Blo (band)
Nigerian trio fusing Afrobeat, funk, and psychedelic rock.
Blo was a Nigerian band from Lagos that played psychedelic funk from 1972 to 1982. The core members were drummer Laolu "Akins" Akintobi, guitarist Berkely "Ike" Jones, and bassist Mike "Gbenga" Odumosu. They mixed Afrobeat rhythms with funk and psychedelic sounds from 1960s Western rock.
Quick Facts
- Origin
- Lagos, Nigeria
- Genre
- Psychedelic funk
- afro-rock
- psychedelic rock
- disco
- Years active
- 1972–1982
- Label
- EMI Nigeria
- Afrodisia
- Strut
- Past members
- Laolu "Akins" Akintobi
- Berkely "Ike" Jones
- Mike "Gbenga" Odumosu
Facts from the source article.
History
The trio that formed Blo had previously been members of the highlife group the Clusters, which also served as a backing band for Geraldo Pino. In 1970 they left to form Afrocollection with sisters Kehinde and Taiwo Lijadu, exploring an Afro-rock direction, and collaborated with Ginger Baker on the jazz-rock project Salt. Blo formed in late 1972, the name standing for Berkeley, Laolu & Odumosu. After touring, they recorded their debut album Chapter One for EMI Nigeria, drawing equally on Afrobeat and American psychedelic rock. Their second album on Afrodisia moved further into funk and R&B; later recordings shifted toward disco under commercial pressure. The group disbanded in 1982. Strut reissued many recordings on the 2009 retrospective Phases 1972–1982.
Legacy
OkayAfrica described Blo as considered by many to be the first psych-rock band from the continent, credited with pioneering afro-psychedelic funk. AllMusic credited the band with developing a wholly original sound embracing the full spectrum of black music.
More in Psychedelic Rock Music Groups
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