Joni Haastrup

1978

Wake Up Your Mind

01. Free My People
02. Greetings
03. Wake Up Your Mind
04. Champions And Superstars
05. Do The "Funkro"
06. Watch Out

Lead Vocals, Producer, Written-By – Joni Haastrup
Backing Vocals – Sister Angie (tracks: A3)
Drum [African Drum] – Gaspar Lawal
Lead Guitar – Stephen Lipson (tracks: A3, B1, B3)
Rhythm Guitar – Jake Sollo
Bass - Tunde Kuboye

The founder of MonoMono, Nigerian Joni Haastrup took a slightly different turn with his 1978 solo debut, Wake Up Your Mind. Recorded in London, he made a disc that was decidedly more American funk than something African, with deep grooves and some fiery solos (listen to the sax and flute work on "Greetings," for example, both flying over a disco backdrop). It's politically aware ("Free My People"), but above all, it's a gem of ‘70s funk. That means there are strings as part of the overall sound, and the bass is mixed happily to the fore, ready to get dancers out on the dancefloor. Although a very talented keyboard player it's Haastrup's vocals and composing skills that are front and center here, a move away from the jazz-rock that had been his sound earlier in the decade. Africa is still there, underneath everything, but Haastrup made a truly international album, one that deserved more exposure when it was released, and which should find a wider audience now.

Growing up in a royal household in Nigeria, Joni Haastrup began his musical journey performing for his brothers band Sneakers and was quickly snapped up as a vocalist for Orlando Julius Ekemode and his Modern Aces' Super Afro Soul LP, one of Afro-beat's formative LPs. Soon after, Ginger Baker of Cream fame replaced Steve Winwood with Joni on keys for Airforce's UK concerts in '71 and the success of the collaboration led to further shows with Baker as part of the SALT project before he returned to Nigeria to set up MonoMono. Back in London in 1978, Joni recorded his solo gem Wake Up Your Mind for the Afrodesia imprint. Laced with funk basslines, swirling keyboards and screaming guitars, this is Joni's most 'western' record but at the same time unmistakably of the African origin. From the slow-motion disco of Greetings to the stone cold groove of Watch Out to the Reuben Wilson style funk of Free My People Joni was soaking up the sounds of the times and blending them with the music of his roots.

Growing up in a royal household in Nigeria, Joni Haastrup began his musical journey performing for his brothers band Sneakers and was quickly snapped up as a vocalist for O.J. Ekemode and his Modern Aces’ ‘Super Afro Soul’ LP, one of Afro-beat’s formative LPs. Soon after, Ginger Baker of Cream fame replaced Steve Winwood with Joni on keys for Airforce’s UK concerts in ’71 and the success of the collaboration led to further shows with Baker as part of the SALT project before he returned to Nigeria to set up MonoMono

Back in London in 1978, Joni recorded his solo gem ‘Wake Up Your Mind’ for the Afrodesia imprint. Laced with funk basslines, swirling keyboards and screaming guitars, this is Joni’s most ‘western’ record but at the same time unmistakably of the African origin. From the slow-motion disco of ‘Greetings’ to the stone cold groove of ‘Watch Out’ to the Rueben Wilson style funk of ‘Free My People’ Joni was soaking up the sounds of the times and blending them with the music of his roots.

Joni Haastrup ‘Soul Brother Number One’ Biography :<br>

Joni Haastrup came of age in a royal household in the waning days of colonial Nigeria; his grandfather was a king in the Yoruba town of Ilesa in Western Nigeria. Joni grew up surrounded by music, local drummers would perform for his grandfather whilst a steady flow of old American 78’s and calypso discs were on rotation at the local record shop.

So it was little surprise Joni chose to become a musician. The burgeoning &nbsp;jazz tinged high-life scene he walked into was led by bands like the Abalabi Rhythm Dandies and Eddie Okonta &amp; his Top Aces all basking in their country’s newfound independence after years of British colonial rule. It was in the midst of this a young Joni Haastrup made his debut singing in his brother’s band Sneakers at a 1964 New Year’s gig in Ondo

Later in 1966, when James Brown was all the rage, O.J. Ekemode and his Modern Aces’ released their ‘Super Afro Soul’ LP, an album that many see as laying the foundations of Afro-beat. Featuring Joni Haastrup on vocals, an unknown Fela Ransome Kuti sat in on trumpet before taking up sax and forming the Koola Lobitos.

At this point Joni Haastrup tearing up stages across Western Nigeria and soon became known as his country’s “Soul Brother Number One”. Later that year the cover band Clusters International, seeking a dynamic stage presence took Joni as their front man, a role Joni flourished in for the next few years.

In 1971, an invitation from Ginger Baker was extended to Joni Haastrup as part of the Airforce tour and the success of the collaborations was to be a catalyst for Joni’s Nigerian exodus and the forming of MonoMono.