Having recorded the five songs, Muyei Power didn’t do anything with them till they started touring the East Coast. When they arrived in Brooklyn, New York Muyei Power they came across the owner of the African Record Centre. He released Muyei Power’s debut single Ben Ben Bee on Makossa International Records in 1976. After that, Muyei Power’s tour of America ended and they headed home to Sierra Leone. Nothing more was heard of the music Muyei Power had recorded until 1979.
That was when Makossa International Records released the first of a series of 12” featuring Muyei Power. This included Yamba Sowe in 1979. Wali Bena, Bi Loko and Jackitomboi in 1980. After that, no further music was released by Muyei Power. That’s until now. Soundway Records have just released Muyei Power-Sierra Leone in the 1970s USA. It features the five tracks that Muyei Power released during their tour of America during 1975 and 1976. Muyei Power-Sierra Leone in the 1970s USA features Muyei Power at their very best. It’s also all the music Muyei Power recorded.
Just after Makossa International Records released Muyei Power’s music in 1979, the band split-up. That makes Muyei Power-Sierra Leone in the 1970s USA all the more poignant. Not only was it the only music they recorded, but just after the music was originally released Muyei Power split-up. After the split, Abou Whyte, Muyei Power’s vocalist, and formerly the lead vocalist of the Merry-Go Jazz Band, went on to enjoy a successful career. No wonder. He was, by then, a musical veteran.
Abou Whyte was just eighteen when he became the lead vocalist of the Merry-Go Jazz Band in 1964. They were popular throughout the sixties. The Merry-Go Jazz Band combined covers of The Beatles and James Brown songs with Congolese rhumba. This was a potent and heady brew. Especially given how eclectic Sierra Leone’s music scene was.
Everything from the music coming out of the Caribbean, the Congo, French Antilles and Nigeria was influencing music in Sierra Leone. So was pop and rock, including British pop groups like The Beatles. Then when soul and funk began to become popular, James Brown inspired many a group in sixties Sierra Leone. This included a future bandleader, Abou Whyte.
Having been a member of the Merry-Go Jazz Band since 1964, Abou Whyte joined a newly formed band in 1971, Orchestre Muyei, which was formed by promoter Abu Sillah. Immediately, the newly formed Orchestre Mubye headed out on the first of a series of long and gruelling tours. From small villages to large towns, Orchestre Muyei arrived and played. Soon, Orchestre Muyei conquered Freetown, with their unique brand of Afro-Rock.
Orchestre Muyei combined pop and rock music with not just the music of Sierra Leone, but Nigeria and Congo. Through relentless tours the Orchestre Muyei had established a reputation as one of the most popular and progressive bands. The next step for the Orchestre Muyei was to conquer Europe and America.
Having enjoyed their summer residency in Los Palmas, the Orchestre Muyei Power followed the sun to California. Through late 1975 and into 1976, they toured the West Coast. It was during this period that Muyei Power recorded the six songs on Muyei Power-Sierra Leone in the 1970s USA.
The six tracks on Muyei Power-Sierra Leone in the 1970s USA are credited to Muyei Power. They wrote and produced the six tracks. Muyei Power’s lineup featured a rhythm section of drummer Larry Sandy, bassist G.B. Mustapha and rhythm guitarist Ed Boy. Joining them were lead guitarist Tamyu Sesay and horn player Sammy Dumbeh. About White was bandleader, lead vocalist and played congas. His vocals were augmented by David Mado and Dr. Chessie’s vocals. Recorded back in 1976, the five tracks on Muyei Power-Sierra Leone in the 1970s USA, which I’ll tell you about, have never been released as an album.
Wali Bena opens Muyei Power-Sierra Leone in the 1970s USA. This is sung in the Limba dialect. Translated it means “good morning, we’re enjoying ourselves.” So will the listener. From the get-go the arrangement literally explodes. The rhythm section and guitars drive the arrangement along. They’re augmented by percussion and congas. Abou’s vocal is a mixture of power and passion. Harmonies responding to his call, whilst the pulsating, frantic arrangement is a mass of drums, percussion, crashing cymbals and congas. Searing wah wah guitars and a blazing horn are unleashed. Add to this Abou’s vocal and the harmonies and it’s an irresistible fusion of Afro-beat, funk and rock.
Drums pound, hi-hats hits, whistles blow and Afro-beat guitars chime as Yamba Sowe unfolds. It’s sung in the Tembe language and is one of two adapted secret society songs. Muyei Power could’ve got into a lot of trouble recording these songs. The government saw this as an act of rebellion and could’ve lead to imprisonment. The rhythm section provide the pulsating heartbeat to heartfelt, soulful harmonies. Their soulfulness is contrasted by the arrangement. It’s like an express train. All you can do is sit back and enjoy the ride. Abou takes on the roll of cheerleader, encouraging the rest of Muyei Power to greater heights. Soulful harmonies, a blazing horn, percussion, congas and a rhythm section that fuse Afro-beat and funk create a track that’s akin to a call to dance. Irresistibly catchy and full of hooks, Muyei Power are quickly proving to be Sierra Leone’s best kept musical secrets.
Be Patient sees the tempo drop and a wistful horn set the scene. The arrangement is understated, with space left in the arrangement. Guitars chime, drums are played subtly and percussion sprinkled across the arrangement. Harmonies are full of emotion and heartache. They reflect the melancholia of the saxophone. Later, Muyei Power kick loose. Not only does the tempo increase, but the arrangement is a myriad of braying horns, thunderous rhythm section and percussive delights. Whistles, harmonies and rocky guitars add to the joyous, celebratory sound. Muyei Power are right, this track is a case of Be Patient.
Bi Loko sounds is a cross between James Brown and Afro-beat. It’s sung in the Limba dialect and means I love you. Anyone who likes their music funky will love this track. It has a punchy, funky arrangement. That comes courtesy of Muyei Power’s rhythm section. They join forces with bursts of growling horns, chiming guitars and percussion. Abou’s vocal is impassioned and augmented by harmonies. He’s no one-man band. Far from it. Muyei Power strut their way through the track mixing Afro-beat, funk, soul and rock. However, Tamyu Sesay’s blistering, scorching, guitar solo steals the show.
Ben Ben Bee closes Muyei Power-Sierra Leone in the 1970s USA. This is the second adapted secret society songs sung in the Tembe language. Percusssionm congas and the rhythm section combine before a grizzled horn soars above the arrangement. Abou sings call and respond. His vocal sits above the pounding, dance-floor friendly arrangement. The rhythm section, combining with chiming guitars and congas seem to raise their game. It’s as if they want to finish on a resounding high. They do. Not only are we reminded why Muyei Power were one of Sierra Leone’s top bands, but that some of the band were top class musicians, who when they unleashed a solo, shawn like the brightest star.
As I said earlier, Muyei Power are one of Sierra Leone’s best kept secrets. They only ever entered a recording studio once.That was in 1976, during a lengthy tour of the West Coast of America. Some of the results of that session feature on Muyei Power-Sierra Leone in the 1970s USA. This is a tantalising taste of one of Sierra Leone’s band at the peak of their powers. Sadly, by the time Makossa International Records released some of the songs on Muyei Power-Sierra Leone in the 1970s USA as 12” inch singles, the band had split. They’d gone there separate ways. Muyei Power was a case of what might have been.
If Muyei Power had been spotted by the right label, things could’ve been very different. Instead, they handed their master-tapes to the owner of the African Record Centre. He released Muyei Power’s debut single Ben Ben Bee on Makossa International Records in 1976. After that, Muyei Power’s tour of America ended and they headed home to Sierra Leone. By then, Muyei Power were history. After that, nothing was heard of Muyei Power.
That was until Soundway Records released Muyei Power-Sierra Leone in the 1970s USA. It features five tracks from Sierra Leone’s best kept musical secret, Muyei Power. These five tracks are a tantalising taste of Muyei Power’s irresistible and unique fusion of Afro-beat, funk, rock and soul. The music on Muyei Power-Sierra Leone in the 1970s USA features Sierra Leone’s best kept musical secrets.
MUYEI POWER-SIERRA LEONE IN 1970s USA.
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