Friday, March 9, 2018

Funky Jùjú Highlife From Ondo State



Who is Tayo Jimba? I have no idea. I do know that I enjoy this 1988 LP, Ise Aje (Leader LRCLS 65), a great deal. The label lists the musical style as "Jùjú/Highlife," and that sounds about right. It is actually quite similar to recordings I've posted here before by Adé Wesco and Orlando Owoh - a funky, rootsy, less-cluttered sound that takes us back a few decades to the point where jùjú and  highlife music were less differentiated.

The label also lists the language as "Yoruba/Ikale." Ikale is generally considered a dialect of Yoruba rather than a separate language, and since Ikale speakers are concentrated in Ondo State, western Nigeria, it's reasonable to surmise that Tayo Jimba is from there also. Reader/listeners are invited to tell us more.

Enjoy Ise Aje!

Tayo Jimba & his Black Shadows - Ori Mi / Oro Owo / Oro Nigeria



Download Ise Aje as a zipped file here.


10 comments:

Matthew Lavoie said...

Thanks John, Looking forward to listening to this one. More Nigerian music I haven't heard before.

Anonymous said...

Hello, this is a great blog. Thanks for sharing this amazing music. However, I find it difficult to download individual tracks. Would you be so kind and offer your older posts as zip-files too? It would make life so much easier. If you are able to do this, you may start an update post where you list all these new links. I would appreciate your help very much. Thanks again and all the best.

John B. said...

Hi Anon. To download individual tracks, in most browsers you just RIGHT-click on the link, and then follow the prompt to "save link as," and then save it to your computer.

You're right, though, that posts from near the beginning of this blog do not provide zipped files for the recordings but only individual tracks. When I get time I'll probably follow through on your suggestion.

Anonymous said...

Can't say I'd heard of Tayo Jimba, either, but that first medley, which I've just heard, is frankly great. Recovering from torn rotator cuff surgery, and it's just filled with warmth. Thanks.

Anonymous said...

Awesome post. You're certainly right that the Ikale people were concentrated in Ondo State. My mother was from Ondo town in Ondo State. The are Yoruba speakers but the Yoruba spoken there is different enough that it could almost be it's own language. I can spot someone from Ondo the minute they speak. The Ondo accent is quite unique and lovely. I have never heard of Tayo Jimba either but looking forward to it. So happy that you revived this blog. Plenty of us out here enjoy it tremendously

John B. said...

Thanks!

Anonymous said...

Tayo Jimba is From Ikale in Okitipupa Local Government area of Ondo State. Tayo Jimba is the Third born of his Family of Omololu Jimba his Late Father is Cheif BO Jimba the Arowojolu Of Ikale Land. Tayo Jimba played with Many Musicians before he formed his own Band. Like Olu Aje, Fola micky, Sir Monsur, and Dr Orlando Owoh before he Established he’s own Band. He died at the age of 59 in 2009.

John B. said...

Thanks Anon.

Anonymous said...

Also played with Sf Olowokere married with 4 children. He also has a siblings called Abagun Kole Omololu national organising Secretary of Afenifere worldwide and Akogun Tunde Omololu and others.

Anonymous said...

The Blackshadow of Africa, Emmanuel
Thomas Adetayo Omolol009u-Jimba aka Tayo Jimba, born in 1951 in Igbotako Okitipupa Local government Ondo state. Igbotako is the home town of Gen. Olu Bajowa a war time General and chief Olu Akinfosile, 1st minister of communicationn in Nigeria. Tayo died 5th Jan. 2009 and buried at the family compound at Igbotako Ikale land.