Tony Allen Announces the Release of His Upcoming EP 'A Tribute to Art Blakey'

Legendary Nigerian drummer Tony Allen, will give jazz enthusiasts a major treat next month, with the release of his new EP A Tribute to Art Blakey, due out on May 19.

As it's name implies, Allen's latest EP pays homage to one of his musical idols, American jazz drummer, Art Blakey. The 4-track EP features reinterpretations of Art Blakey's and The Jazz Messengers' classics,“Moanin’,” “A Night In Tunisia,” “Politely” and “Drum Thunder Suite,” with an airy, afrobeat twist. Allen recorded the EP in Paris, backed by a 7-piece band.

On #TonyAllen’s new EP the legendary Nigerian drummer & Afrobeat pioneer best known for his work with Fela Kuti pays tribute to his idol, American jazz drummer & Blue Note legend Art Blakey. The EP features a fiery 7-piece band interpreting the Jazz Messengers classics “Moanin’,” “A Night In Tunisia,” “Politely” and “Drum Thunder Suite” through an Afrobeat prism. Pre-order the EP or check out the lead track “Moanin’” now.

A post shared by Blue Note Records (@bluenoterecords) on Apr 23, 2017 at 2:26pm PDT

While the new EP makes Blakey's influence on African artists apparent, the American musician was also heavily influenced by the sounds of the continent.

"In the late-1940s Blakey spent time traveling abroad in West Africa exploring the culture, religion, and of course, the drumming. Blakey later recorded several albums that were heavily influenced by African music including Orgy in Rhythm (1957), Holiday for Skins(1958), and The African Beat (1962), which featured the Nigerian drummer and percussionist Solomon Ilori," reads a statement from Blue Note records.

Stream "Moanin'," the groove-inducing first single from Tony Allen's upcoming EP below and pre-order A Tribute to Art Blakey, now via iTunes.

On Tony Allen’s new EP "A Tribute to Art Blakey" the legendary Nigerian drummer & Afrobeat pioneer pays tribute to his idol, American jazz drummer & Blue Note legend #ArtBlakey. The EP features a fiery 7-piece band interpreting the Jazz Messengers classics “Moanin’,” “A Night In Tunisia,” “Politely” and “Drum Thunder Suite” through an Afrobeat prism. Pre-order the EP or check out the lead track “Moanin’” now.

A post shared by Blue Note Records (@bluenoterecords) on Apr 23, 2017 at 5:56pm PD