Review: Dele Sosimi & The Estuary 21 - The Confluence LP (Wah Wah 45s)

This confluence is the meeting of the musical minds of the Thames Estuary and the "Afrobeat Ambassador" from The Shrine, Fela Kuti’s Egypt 80 and cofounder with Femi Kuti of the Positive Force. 

That's a pretty big body of water (no get enemy) as once aain, Dele Sosimi (formerly keyboardist and other musical duties with aforementioned Afrobeat legends) who is now based in the UK joins Sam Duckworth (formerly known as Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly).  "Hang on", you may be thinking to yourself, "Didn't this come out this time last year and still sounds brilliant?" We'll you'd be right on both counts except that this is the new LP verson and it's bigger and therefore even more brilliant!

As this album is firmly rooted in Afrobeat, the obvious tracks that will engage are the previous singles, 'Ride Out The Storm' / 'Mo Ṣe B’ọ́lá Tán' (see review HERE) and 'You Don't Have To' (see reveiw HERE) and, again, 'Ori Mi' and 'Òt​í​tó Ti J​áde' (albeit my calls for longer versions has been unheeded) along with 'Open Up' which also features UK jazz legend and Essex resident, Snowboy (aka Mark Cotgrove).

Other top musicans featured include Alfa Sackey (percussion), Callum Green (drums), Philip Van Den Brandeler (bass), Pete Fraser (sax), Sam Eagle (voice/guitar) and Lizzy Dosunmu (vocals) along with multi-instrumentalist Duckworth.

'Stories' is at the carib-pop-end of this meeting of minds but the new 'BIG' tracks are 'Alagbara Ma Me Ro' that's a time-after-time winner plus the Essex Go-Go of 'For The Love Of It' and at 60s jazz club towpath shuffle of 'The Ramblings'.

This is no Sosimi-lite (or Mr Get Cape etc 'heavy' for that matter) as this is all giving it their all and finding something special.  Who'd have thought that chance radio interview Dom Servini (now Jazz FM DJ you know) did with Dele did all those years ago would find us at 'The Confluence' (LP version). Who indeed.

P.S, get lively as the vinyl is likely to sell out quick.

 

Artist: Dele Sosimi & The Estuary 21
Release: The Confluence LP
Release Date: 5th April, 2024
Label: Wah Wah 45s
Catalog Number: WAHLP025 
Format: Vinyl 12 - Limited Edition / Digital / BANDCAMP