Bazy Cole changed Sweet Breeze By Emeka Obasi

He joined when the group was known as Rock Breeze. Bazy Cole Akalonu and Vin Iyk Ikeotuonye were with Stone Face Iwuagwu’s Life Everlasting until it went under. That distress led them to Dallas Anyanwu and they all met Pal Akalonu.

Ndaa (Senior) Pal was a big time producer with the larger than life recording company, EMI. While Rock Breeze faced rehearsals at Tourist Hotel, Enugu, he sauntered in to check on his younger brother, Bazy Cole. When they told him the name of the band, he advised them to change it to Sweet Breeze.

This story came from the horse’s mouth. Dallas Anyanwu opened up to veteran journalist, Fred Iwenjora, earlier this year. Little did they know that Bazy Cole would not see the end of 2023. He died on August 6, after surgery in Abuja.

Bazy Cole made himself available to Rock Breeze after their drummer, Samuel Ohanyerenwa, was taken away by his father who could not stand having a musician son. That turned out to be a blessing in disguise as another door was opened through Pal Akalonu.

Sweet Breeze stormed the scene in a big way.  Kingsley Dallas Anyanwu, from Amaraku,  Goodluck Maurice (Jackie Moore) Anyaora, from Umunkwo, Vincent Chukwunyelu Ikeotuonye (Vin Iyk), from Ozubulu, Basil Chukwujike Akalonu (Bazy Cole), from Owere Nchise and Nestor Phillip made up the band. The year was 1977.

Ndaa Pal took the young men to EMI studio. They recorded ‘Across the Desert’ on FF Records, part of the Melody Group. It was a banger. The market was ready for Sweet Breeze and the music was blowing all over the space.

The difference was that Sweet Breeze was populated by educated buddies. Vin Iyk studied Political Science at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN).  Bazy Cole, Dallas and Jackie Moore were at the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Enugu.

Ndaa Pal was well known at Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) Aba where he presented the programme, ‘Now Sound’. It afforded musicians  and other entertainers a window to the market. One of such was a band known as  ‘Sweet Unit’.

It was led by Gilbert ‘Wahehe’ Njoku. Reginald Njoku was on the drums while Arthur Fred (Frederick Nwosu) played keyboards. The group changed name to ‘Rock of Ages.’ Arthur Fred may not be a popular name but he composed the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Anthem while serving at the Oyo State College of Education, Elekuro.

Apparently, Ndaa Pal loved the Sweet in Sweet Unit and took it to Rock Breeze to get Sweet Breeze. Bazy Cole was a good drummer and had moved from Blossoms to Speed Limit before Life Everlasting which led him to Rock Breeze and finally Sweet Breeze.

At the end of the Civil War, drummers were in high demand and there was a ready market. They were also very mobile, changing from one group to another. You could find Best Eshalomi at Wrinkar Experience, the next time, Geoffrey Omadhebo had joined and from there to One World to swap position with Ben Alaka.

Stoneface played for Fractions in Biafra, was at NTA Aba with Ndaa Pal before leading Life Everlasting. Today, Emma White Nkpoku would be with Aktions Funk Ensemble, Ify Akpati at Founders 15,  Joel Maduwuike at Genesis and Shankar at Vibrations. Tomorrow, they were elsewhere.

The pool included Tony Allen, Mosco Egbe, Laolu (Akins) Akintobi, Tammy Evans, Charlie Eze, Rocky Mustapha, Chyke Maduforo, Richard Cole, Mike Collins and Gogo Brown. Drums helped the output and drummers enjoyed this relevance.

During the war, Biafran commandoes won more hearts with their drums and march past than in the battle field. They had a way of showing off around Madonna High School in the Etiti area, maybe to impress General Emeka Ojukwu.

They also attracted musicians. One of them, John John Duke (Durueke) formed friendship with Athan Achonu, who later became a Senator. Oh, former Anambra State governor, Willie Obiano, is also a musician. He was known as ‘Willie Bass’.

According to Dallas, Obiano was in the Dennis Memorial Grammar School, Onitsha group, Dee Mites, that released an album in 1972, way before Ofege appeared from St. Gregory’s, Lagos.

Obiano was at Christ the Kings College, Onitsha but joined Dee Mites.

Ndaa Pal’s time at NTA Aba and his brother, Bazy Cole’s success could have influenced those behind the Masquerade to go into music. Zebrudaya (Chika Okpala), Gringory (James Iroha) and Jegede (Claude Eke) all tried it.

The youngest of the crew, Apena (Christiana Essien – Igbokwe) became the greatest in music. Not many remember that stardom took its roots at the Ogbor Hill studio of NTA Aba. Two other ladies, Lizzy Ohuche and Ann Njemanze, germinated from there.

Bazy Cole saw music as a young man through such groups as Hykkers, Frictions. Jets, BAF Wings, Strangers, Red House, Incrowd, Semicolon, Funkees, Ace of Spade, Future Hope, Herald 7, Apostles, Soundway, Black Children, Heads Funk, Doves, Monkees, Friimen and Atomic 8, respectively.

He started from Enugu, never forgot his Owere Bongo background but died at 72, in Abuja where he was a very active member of Dozie Owerri Association. Vin Iyk left in 2017. Jackie Moore breezed away in 2021. Dallas is still very much around, producing sweet vibes for the Lord, as a Pastor.