SJOB Movement
Voodoofunk/Academy LPS SJOB Movement :
A move in the right direction -LP/CD- (NI,1974)****'
The album liner notes have an interesting introduction to the album and group setting, telling how musicians were often extremely exploited and never credited (Fela kuta and James Brown were mentioned, with Fela living a slavery-owner like leadership, with one exception of a recording as a first compromise to the poor boys). It says Nigeria was one of the worst countries for band members making a strong distinction between lead singers and “band boys”. One initiative of some talented backing musicians, being tired of all the exploitations (for them at that time as the Ozziddi boys backing band for singer Okosuns), resulted in the formation of the SJOB Movement band. (SJOB is in fact made up of the initials of the members). In this case they promoted a “band” feeling with no egalitarian structure. The good thing about it is that each member had all the freedom to develop psychedelic instrumentations, with the possibilities of solos which were adapted into a group sound. Mixed with a funky groove and Afro-rhythmic variations this surely worked successfully. Included is not only an organ, but also a Moog synthesizer with strange psychedelic effects and additional keyboard variations, some fuzz guitar and the African percussion. The album is very much a studio album under best conditions, showing a steady concept with a success mixture of groove, song and musical expressiveness, the psych factor. The song foundation remains, as well as the funky edge, enough time is given to instrumental parts too, showing the best of each element, tightly packaged into the strong group sound.
After this album, again according to the liner notes, the band began to embrace several different music genres. Some differences in tastes between the members were finally breaking the entity apart, only to be regrouped again in 1981, resulting in some after stories explained further in the same liner notes.
