Vol. 1 by Alhaji Waziri Oshomah

Waziri hails from a small part of Edo State in southern Nigeria called Afemailand, known for being a harmonious region where Muslims and Christians live—and dance—together. And there, as a devout Muslim and an exemplar of religious piety in his community, Waziri’s music fuses Etsako/Afemai folk styles with pan-Nigerian highlife and pop to create a sublime vehicle for his Islamic philosophy that gets everyone—Muslims, Christians, whoever—on the dancefloor.

This is the first in Waziri's Volume Series, which he made during his illustrious mid-career output—the music he created during the years leading up to and after he performed his first hajj. Every song here (one of which you might recognize from The Muslim Highlife) strikes his signature balance of traditional music, highlife, and funk, as he entreats you to stay on the straight and narrow, though there’s nothing straight about his beat.

For those of you who are interested in going deep on the wonderful Waziri, Vol. 1 is also now available alongside the other four volumes of the series, for the first time ever, as part of a complete set (in a box): Vol 1 - 5 (1978 - 1985).

Tracklist