Mariama

Singer, trumpeter and orchestra leader Rex Jim Lawson was born on 4 March 1938 in Buguma, not far from Port Harcourt, in southeast Nigeria. His actual name is Eriko-Sima, which means “Don’t name this one” because his father was convinced that this sickly little boy would not grow old, especially since his first three children had already died as babies. Rex suffered a severe bout of smallpox, which he survived when his mother took him to a local healer for treatment.

His father and elder sister wanted him to continue his studies after primary school, but Rex rejected this idea, as he firmly intended to become a great musician. His sister’s husband, a vicar, saw his talent, took him into the church band and taught him to play the trumpet.

He started his musical career with a band in Port Harcourt. Later, he went to Lagos, where he gained experience with various Nigerian bands and musicians, such as Bobby Benson, Roy Chicago and Victor Olaiya.
After that, he left for Ghana to become even more proficient in highlife. After his return to Nigeria, he founded his own band, The Mayor’s Band. As he became more famous, he was first nicknamed “Pastor”, then “Bishop” and finally “Cardinal”. He can sing in many Nigerian and Ghanaian languages like Kalabari, Nembe, Ijaw, Igbo, Urhobo, Ibibio, Izon, Efik, Pidgin English and languages from Cameroon and Ghana. For instance, he sings “Tamuno Bo Ibro Ma” in Twi.

On 18 January 1971, Rex Lawson was on his way to a gig. His driver had too much to drink and drove into a tree. Rex Lawson died at the age of 36. It has been said that music was always more important to him than money. He was often very emotional during performances and would sometimes burst into tears on stage.

Rex Lawson’s music is still loved in Nigeria today. His most popular song, “Sawale”, was a big hit all over Africa and has been covered many times.

Bobby Benson was born on 11 April 1922 in Ikorodu, near Lagos. His real name is Bernard Olabinjo Benson. He joined the merchant navy, but in 1944 he left his ship in London, and there he made his debut in entertainment. He married a half-Scottish, half-Caribbean woman and, after his return to Nigeria in 1947, he performed with her, playing the guitar and saxophone while his wife danced. His band, the Bobby Benson Jam Session Orchestra, initially played big-band music and calypsos. Then in 1950, the “King of Highlife” in Ghana, E.T. Mensah, visited Nigeria and introduced Ghanaian highlife to Nigeria. He played in Bobby Benson’s club with his Tempos’ Band, then expanded his band with a trumpet section and started playing highlife.

Roy Chicago began his musical career in Bobby Benson’s band. The real name of this singer, trumpeter, saxophonist and bandleader is John Akintola Ademuwagun. In Bobby Benson’s band, he played ballroom dance music, Latin and highlife. In his own band, the Abalabi Rhythm Dandies, rhythm comes first. He introduces the talking drum to highlife music.

Trumpeter Victor Olaiya was born on 31 December 1930 in Calabar, like Rex Lawson, and of very wealthy parents, from Yoruba territory. He is the twentieth child in a family of 24. At a young age, he learned to play the horn and sousaphone. He also played in the Bobby Benson Jam Session Orchestra, and in 1954 he founded his own orchestra, the Cool Cats. In 1963, Olaiya changed the name of his band to All Stars Band. In 1984, E.T. Mensah visited Nigeria for the second time. He recorded an album with
Victor Olaiya, with both of them contributing a number of songs. E.T. Mensah died back in 1996, at the age of 78. Victor Olaiya died on 12 February 2020, aged 89.

Professor Sir Victor Efosa Uwaifo was born in Benin City, Edo State, in 1941. He started playing the guitar at the age of 12. In 1965, he founded the Melody Maestros. Several of his songs became big hits in Nigeria and other parts of Africa. In 1996, Victor Uwaifo won Africa’s first gold record for the song “Joromi”. He now has a total of 12 gold records. Apart from being a musician, he is also a writer, sculptor, inventor of musical instruments and lecturer at the University of Benin City. At the age of 56, he received a Master’s degree in sculpture from this university and, at the age of 77, he obtained his doctorate with a thesis: “A reinvention of Benin Royal Ancestral Pieces”. He is now 80 years old and chairman of the Joromi Organisation, a recording and television studio in Benin City.

Special thanks to Muziekweb in Rotterdam.

Playlist:

1. Cardinal Rex Lawson &His Mayor’s Band of Nigeria: Abari Biya, 2’57, author: Rex Lawson, LP Rex Lawson’s Victories, PHILIPS West African RECORDS PRL 13408
2. Bobby Benson & His Combo: Gentleman Bobby, 2’34, author: Bobby Benson, Cool Cats Invasion
3. Bobby Benson & His Combo: Taxi Driver, I Don’t Care, 3’26, author: Bobby Benson, Cool Cats Invasion
4. Roy Chicago & his Abalabi-Rhythm Dandies, Olojo Nka’jo, 3’06, author: Roy Chicago EP Afro Rhythm Parade Vol. 6, Philips 420 013 PE
5. Roy Chicago & his Abalabi-Rhythm Dandies, Abi Mama, 2’26, Traditional, EP Afro Rhythm Parade Vol. 6, Philips 420 013 PE
6. Cardinal Rex Lawson &His Mayor’s Band of Nigeria: Bere Bote, 2’55, author: Rex Lawson, LP Rex Lawson’s Victories, PHILIPS West African RECORDS PRL 13408
7. Cardinal Rex Lawson &His Mayor’s Band of Nigeria: Ibi Na Bo, 3’01, author: Rex Lawson, LP Rex Lawson’s Victories, PHILIPS West African RECORDS PRL 13408
8. Dr Victor Olaiya & His International Stars Band: Laba Laba, 5’24, author: Dr Victor Olaiya, LP Highlife Re-incarnation, Polydor POLP 073
9. Sir Victor Uwaifo & His Melody Maestroes: Akwete, 2’48, author: Sir Victor Uwaifo, CD High life kings vol.2, Premier KMCD 02
10. Sir Victor Uwaifo & His Melody Maestroes: Joromi, 3’08, author: Sir Victor Uwaifo, CD High life kings vol.2, Premier KMCD 02
11. T Mensah / Dr.Victor Olaiya & The International All Stars Band: Essie Nana, 2’36, author: E.T Mensah, LP Highlife Giants Of Africa – Highlife Souvenir Vol. 1, Polydor POLP 102
12. T Mensah / Dr.Victor Olaiya & The International All Stars Band: Mr. Judge, 4’48, author: E.T Mensah, LP Highlife Giants Of Africa – Highlife Souvenir Vol. 1, Polydor POLP 102
13. T Mensah / Dr.Victor Olaiya & The International All Stars Band: Trumpet Highlife, 5’04, author: Dr Victor Olaiya, LP Highlife Giants Of Africa – Highlife Souvenir Vol. 1, Polydor POLP 102
14. Cardinal Rex Lawson &His Mayor’s Band of Nigeria: Tamuno Bo Ibro Ma, 3’00, author: Rex Lawson, LP Rex Lawson’s Victories, PHILIPS West African RECORDS PRL 13408
15. Cardinal Rex Lawson &His Mayor’s Band of Nigeria: Sawale, 2’59, author: Rex Lawson, Rex Lawson’s Victories, PHILIPS West African RECORDS PRL 13408
16. Dr Victor Olaiya & his International Stars Band: Iye Jemila, 7’07, author: Kendy Adex, LP Highlife Re-incarnation, Polydor POLP 073