Tony Allen, figure of Afrobeat and legendary drummer, died

Afrobeat has lost one of its creators. Drummer Tony Allen died on April 30 at the age of 79 in Paris, his manager said.

"We do not know exactly the cause of death," said Eric Trosset, adding that he was not killed by the Covid-19 virus. "He was in great shape, it was quite sudden. I spoke to him at 1:00 p.m. then two hours later he was sick and was transported to Pompidou hospital where he died," said his agent. .

To beat, his heart stopped. Rest in Power the legend Tony Allen 😰 pic.twitter.com/NjYxYT1oJx

The star, who lived in Courbevoie, near Paris, was in the 60s and 70s the drummer and the musical director of his compatriot Fela Kuti, with whom he created the Afrobeat, a genre in its own right, hypnotic and repetitive music mixing the highlife style, Yoruba polyrhythm, jazz, funk and which became one of the fundamental currents of African music of the 20th century.

On this powerful music, Fela will graft his revolutionary and pan-Africanist words which will make him one of the strongest symbols of the struggle for freedom in Africa. With Fela and the Africa 70 group, he will record around forty albums, before the paths of the two accomplices separate after 26 years of collaboration.

"The best drummer who ever lived"

His rhythm was so intense that when he left, Fela needed four drummers to replace him. British musician Brian Eno called Tony Allen "the best drummer ever."

Self-taught, he started playing at the age of 18 and fed on the music of Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker as well as contemporary African music.

It was always popular with artisans of modern music. He was in charge of the battery for The Good, The Bad and The Queen, one of the projects of Damon Albarn, ex-leader of Blur. In France, he had participated in the piece by Sébastien Tellier, "La Ritournelle". After the death of Manu Dibango carried away by the coronavirus at the end of March, the African music scene is once again in mourning.

Manu Dibango, Tony Allen, two ambassadors of Africa in the world, and particularly in France. Two huge losses.

With AFP

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