Babatunde Olatunji Drums Of Passion (4-CD Deluxe Box Set)

We hear so much about world music these days, and so little about Olatunji who single-handedly popularised African percussion in North America. Originally from Nigeria, he cut a series of LPs for Columbia between 1959 and 1966. As Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart said, 'He is the Godfather to two generations of drummers in the West. His are the rhythms of the Saints, of the Orisas. 

He blended them with the exotic sounds of New York City to form a new kind of music.' These four CDs comprise Olatunji's complete recordings for Columbia (1959-1966), including the albums 'Drums Of Passion,' 'More Drums Of Passion,' 'High Life,' 'Zungo,' and 'Flaming Drums,' as well as unissued cuts and rare singles. Some titles are pure percussion ensembles; others are pioneering Afro-jazz that influenced John Coltrane and many others.