News in from Vampisoul: "They thought I moved highlife music out of the ordinary. Then, it was believed that my highlife was a little bit out of this world,beyond explanation. Thiswas why Alhaji, Alade Odunewu of the Daily Times, styled me the Evil Genius of Highlife". A quote from Dr Victor Olaiya to accompany the retrospective release of All Star Soul International
Dr Victor Abimbola Olaiya, the evil genius of Highlife, is still sockin' it to them after 60 years on stage. If you are lucky enough you can catch him blowing that trumpet and singing his heart out at his own celebrated stadium in Lagos, Nigeria.
This album form 1970 is from Oliya's Highlife Funk phase, but its worth taking a trawl through his back pages to see how he became the Evil Genius, before you roll back the rug and get down to the HIghlife-Funk.
Victor Olaiya is certainly one of the legendary foundation stones of Modern Nigerian music, yet he has never received much acknowledgement or really promoted in any quantity outside of Nigeria. So this Vampisoul release is a step in the right direction and not before time, for a 77 year old who was probably Nigeria's leading star of the 1950'sand early 60's, his golden years.
The CD comes with a 16 page booklet of notes by Max Reindhart. Buy a Copy of Victor Olaiya's All Star Soul International
