Alhaji Waziri Oshomah - Vol. 1 LP (LUAKA BOP)

Part 1 from the  5LP box set  - now available as a standalone release

Waziri hails from a small part of Edo state in southern Nigeria called afemailand, known for being a harmonious region where muslims and christians live — and dance — together. And there, as a devout muslim and an exemplar of religious piety, Waziri fuses etsako/afemai folk styles with pan-nigerian highlife and pop to create a sublime vehicle for his islamic philosophy that gets everyone — muslims, christians, whoever — on the dancefloor.

The focus is on Waziri’s illustrious mid-career output— created during the years leading up to and after he performed his first hajj. Every song here (one of which you might recognize from The Muslim Highlife) strikes his signature balance of traditional music, highlife, and funk, as he entreats you to stay on the straight and narrow, though there’s nothing straight about his beat.