Product Review

Chapter One was Blo s debut album, originally released by EMI in 1973. The group was remarkable for a variety of reasons: it was arguably the first rock trio to emerge from Africa, and its members had a pedigree like few others at the time, having worked as part of
Ginger Baker s band Salt in the years leading to their formation. But the album s enduring appeal and significance resides in the music:
eight tracks of infectious afro-rock that took the band s Afrobeat
foundations and melded them with the western psychedelia, rock, and funk of the late sixties. Making the most of the band s trio format, Chapter One features outstanding guitar work from Jones backed by the funky interplay of Akintobi s drums and Odumosu s bass. Many of the album tracks are remarkable in how they balance a clearly rock-inspired drive with an otherworldly, psychedelic vibe.