The Source cover

The Source

Released

Tony Allen, the legendary drummer who invented Afrobeat, traveled in many different directions after leaving Fela Kuti’s band. He embraced funk, electronic dance music, and even hip-hop, but in 2017, he made one of his greatest records. The Source features a five-piece horn section, guitar, keyboards, and upright bass, playing funky, polyrhythmic jazz compositions written by Allen and saxophonist Yann Jankielewicz. The drumming is incredible, of course; Allen’s ability to combine rhythmic complexity and skull-thumping power (brought to the fore on “Cruising,” to pick just one example) makes this a ridiculously head-nodding, neck-snapping disc, but the band arrangements are tight and high-energy, too, combining bebop fluidity with the gutsy blare of classic soul.

Phil Freeman

Suggestions
On the Corner cover

On the Corner

Miles Davis
Double Demon cover

Double Demon

Starlicker
Hear You Say cover

Hear You Say

Ray Anderson, Marty Ehrlich
Night Dreamer cover

Night Dreamer

Wayne Shorter
Yellow cover

Yellow

Emma-Jean Thackray
LongGone  cover

LongGone

Brad Mehldau, Christian McBride, Joshua Redman, Brian Blade
uNomkhubulwane cover

uNomkhubulwane

Nduduzo Makhathini
Lost cover

Lost

Adam Kolker