Releases from artist / Veröffentlichungen von : Ginger Johnson

freestyle records is incredibly proud to reissue the music of ginger johnson & his african messengers. its bedrock of african drums, hi life, and jazz was in fact the precursor to afrobeat - and gingers direct and vital influence upon afrobeat, as guide & mentor to its undisputed champion fela kuti is just one part of a fascinating and underappreciated story that only now is being recognised for its significance.

ginger johnsons life is one of the greatest untold stories of african music in europe. a nigerian immigrant to london in the late 1940s, who quickly became the rhythmic backbone to the big band of the edmundo ros orchestra and the jazz group of ronnie scott. by the mid 1960s ginger was considered the only afro-latin percussionist to book, which is why he played with everyone from georgie fame, quincy jones through to the rolling stones.