Najite Agindotan was born in Nigeria and learned the elements of
the Afro-beat style from its originator, Fela Kuti, who formally took Agindotan
on as a godson following his father's death. Now living in Los Angeles, Agindotan has a band of his own,
and while his style certainly owes a clear debt to Kuti, he has absorbed many
other musical styles as well. These are all proudly displayed on the debut
album of his ensemble, the Najite Olokun Prophecy. In true West African style,
the album's five tracks range in length from long to longer; they offer a
winning combination of jazz horn charts, incredibly complex and multi-layered
percussion, and actual song structure, though the song structure is generally
embedded in and subservient to the rippling long-form foundation of congas and
talking drums. The first two tracks on this album are the weakest ones; the
third track, "Honesty," is the first to build up some real musical
tension and structural interest -- by the time you get to the percussion break
halfway through the song's seven-plus minutes and then segue into the
call-and-response vocals, you're thoroughly hooked and likely to remain that
way throughout the even longer (but also even funkier and more interesting)
"Aorieo" and the spectacular highlife workout of "A.B.I."
Fans of Fela Kuti will resonate to this album immediately, but even those
unfamiliar with the various traditions of West African pop music will find
plenty to enjoy here. Recommended. ~ Rick Anderson. NAJITE OLOKUN
PROPHECY"Africa Before Invasion"The Godson of FELA KUTIDiscover
"Showtime", "Lasisi", "Honesty",
"Aorieo" and "A.B.I." and join the exciting success of
NAJITEGuitar, Horns, Percussions, Vocals and Keybord AFRO BEATNAJITE
BIOGRAPHYSon of an Urhobo tribal chieftan, NAJITE Agindotan is an amazing
drummer who, from a very young age, traveled with the Urhobo cultural music
troupe under his father's direction. They traveled throughout West Africa and
performed at national festivals in Nigeria, their native country.
Fervent participant, NAJITE took part in all kinds of cultural activities such
as theater performances, traditional dancing and drumming.
In his early teens, NAJITE was introduced to the internationally
Nigerian superstar FELA KUTI and his new music called AFROBEAT, a very potent
combination of popular Nigerian dance styles layered with funk guitars and an
Africanized reinterpretation of the arrangements pioneered by James Brown.
Later, NAIITE became a student of FELA KUTI, and upon the death of his father,
he was taken by FELA as his Godson in a traditional ritual ceremony at the
African Shrine in Lagos, Nigeria
