Tony Allen

Nigerian drummer, composer, and songwriter who lived and worked in Courbevoie, France. Born: 20 July 1940 in Lagos, Nigeria. Died: 30 April 2020 in Paris, France (aged 79). Allen began working as a studio engineer. He played drums for [[artist:Fela Kuti]]'s [[artist:Africa 70]] and [[artist:Egypt 80]] organisations, pioneering the unique beat and vibe of Afrobeat music which combines polyrhythmic influences of Africa with the breakbeats and extended jams of the American funk and R&B, which reached Nigeria in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Allen released solo afrobeat and psychedelic funk albums on his own, and is notable for his contributions to the supergroup [[artist:23289]], amongst others.