Willy N'For
Boogie Down In Africa

This compilation is not just a selection of songs from Willy Nfor’s solo career in Nigeria. They are also a testimony of a man’s struggle to live his dreams. This album is a statement of style and vision by the man commonly known as Willy Ngeh Nfor. A founding member of the Mighty Flames, Willy and his friends packed their instruments, one bright morning, threw a few clothes in a bag and headed to the Cameroun border with Nigeria. They caught a bus to Ekok and from Ekom, they walked across the border into Cross Rivers state on his way to Onitsha.

“We left Cameroon without any contacts in Nigeria, we were young and to us it was a big adventure. We had heard about the upcoming FESTAC Arts Festival and we felt we needed to get involved. The first band we played in was, Pentagon Funk Band, a band sponsored by the 5th Brigade in Port Harcourt. From there we moved to Onitsha to sign with Right Time Stores (RTS), we recorded Sweet Love (RTLPS 011) as The Mighty Flames. The sessions were at Decca Studios at Akoka area of Lagos, they had a 16 track analog recording unit. It was like jazz, you had to be on top of your game as a musician, you couldn’t erase the guitar lines or drums and redo it like with digital, one person slips up, you start all over again... So we rehearsed and rehearsed and then we went down and recorded the takes”. (Vincent Ekedi, Member/Drummer, Mighty Flames).

Willy’s adventurous spirit was fueled by; a troubled past (he lost his mom very early), a complicated life (he could not get on with his dad and his step-mom). Dexterity with the bass guitar and musical composition became his saving grace. Music quickly became his mode of escape. He started avidly listening to funk and jazz rock illuminaries like Bootsy Collins, Jaco Pastorious and Stanley Clark, playing with local bands in his area, with young musicians, like Vincent Ekedi (future member of mighty Flames).

They practiced and played at every opportunity, perfecting the grooves,
the breaks, the changes, dreaming of green pastures, bigger cities, brighter lights.

After Nigeria, Willy found his way to Paris where he became a session bass player playing with the likes of Manu Dibango, Mory Kanté, Tony Allen, Akendengue, Ray Lema, Jean-Luc Ponty, Kanté Manfila etc. He started touring heavily travelling on the interstellar grooves of funk, jamming with giants and stars in stadia and palaces frequented by high-class people. Realising his dreams living the Star Life. (Star Life, Cornerstone Records, Feel So Fine, 1981).