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Nigerian drummer Tony Allen, who is credited with creating Afrobeat along with his former bandmate Fela Kuti, died suddenly at the age of 79 in Paris on Thursday, his manager said.
“We don’t know the exact cause of death,” said Eric Trosset, adding that it was not related to the coronavirus.
“He was in good shape, it was quite sudden. I spoke to him at 1 in the afternoon and then, two hours later, he was sick and they took him to the Pompidou hospital, where he died. “
Allen was the drummer and music director for the Fela Kuti band Africa ’70 in the 1960s and 70s
During that time, the couple created Afrobeat, combining West African musical styles, such as highlife and fuji music, with American jazz and funk. Afrobeat became one of the totemic genres of African music of the 20th century.
On Allen’s exciting pace, Kuti presented his revolutionary and pan-African message, which led him to become one of the permanent icons of the struggle for freedom across the continent.
Allen and Kuti recorded some 40 albums together such as Africa ’70, before separating after a mythical 26-year collaboration. Such was the hole that Allen left in his band, Kuti needed four drummers to replace him.
Artists like Major Lazer, Gilles Peterson and Flea have paid tribute to Allen on Twitter.
The epic Tony Allen, the best drummer in the world, has left us. What a wild man with a massive, kind and free heart and the deepest groove in his class. Fela Kuti did not invent an afrobeat, Fela and Tony gave birth to it … https://t.co/qXqMAP7QzT
– Flea (@ flea333) May 1, 2020
RIP TONY ALLEN. THE GOAT AMONG THE GOATS. DO YOUR INVESTIGATION. LEGENDS NEVER DIE. THE INVENTOR OF THE RHYTHM #Afrobeat
– MAYOR LAZER (@MAJORLAZER) April 30, 2020
Allen was taught to play the drums from the age of 18, drawing inspiration from American jazz greats Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker, as well as contemporary African music.
He remained enormously influential and loved by generations of musicians.
British musician and producer Brian Eno has called Allen “perhaps the best drummer ever.”
Allen was the drummer in the supergroup The Good, the Bad & the Queen, also with Blur singer Damon Albarn and Clash bassist Paul Simonon, who released his second album in 2018.
He lived in the Paris suburb of Courbevoie.
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