Afrobeat has had quite a revival lately, and the genre’s greatest living legend is now ready for The Øya festival.

One could say that Nigerian drummer and percussionist Tony Allen has been as important for afrobeat-music as the genre’s founding father and his former bandleader Fela Kuti. It’s definitely a bold statement, but it’s also true. Tony Allen put down the rhythmic foundation in a musical style based precisely on rhythm and beats. He is as relevant today, 70 years old, as he was almost 40 years ago when afrobeat came to life in the sweaty clubs of Lagos. Legend has it that afrobeat made an inspired James Brown push American funk at least seven steps further.

Allen is a true legend and still on top of his game, and he proved that when he visited Oslo World Music Festival last year. Marius Asp, reviewer for Lydverket, was really, really happy with the gig. He wrote that Tony Allen “almost sounds too good to be true”, and concluded that “music doesn’t get any better than this”. Well, it gets better: Tony Allen is back to play at The Øya Festival in August.

Ketil Kinden Endresen from Casiokids is one of many fans looking forward to experience Tony Allen at Øya: “I had the pleasure of meeting Tony Allen in October 2008 whilst working on a radio documentary about the legacy of Fela Kuti. I am a great admirer of his work, both as a solo artist and the collaborations with Fela, Jimi Tenor and Damon Albarn.”

www.myspace.com/tonyallenafrobeat