Nigerian-born Tony began playing drums at the age of eighteen, and was influenced equally by American jazz, traditional African rythms and the Highlife scene then popular in west Africa. For five years he worked hard and honed his skills in a variety of outfits. In 1964 he auditioned for a band multi-instrumentalist and composer Fela Kuti was forming, Koola Lobitos. The band started out as a highlife-jazz band, but after a 1969 visit to the USA informed them about the black power movement, they were renamed Africa '70, and it is under this name that their music became most famous.

From that point on their music became more politically informed and their sound changed as well - mixing the heavy groove & universal appeal of James Brown’s soul with jazz, Highlife, and the polyrhythmic template of Yoruba conventions. They were the foremost band of the Afrobeat scene (characterised by big energetic bands employing repetition, improvisation and a combination of musical influeneces) and Tony's contribution was key to their sound. Kuti is later reported to have said “without Tony Allen, there would be no Afrobeat”, and it is indisputable that he formed a new style of drumming to complement the new directions that Kuti was taking the band.

Tony recorded over 30 albums with Kuti & Africa ’70, arguably playing on Kuti's best works. He also recorded three solo albums whilst part of the band. But by the late '70’s, longstanding arguments over royalties/pay, and recognition grew in intensity, with Kuti unwilling to give Tony the recognition he felt he deserved. This lead to him leaving the band, forming his own group. Refusing to stand still, his releases over the years since have found him pushing the boundaries of musicals genres yet further, deconstructing & fusing Afrobeat with electronica, dub, R&B, and rap - a combination which he has been known to refer to as 'Afrofunk'.

Tony's influence on world music is monumental and in his turn he has influenced a whole new generation of musicians. Damon Albarn, enamoured with the work of Africa '70 singled him out for special recognition on the 2000 Blur single Music Is My Radar, and later contributed to his 2002 album 'Home Cooking'. Having blended their styles so well, the pair were determined to work together again. Now with The Good The Bad And The Queen Tony's unique style is brought once again to a melting pot of diverse influences, and he returns to grace the stage with his wonderful drumming in the new band.

Expensive Shit Fela Randsome Kuti & Africa 70 (1975) Buy US | Buy UK	Featuring just two very long tracks, Expensive Shit with its jazz riffs and dazzling array of percussion is a perfect example of the Afrobeat genre and its influence continues to this day, Pitchfork Media recently ranking it in its 'Top 100 Albums of the 1970s'. Through the Afro-funk trance, Tony holds it down at the back with his unique drumming.		Fela Project Visit site	Website dedicated to Fela Kuti, with a host of audio and video. Includes material from his time with Africa 70.
Zombie Fela and Africa 70 (1976) Buy US | Buy UK	Considered by many to be Africa 70's best work, this album has it all: pulsating march-like grooves, funky backbeat rhythms, and great, catchy horn riffs. It also sees Kuti at his most politically charged; in the wake of its release, it was interpreted as an attack on the Nigerian government and his studio and home were burned to the ground. An exciting and important record.		Tony Allen on Wikipedia Visit site	Comprehensive biography detailing Tony's life and his contributions to music, plus links to various external biographies and reviews.
Home Cooking Tony Allen (2002) Buy US | Buy UK	Tony brings in fresh elements to his time-honoured sound in order to attract a broader audience, including Damon Albarn and rapper Ty, but it's still the deep afrobeat grooves the demand the most attention. An album with a broad outlook that draws from RnB, jazz, acoustic and African beats in equal measure, this is perhaps Tony's most approachable record for those most familiar with western pop music.		Fela Kuti and Africa 70 Discography Visit site	Comprehensive discography with pictures, detailing the myriad releases of Fela Kuti and all his projects.
Lagos No Shaking Tony Allen (2006) Buy US | Buy UK	Recorded entirely in Lagos, this album represents something of a return to the traditional Afrobeat sounds that made Tony a name in world music in the '70s - albeit with slicker 21st century production values. Singers Yinka Davies and Fatai Rolling Dollar add choruses with the ability to stick in the mind on a single listen, and fans of Tony's drumming certainly won't go away disappointed either thanks to some heavy hardcore percussion patterns.		Afrofunk Forum Visit site	Daily news updates on all things Afrofunk, including a portal with links to related sites around the web. A great place for newcomers to start exploring this genre of music.