Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Playing Pop Music In Nigeria


It would have been fun watching the Friimen Music Company (Friimen Rock Group) performing at the elementary school at Umuogele, Ohanku Road, Aba. Incidentally, their bus left with music instruments on the roofrack just at the time I was coming in from Umuodo to see my older sister. I tried to settle in and jump across to the elementary school, since it was right next to our compound on Ohanku Road. It was so unfortunate that I watched the bus leave with those musicians sitting quietly resting after a high-powered performance. I remember that Jessie, our neighbor across the street, enjoyed the show because she carried the air of that show for quite some time. I decided that I must join Friimen. A few weeks later, I found where they were based around Ibere Street behind the Aba New Market. I boldly went in there and spoke to them. They all received me, and I began my journey of becoming part of their music family. Beni Tudumey was already the king of keyboards around the area, and I could not even come close, but Beni told me that I was a wonderful keyboard player, but when I watched him play, I was flabergasted. He continued to encourage me. I began to do recording sessions with the band such that Beni would play one keyboard and I would play the second keyboard. Long story short, I enjoyed my days as member of the Friimen Rock Group, but its official name was Friimen Music Company. Charlie Eze, Jimmie Henshaw, Beni Tudumey, Ken Okogbue, Simeon Anaba were there when I approached them and became part of their band from 1974 till I teamed up with some nice guys from Mbaise to form Sweet Unit Rock Group.

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