The event titled Lagos No Shaking Homecoming Tribute Concert was with a few acts on the scene here. His Nigerian manager based in the US Kole Payne facilitated same. The show was a resounding success. Uncle Tony was elated. He was happy to be back amongst his people and celebrated like that. He announced to the crowd that he wanted to do this more often. We planned to bring his to the Lagos International Jazz Festival 2020 which which we dedicates to him, Dr. Victor Olaiya, & Manu Dibango.
Tony Allen wasn’t just a great musician or drummer but a great human being personally. He had no airs about him and could collaborate with anyone and he did. Big stars which he shared the same stage with and young upstarts which he was willing to nurture, a very rare trait for Nigerian musicians of his generation.
He was gentle, kind, generous, accommodating, approachable, smart and gifted. He was a good human being first and foremost.
I am happy I was able to celebrate him here in Nigeria last December but I am also pained because we had just really started to get to work together on projects for what we termed the Tonu Allen Afrobeat Legacy Project. Afrobeat meets Afrobeats.
We will miss him but his music lives on in our hearts.
Ayoola Sadare – Promoter & Producer – Founder/Festival Director Lagos International Jazz Festival.
