PRINCE NICO MBARGA Rocafil Jazz HAPPY BIRTHDAY LP Nigeria1 978 NM/VG+ HIGHLIFE

$

24

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Prince Nico Mbarga

Birth name Nico Mbarga

Also known as Prince Nico

Born 1 January 1950

Origin Obubra, Cross River State, Nigeria

Died 23 June 1997 (aged 47)

Genres Highlife

Occupation(s) Singer, songwriter, record producer

Years active 1970–1997

Nico Mbarga (1 January 1950 – 23 June 1997),[1] better known as Prince Nico Mbarga, was a Cameroonian-Nigerian highlife musician, born to a Nigerian mother and a Cameroonian father in Abakaliki, Nigeria.[2] He is renowned for his hit song "Sweet Mother", recorded with his band Rocafil Jazz, which has been described as the best-selling song in history by an African recording artist.[3]

Personal life

Mbarga was survived by 10 surviving children; Nico, Descrow, Estelle, Slimphilz, Pauline, Joan, Lillian, Lucy, Lionel, and Nicoline. In 2011, Pauline, one of his children passed on following  a brief illness making nine remaining children.[4] Among the nine Mbarga’s surviving children, only Nico, Descrow, Estelle and Slimphilz are actively involved in music and working to promote their late father’s ‘panco’ style of music. Joan, Lillian, Lucy, Lionel, and Nicoline are said to be either currently engaged in doing business or working white collar jobs at the Nigerian civil service commission.[5]

Music

He played the xylophone, conga, drums, bass guitar and electric guitar. He first started playing in school bands and he made his professional debut as a member of a hotel band, the Melody Orchestra, in 1970.[1]

Career

Early years

Although he only recorded one significant hit, "Sweet Mother," in 1976, which sold more than 13 million copies, Mbarga played an important role in the evolution of African popular music.[1] With his soulful vocals set to the light melodies of his acoustic guitar, Mbarga created a unique hybrid of Nigerian and Congolese guitar playing and uplifting highlife rhythms.[1] He formed his own group, Rocafil Jazz, to perform regularly at the Plaza Hotel in the eastern Nigerian city of Onitsha.[1]

After releasing a disappointing single in 1973, Mbarga and Rocafil Jazz had their first success with their second single, "I No Go Marry My Papa", a regional hit.[1] The band's inability to break past their local following resulted in their recording contract being dropped by EMI, a decision that proved ill-fortuned when the band signed with Rogers All Stars, a Nigerian recording company based in Onitsha, and recorded "Sweet Mother".[6]

Sung in Pidgin, "Sweet Mother" became one of the top sellers in the history of Nigerian music. In the six years that Mbarga and Rocafil Jazz remained with Rogers All Stars, 1975 to 1981, they recorded nine albums.[1]

Later years

On a repeat tour to England in 1982, Mbarga became known for his flamboyant, 1970s glam rock-inspired performances.[1] While he continued to appear with Rocafil Jazz, Mbarga also performed with London-based highlife band the Ivory Coasters and former Rocafil Jazz member, Cameroonian vocalist Louisiana Tilda.[1] Despite Mbarga launching his own Polydor-distributed record label, upon his return to Nigeria, he and the original members of Rocafil Jazz separated after some disagreements.[1] Although he later formed the New Rocafil Jazz Band, Mbarga failed to match his early success.[1] Leaving music, he turned his attention to managing the four-star hotel that he owned, the Sweet Mother Hotel,[1] located in the town of Ikom in Cross River State Nigeria, just minutes away from the Cameroon-Nigeria border.

Death

Prince Nico Mbarga was killed in a motorcycle accident on 23 June 1997 in Calabar while trying to buy spare parts for his car along the ever busy Mayne Avenue Road, leaving behind "Sweet Mother" as the most popular song among Nigerians.[2] "Sweet Mother" is sometimes called "Africa's anthem" and has been voted Africa's favourite song by BBC readers and listeners.

Prince Nico Mbarga & Rocafil Jazz* – Prince Nico Mbarga & Rocafil Jazz

Prince Nico Mbarga And Rocafil Jazz - Prince Nico Mbarga & Rocafil Jazz album cover

More images

Label: RAS (2) – ASALPS 21

Format:

Vinyl, LP

Country: Nigeria

Released: 1978

Genre: Folk, World, & Country

Style: Highlife, African

A1 Happy Birth Day

A2 Adam & Eve

B1 Love And Unity For Africa

B2 Sickness

Written-By – Prince Nico Mbarga

GOLDMINE GRADING

MINT ---- It should appear to be perfect. No scuffs or scratches, blotches or stains, labels or writing, tears or splits. Mint means perfect.

NEAR MINT ---- Otherwise mint but has one or two tiny inconsequential flaws that do not affect play. Covers should be close to perfect with minor signs of wear or age just becoming evident: slight ring-wear, minor denting to a corner, or writing on the cover should all be noted properly.

VERY GOOD PLUS ---- The record has been handled and played infrequently or very carefully. Not too far from perfect. On a disc, there may be light paper scuffs from sliding in and out of a sleeve or the vinyl or some of the original luster may be lost. A slight scratch that did not affect play would be acceptably VG+ for most collectors.

VERY GOOD ---- Record displays visible signs of handling and playing, such as loss of vinyl luster, light surface scratches, groove wear and spindle trails. Some audible surface noise, but should not overwhelm the musical experience. Usually a cover is VG when one or two of these problems are evident: ring wear, seam splits, bent corners, loss of gloss, stains, etc.

GOOD ---- Well played with little luster and significant surface noise. Despite defects, record should still play all the way through without skipping. Several cover flaws will be apparent, but should not obliterate the artwork.

POOR ---- Any record or cover that does not qualify for the above "Good" grading should be seen as Poor. Several cover flaws.