Photo: Rama / CC BY-SA 2.0 fr (source: Wikimedia Commons)

Tony Allen

トニー・アレン　/　とにー・あれん

Songwriter from Nigeria

July 20, 1940 – April 30, 2020　・　Lagos, Lagos State, Nigeria

Lagos State
songwriter
drummer
conductor

My Take

Tony Allen is, plainly, one of the most important drummers I can think of. As the engine behind Fela Kuti's Africa '70 from 1968 to 1979, he didn't just keep time, he helped invent Afrobeat itself. Fela's line that without Tony Allen there would be no Afrobeat says it all, and Brian Eno calling him perhaps the greatest drummer who ever lived isn't hyperbole to my ears. What I love is how his groove felt loose and machine-tight at once. Born in Lagos in 1940 and working until his death in 2020, he kept evolving across genres. His influence is everywhere, often uncredited.

Overview

Tony Oladipo Allen (20 July 1940 – 30 April 2020) was a Nigerian drummer, composer, and songwriter. Allen was the drummer and musical director of Fela Kuti's band Africa '70 from 1968 to 1979, and was one of the founders of the Afrobeat genre. Fela once stated that "without Tony Allen, there would be no Afrobeat". He was described by Brian Eno as "perhaps the greatest drummer who has ever lived".

Summary adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

1. Profile

Name (English): Tony Allen
Name (Japanese): トニー・アレン
Reading: とにー・あれん
Born: July 20, 1940 – April 30, 2020
Zodiac / Chinese zodiac: Cancer / Dragon
Origin: Lagos, Lagos State, Nigeria
Blood type: Private
Height: Private
Agency: Private
Occupation: songwriter / drummer / conductor / composer

2. Background

Elementary school: Private
Junior high: Private
High school: Private
University: Private

3. Relationships

Spouse: Private
Children: Private
Parents: Private
Siblings: Private

4. Personality

Motto

Private

6. Links

Official sitehttps://tonyallenafrobeat.com
Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/allencodrum/
Xhttps://x.com/t_allenafrobeat
Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%88%E3%83%8B%E3%83%BC%E3%83%BB%E3%82%A2%E3%83%AC%E3%83%B3%20(%E3%83%9F%E3%83%A5%E3%83%BC%E3%82%B8%E3%82%B7%E3%83%A3%E3%83%B3)

Songwriter — see all →　·　Drummer — see all →　·　More people from Nigeria →