The name Rude boy has a number of possible origins:a. In Jamaica, the word Rude was akin to the modern colloquial term- "wicked"b. The term was also used in the conventional term for the anti-social conduct of the cadre who answered to the title.

In Jamaica in the 50's there were two main promoters of Sound systems- Clement "Coxsone" Dodd and Duke Reid, who routinely sent rough-necks known as Dancehall crashers to disrupt each others gigs, these roughnecks later became know as Rude Boys (pronounced Rood Bwais)The music of the Rude Boy was initially the Big-Band Style and a hybrid form known as Mento, a fusion of African styles played in Jamaica in the early 20th century and the Big band style equally made popular by students of the famour Alpha Catholic school, the young players were known as the Alpha boys, some of whom later set up Big bands influenced by Duke Ellington and Count Basie. This probably being simultaneous with the growth of Calypso and Soca in Trinidad and Tobago and Gumbay in Barbados.Mento then gave way to Ska as the music of the Rude Boy.

The name Ska arose from a request of the Guitarist- Ernest Ranglin, whilst in Cluet Johnson's band for a steady sound from the Guitar, hence as the quote goes- "im make the guitars go Ska! Ska! Ska!" Hence Ska was born. The style engendered by Ska was a hybrid of Mento and Big Band Jazz, initially called "Shuffle" and which became the phenomenom known as Ska.There has been controversy as to who was the original Rude Boy i/e the King of Ska- Jimmy Cliff or Desmond Dekker. An irrelevant consideration unless you were part of the scene then and this was important politically and commercially since the Rude Boys in the greater scheme became tools in the hands of the politicians and also as a result of Ska's growing commercial popularity in Jamaica after Independence in 1962.Ska in its raw form was akin to todays Gangster Rap in that the music was played by and for the roughnecks who formed part of the street culture of the Rude Boy. Make no mistake Jimmy Cliff and Desmond Dekker may have had sweet voices but they were as streetwise and tough as they come, being products of Kingston's Shanty Town.Also emerging at this time and supported by Coxsone Dodd were a group of three Rude Boys- Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer and Bob Marley- The Wailers.Other popular band of the time were the mighty Heptones, Soul Brothers, Derrick Morgan, the Ethiopians to name a few. The lyrics were socially conscious and reflected the lives of the unemployed, poor and angry youth with titles such as "Gunmen comin to town, "007 Shanty Town", Lawless street, Al Capone Guns don't bark etc This being in contrast to the softer sound of Delroy Wilson and Eric Morris, Prince Buster - (Oh Carolina)which were more religious or romantic in nature.

The dancehall was the arena where Ska showed its style, notable of course was the Ska dancestyle in which the Dancers punched their arms forward rhythmically to the beat, charming but the origin of this was the motion of Rudeboys punching or stabbing the living daylights out of someone.Another style statement of the Rudeboy being the fashion, with the Trilby/Pork-pie hats and black suits and ties, which were copied from US gangster movies.Ska inevitably came to the UK with Immigration and the first major hit was "My boy lollipop" in 1964 by Millie Small, which had a young Rod Stewart on Harmonica. Millie Small also had a sell-out concert in Lagos Nigeria in 1966- just by the way of course. Desmond Dekker's Israelites became the first Jamaican single to go to number one on the British charts, closely followed by a succession of other hits- "Monkey Man" by Toots and the Maytals, "Carry go bring come" by Justin Hinds and the Dominoes. I met Justin about 10 years ago through a close friend Ransford from Birmingham and he remains an Icon in his native Kingston Jamaica, where he lives- in Ocho Rios like a local Chieftain- a name dropping aside of course.

These songs whilst now popular had been released several years before in Jamaica.The Rudeboy culture of course found its way into the UK through Immigration and the music and strangely enough found kindred spirit within the Mod community in the UK who adopted the music and style. Rod Stewart was of course a Mod at the time.Interestingly enough, a Rudeboy haunt and Ska club was the favourite haunt of Christine Keeler in the heat of the Profumo scandal.Ska later morphed into Rocksteady and which in itself gave birth to Reggae as its known today. But Ska enjoyed a revival in the late 70's and early 80's through Jery Dammers' Two-Tone Label, giving birth to new Bands like the Specials, the Special AKA, The Undertones and which spawned hits for newer Mod Bands like- Madness, Bad Manners etc

One of the landmarks of the Rudeboy culture was the iconic movie- "The Harder they come" the first Jamaican feature film-starring Jimmy Cliff, which highlighted the Rude Boy culture in its raw form, the music the violence and the passion.http://www.imagesjournal.com/issue10/reviews/hardertheycome/text.htm

The Rudeboy phenomenon in a more serious remains a symbol of rebellious youthful angst and the hard uncompromising face of street culture, long before the Hip-hop culture came to be the symbol of youthful counter-culture in Black communities across the world. Not necessarily a good thing on account of the reality of the violence and criminality that both glorified/glorify, but that is the sad reality. However the Rude Boy culture was a cultural milestone of black history which in itself contributed substantially to popular music culture.

Keziah Jones/Femi Sanyaolu

Have you heard of Olufemi Sanyaolu? I thought not, but have you hard of Keziah Jones? Probably more likely.

Keziah Jones is the alter ego for one of the UKs most talented Guitarists and Singers,whose hits Rhythm is Love, Million Miles from Home and Liquid Sunshine propelled him into recognition in the 90s and of which he still enjoys a huge Cult following in the UK, Europe and increasingly in the USA.

I was at a small African gig in Kilburn, when this skinny, fella in a sleeveless T-shirt and Fedora walked in with my friend Sax Player Ayo Ordia and incidentally at the same time I was doing a Fela Kuti song, when I recognised him, we adapted the song to his hit "Rhythm is Love" which was the signal for the brother to jump on stage and belt the song through, no airs no graces and ceremony- true class! We had a long chat later about his plans and lost touch till I went to his gig at the Jazz Cafe in 2003, which was packed to the rafters and which left even me hardened Gig-head open-mouthed, I wondered how he packed so much kinetic energy into that wiry frame.
Born in Nigeria to a Millionaire Industrialist dad, he was sent to Public school in the UK atthe age of 8, but by the time he approached his teens, he got bored still with the whole grind ("I had to find a way out of all that bullshit, and music was it!") and taught himself to play the Piano and Guitar and whilst still in his early teens threw himself into the Gig and Busking circuit of London and Paris ("Lose all time, love your mind, free your soul!") . There he was discovered by Phil Picket and signed up to a record deal, where his first major hit album Blufunk is a Fact was recorded. Just in case youre in any doubt this guy was a Hippy through and through.Influenced by Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, Sly Stone and by Fela Kuti, his trademark high energy Guitar riffs and incredibly vast and sweet voice/range.texture make his live shows an experience in themselves.

Critically acclaimed for his incredibly complex Guitar phrases and high energy delivery (vocal and Instrumental) his albums are a collectors item all over the world for true afficionadoes of Alternative Funk and Indie Rock.

Also a Poet and Photographer, he has in more recent times spent his time in the USA pursuing his art quietly and from the look for things enjoying himself thoroughly as only "Rugged International"- (his nickname) is capable. His last album "Black Orpheus" enjoyed mixed reviews but he is still a favourite on the touring circuit and I remember being barely able to get a ticket for his show at the Jazz Cafe.

More recently we have been back in touch again on Facebook, where he quietly hides under his real name. Im still trying to convince him to work on the Fatai Rolling Dollar Funk album, who knows?

Justus Domingo

This is a review of what has been described as the earliest recorded Juju Music track. I came across this album 6 years ago, whilst browsing through the stands at Sterns African Records in Marylebone London, which has one of the most comprehensive stocks of African music in the United Kingdom.There is not much material available on this artiste- whose name and indeed the content at first glance suggests a Yoruba indigene of Brazilian extraction, however an independent text refers to him as an Igbo man who settled in Lagos and imbibed the language and idioms to the extent of being competent to perform in the language in Native format. My only conclusion being that the gentleman is certainly not of Yoruba birth and early upbringing, based on the heavily accented nature of his lyrical execution, a trait common to a vast majority of Brazilian returnees of the early 20th century and late 19th century. I would hazard a guess that Justus Domingo is a Brazilian returnee probably of the first generation, since he was in his 50’s when this album was recorded coinciding with wave of returns by Brazilian descendants to Lagos from Bahia.

This album appears to have been released under the Zonophone label.By way of an introduction- the Zonophone label was founded in 1899, in Camden, New Jersey USA and was to all intents and purposes what may be described as a major Record label for the time, as founded by Frank Seaman, a New Jersey native who had worked previously for the Emile Berliner’s- Berliner Gramophone company- basically the founder of the Gramophone.As a result of a legal dispute between Seaman and Berliner over Copyright to the Gramophone technology, which was resolved in Berliner’s favour and consequent upon which the Zonophone label was absorbed by Victor Records (forebear to RCA-Victor) in the USA and in the UK. The strategy being to release less mainstream material (or as they termed it- inferior material) under the Zonophone label.

This label was later to be absorbed under the Columbus RCA-Victor records merger in 1931, to form Electrical Musical Industries (more commonly known as EMI Records).A number of other African artistes were recorded under this label- namely Frank Essien/Edmund Tagoe. George Williams Aingo; Nicholas van-Heer, all great Ghanaian musicians of the 1920’s. The schema of the label being top record the artistes in London and market the records to the ever growing African community in London and also for export to Africa.To all intents and purposes, this album was recorded in London and to me appears to be one of the first to have been so recorded by a Nigerian musician in London.

The Album

The album consists of 20 tracks (which actually should be 19, since the last two tracks were repetitive) largely ancient Yoruba folk songs, some being indigenous to Eko Akete and other having more generic origin, it does not appear that more than two or three of the songs were original compositions i.e Ori Aba bo (which appears to be in honour of the late Dr Doherty). The rest Wele sise eiye, Agba Mu Rere, Olurombi being examples of more Folkloric material.We shall examine the main tracks singly:1. Bandele – A mid tempo track, with a backing Native Conga drum and Guitar; 2. Agbamurere- An ancient Yoruba folk song, delivered Accapella, with the track title being the recurring Chorus in call and response format, particular compelling being the verse- “Kiriji Kikiriji Kenke luke”; 3. Eni Ba Dami- another Mid-tempo track featuring Native Conga and Guitar; 4. Oluronbi- A cover of a highly popular Yoruba folk song, also delivered Accapella; 5. Omo Lanke- Another Folk track, arguably of Lagosian origin as gathered from the line “Ti Akara ba jabo sile, Ewure Eko ma jehun” ; 6. Egbe Wa Ki Npe Lajo – Another mid tempo Folk track of Lagosian origin, featuring once more Native Drum and Guitar; 7. Adeoti Ori Wara Ori Wara- One of my favourite tracks- a Yoruba Folk song, executed with the standard Native Drum and Guitar accompaniment; 8. Eyi Mowi Re; 9. Bi Ina la Ku Fi Eru Boju; 10. Koju Gbagbe- Another sterling track- the song featuring once again the Drum/Guitar accompaniment, a fairly repetitive Lyrical structure, but charming nonetheless- “Koju gbagbe o, Koju gbagbe o, eni aba sere ko ma mo bi agbe ti wa koju gbagbe o..”;11. Ori la Ba Bo- This song being a tribute to the late Dr Doherty, a prominent Lagos indigene of the time- Ori ababo ka fi Orisa Si ile, Doherty se be a eriwo; 12. Iya Matu- An accapella rendition of this Folk song with the melodiously catchy chorus- “Ajanti Ele” in call and response format; 13. Awalo de, Ore Bi Ole Jo Ma Mi; 14. Tourn; 15. Bi Mo Bi Omo Ti Oku Maron Lo Lewe; 16. Oniya Awa Lolare; 17. Igba Lahu- Another ancient Folk rendition in call and response vocal format, basically a riddle centred around the form of the native aubergine-; 18. Adabi Baba Epe An extremely moving track, basically a call for peace- “Ija Megbon O, Ija Megbon O, Bi aba ja ka pa rire..”;19. Ele Shishe Wa-A rendition of the popular ancient Yoruba song-made popular in recent times specifically in the 60’s by Dr Victor Olaiya;.

The significance of this album is two-fold:a. This was the first recorded album by a Juju artiste, whilst there had been earlier recordings by Ghanaian musicians like the ferociously talented Guitarist Frank Essien and Singer- Edmund Tagoe and George Williams Aingo. However its significance in the history of Nigerian music is undeniable.

Significantly it was recorded in London and even more significantly it was recorded under one of the world’s premier Record labels- albeit the subsidiary label, but one of the biggest in the World nonetheless.b.Justus Domingo to all intents and purpose could be regarded as one of the, if not the first International Nigerian Music Superstar (if such description exists) Justus Domingo was probably the first Nigerian musician to record with a Guitar accompaniment and whilst, there were certainly local contemporary musicians performing with Guitar accompaniment and probably even more proficiently than Justus Domingo- Irewolede Denge being a case in point, having been plying his trade as a local minstrel from the early 20’s onwards for the entertainment of 1920’s Lagos gentry such as Da Rocha, Doherty, Kitoye-Ajasa etc. Justus was the one with the major record deal and could invariably be regarded as one of the father’s of Nigerian Guitar music. I expect a challenge to this being that I have in my collection a 1930 recording by Irewolede Denge- “Orin Asape Eko” featuring the excellent and popular Chorus in Ijebu dialect – “Mbati laya keregbe ni oje..” (I would have taken a wife but Palmwine refused). This is probably not the first recording by Denge however there is no evidence that there was any recording before 1928. I would however accept any challenge in good faith since this is only to the benefit of this genre. I am certainly able to confirm that the Ghanaian musicians mentioned above- Tagoe, Essien, Van Heer and Aingo certainly recorded in 1927 and before, since I equally have the music in my collection.

It is instructive that this album whilst first released by Zonophone in 1928 lapsed into obscurity for several decades until re-release in 1969 by the label Heritage Music, which I am aware to be a subsidiary of Sony BMG Music, which acquired the rights to RCA-Victor material and is part of the labels strategic reissue initiative.

It is a great source of concern that this material has not attracted the interest of Nigerian businessmen or indeed Nigerian labels, who ordinarily ought to have an in-depth interest in the source material as a matter of pride and indeed business initiative, one thus hopes this review serves as a gentle reminder of the depth of National musical treasures which we lose on a regular basis and in some cases, maybe forever.