The Source cover

The Source

Released

Tony Allen, the legendary drummer who invented Afrobeat, traveled in many different directions after leaving Fela Kuti’s band. He embraced funk, electronic dance music, and even hip-hop, but in 2017, he made one of his greatest records. The Source features a five-piece horn section, guitar, keyboards, and upright bass, playing funky, polyrhythmic jazz compositions written by Allen and saxophonist Yann Jankielewicz. The drumming is incredible, of course; Allen’s ability to combine rhythmic complexity and skull-thumping power (brought to the fore on “Cruising,” to pick just one example) makes this a ridiculously head-nodding, neck-snapping disc, but the band arrangements are tight and high-energy, too, combining bebop fluidity with the gutsy blare of classic soul.

Phil Freeman

Suggestions
Apocalypse cover

Apocalypse

Thundercat
RoundAgain cover

RoundAgain

Brad Mehldau, Christian McBride, Joshua Redman, Brian Blade
In Common 2 cover

In Common 2

Micah Thomas, Matthew Stevens, Linda May Han Oh, Walter Smith III
Apex cover

Apex

Bunky Green, Jason Moran, Rudresh Mahanthappa
City Swamp cover

City Swamp

Jake Long
Blacks and Blues cover

Blacks and Blues

Bobbi Humphrey
Reincarnation cover

Reincarnation

Warren Wolf
The Black Ark cover

The Black Ark

Noah Howard
Sahara cover

Sahara

McCoy Tyner
Fire Illuminations cover

Fire Illuminations

Wadada Leo Smith, Orange Wave Electric