News & Updates — Randy Weston
Bobby Benson / April 11, 1922 - May 14, 1983
Happy birthday to one of the greats of West African highlife music! The composer of one of the biggest African songs ever, "Taxi Driver", the Nigerian entertainer and businessman Bobby Benson was leader of an 11-piece band, comedian, magician and hotel/nightclub owner. His band played calypso, jazz, jive, samba and highlife and he played the guitar and saxophone. From Ikorodu in Lagos State, he started his career in '44 in London, playing with a touring ballet, traveling throughout Europe, before returning to Nigeria where he founded a dance & theater company in '47 with his wife Cassandra. His band became...