Irrepressible Steve Black, Musician’s Musician

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Steve Black.

There are musicians and there are musicians. Steve “Dudu” Black is a musician’s musician. There are many who took music as a profession to make quick money or obtain quick fame. Steve Black does not belong to that group. His commitment to music has been total. His passion for music is unquestionable and his dedication to the profession is unrivalled.

Restless Steve Black is often described as a musician. In reality, he is a “musician plus”, a show man without apologies and a complete entertainer.

Those of us to whom music has been our lives, are scared that the age of the likes of Steve Black who love music for music, may be fading.

Of course, there are many fakes all over the place today parading themselves as musicians. In their hearts they know that they are not. They dress shabbily as if shabby dressing makes you a musician. Steve Black does not dress shabbily. They speak without rhyme nor reason as if unorganised speech makes you a musician. Steve Black is articulate. The fakes have not trained themselves nor practiced their craft nor acquired the discipline and paid the dues that make one a true musician… the kind of dues that Steve Black has paid.

The iconoclastic Nigerian singer, drummer, percussionist, multi-instrumentalist and producer, Steve Black was barely 14 years old in 1968 when he embraced music with both hands and accepted music as his profession. He went on to acquire the skills, study the craft and pay the price that put him in a position where he has been relevant for decades.

Steve Black was a key part of the group, “The Elcados”, which metamorphosed from the Zaria based Moonrakers and for many years was the rave in the North. Operating from Costain Club in Kaduna, which made late Bala Miller famous, The Elcados spread their wings all over the North. They performed in Kaduna, Jos, Zaria, Kano, Katsina and many places in between. I once worked as a producer with the group, The Elcados, collaborating with them on the recording in Lagos of one of their albums, “What Ever You Need”, for the label, Anodisc. I found the members from Dave Crown, Tony Nosika, Frank Martins to Rocky, the drummer, extremely tight instrumentalists. At this time, the ubiquitous Steve had left the band. The group later formed the back-up for a joint playing tour of the South-East and South-South that I once did with Dizzy K. Falola and Chris Mba. When Frank left to travel abroad, The Elcados transformed to “Kabassa” the band that backed Onyeka Onwenu on stage for several years.

I first watched Steve Black on stage at the old Surulere Night Club in Lagos as he performed with The Tee Mac Collection. He was on fire!

In 1979, Steve Black released his hot album “Village Boogie” which established him as a de facto Minister of Afro Funk, the music genre he cherishes and promotes. The stand-out album which continues to be sold internationally contains other songs like “Fun in the Street”, “Step Out When You Are Down”, “Precious Time”, “When You Know What’s Wrong”, “Brand New Wayo” etc.

Steve “Dudu” Black has traversed the country performing practically everywhere in Nigeria and impacting on the careers of many a Nigerian star with whom he has collaborated, including the likes of Sonny Okosun, Christy Essien Igbokwe, Geraldo Pino, Kris Okotie, etc. For some time, Steve Black led a band in Abuja and rocked Nigeria’s capital city.

Steve now operates from Lagos and the neighbouring Mowe in Ogun State. He remains a performing musician for life even as he shows interest in music entrepreneurship, promoting Nigerian music in the digital age to the world.

The bubbly Steve Black is friends to everyone. He does not discriminate based on tribe or religion. He spreads love and togetherness everywhere … a Nigerian through and true.

As Steve “Dudu” Black turns 70, I want to salute him for his unflinching support all the years and his great example and inspiration to the younger generation on how to be a true musician.

See you next week.

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