The music video for”Ayesama” takes us to Ebo Taylor’s homeland of Saltpond, Ghana. Ghanaians, young and old, cooking, dancing, and going about their daily business give a comforting feel of Taylor’s town. And is the perfect visual to the afrobeat and highlife treasure that is Appia Kwa Bridge, which is out now!
For years, the late Fela Kuti used Afrobeat to speak out against the government in Nigeria. Now his sons, Femi and Seun Kuti, are 4th generation musicians with their own political message. Leading up to his recent performance in London with members of his father’s band, Seun stopped to speak at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) with professor and BBC Presenter, Lucy Duran and Stephen Chan (whole discussion in the video above). The conversation began with a recording of Seun’s great grandfather, Reverend J.J. Ransome-Kuti, in Britain in 1922 singing a hymn. It was the first musical recording of its kind for release in West Africa. When the recording ended, Seun laughed and said, “My dad didn’t have much love for this music.”
Reminiscing about his father, Seun laughed a lot. He explained that his family required music, and was strict about practice. His father was beaten if he didn’t practice, but Fela never had to hit Seun. “It’s Fela. He doesn’t have to beat you. He just opens his eyes!”
Not only are the Kutis known for their music, but various members of the family became other important figures. Seun’s grandmother was one of Africa’s first women’s rights fighters until she was assassinated. Seun added, “In the Kuti family, we always try to be the best at everything.”
The discussion soon turned to Seun’s message: “I am a revolutionary first, and a musician second…if I had to choose one or the other, that is.” Yet, Seun explained he is not the revolutionary his father was. At some point Seun realized that Africa is being affected by external forces more than by internal forces. He went on to list multinational corporations like oil companies and global institutions like the World Bank, IMF, and UN as culprits.
Seun’s music is still about Nigeria, and resonates with the people there, but he blames the outside world for keeping Africa down. Seun’s latest album, From Africa with Fury: Rise, calls for Africa to take control back. “We have to bring empathy back…no one has started a genuine fight for the people.”
The rest of the hour-long discussion talked about issues ranging from the education system in Nigeria, to corruption in the country. The young Kuti, 28, has formulated his opionions and is using his music to share it. “I want my people to feel me, but I want the world to understand me,” he said, proving that the revolutionary musician lives on.
Veteran Parisian 14-piece collective Les Freres Smith team up with master drummer Tony Allen for the 6-minute afrobeat jam “Afro!” It’s got all the horns and weaving beats to teleport you into the Lagos sun. Find the track on Le Frere’s Contrabande Mentality LP, out now via Comet Records, which also boasts an appearance from Africa 70 guitarist Oghene Kologbo. Stream “Afro!” and the album’s title track below.
We know your calendar is hoppin this weekend with loads of CMJ shows, but allow us to throw two more hats into the ring:
Catch DJ Frank Gossner at the last Voodoo Funk Party in NYC before the show hits the road. This Saturday night at Zebulon (258 Wyhte Avenue just a few steps off of Metropolitan in Brooklyn) expect the toughest, the roughest and of course the rarest African funk 45s known and un-known to man alongside some sizzling hot highlife and all the heavy, Afrobeat you can handle.
If you’re looking for a group workout/dance party, check out Get Your Dance On at YogaWorks (459 Broadway 2nd floor in Soho) this Saturday night. Be prepared to sweat while learning Joneeba, the African dance that celebrates life and health.
The story of MonoMono intertwines with that of Fela Kuti — like Fela, bandleader Joni Haastrup had linked up with Cream’s Ginger Baker for live albums/performances and, MonoMono percussionist, Friday Jumbo played with Africa ’70.
Riffing on a blend of psychedelia, fuzz funk, and afro-rock, MonoMono offer a unique furthering of the afrobeat originator’s sound. Reissues of their criminally overlooked first LPs Give The Beggar A Chance (1971) and The Dawn of Awareness (1974), as well as Joni Haastrup’s solo Wake Up Your Mind (1978), are set to be released by Soundway/Tummy Touch on Sept 27.
Stream and download MonoMono’s “Make Them Realise,” and watch a clip of Joni Hasstrup’s 1971 Lagos live-jam with Ginger Baker and others below.
We can’t stress how much these records should be copped.
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Download: MonoMono, “Make Them Realise”
Bay Area music collective, producer, and record label, Stronghold Sound, appeals to tradition lovers and dance floor booty-shakers alike with its first release, The Audio Refuge Compilation. This eclectic collection brings us reggae, hip-hop, dub-step, new cumbia, rap, afrobeat, oud, gnawa and African and Arab folk in a single album – staying true to traditional rhythms while mixing sounds in new and innovative ways. The range of sounds is a reflection of the artists that create them – including Alpha Oumar ‘Bongo’ Sidibe, Yassir Chadly, Snakkr, Iggy Mon, Juan Data, Tami, Excentrik, Nes, and Ephniko who hail from Guinea, Morocco, Syria, Trinidad, Argentina, Palestine, Mexico and Columbia, just to name a few. This border-smashing, genre-fusing, culture-melding anthology is just the beginning for Stronghold Sound. We can’t wait to see what else they have up their sleeve.
Intrigued? Download the digital release over at iTunes and get a bonus track from Gift Of Gab (of Blackalicious).
Listen, below, to Wontanara Revolution’s “Sabu Fanye.”
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Seun rips today’s commercial hip-hop artists a new one, talks about polygamy and monogamy (“one wife too many”), his dream collabo, and how he’ll keep the afrobeat flame alive forever. (As Seun and Fela’s fans like to quote, the elder Kuti’s name is an acronym for “For Ever Lives Afrobeat” – or “Africa” – you choose.)
According to Rolling Stone, Seun’s sophomore album, From Africa With Fury: Rise, co-produced with Brian Eno, simply “burns.” Backed by his father’s band Egypt 80, he’ll def be burning it up at the Propsect Park Bandshell tomorrow night (FREE!) and follows up with an intimate set at S.O.B‘s next Wednesday.
More tour dates after the jump.
On Friday (7/22) Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 will be joining Faaji Agba for Celebrate Brooklyn! at the Prospect Park Bandshell. This multi-generational show is part of a yearlong celebration commemorating Nigeria’s 50th anniversary of independence. Seun, the son of Nigerian revolutionary and inventor of “afrobeat,” Fela Kuti, has been singing along side his father’s band, Egypt 80, since he was nine years old. As a vocalist and saxophonist he uses his music to teach and bring awareness to African youth, blending contemporary sounds with traditional afrobeat rhythms to create afro-pop filled with fierce beats and dynamic, funky energy.
Faaji Agba’s roster includes prior members of Fatai Rolling Dollar, Prince ‘Eji’ Oyewole, and Chief Seni Tejuoso in addition to other Nigerian musicians. Together, they are bringing back traditional Nigerian sounds like juju, faaji and agidigbo.
Rain or shine, gates open at 6pm and the show starts at 7 pm.
And guess what? It’s FREE! (Though $3 donations are welcomed)
Deets:
Celebrate Brooklyn! @ The Prospect Park Bandshell
Location
9th Street & Prospect Park West
Brooklyn, NY 11215
CLICK HERE for more info.
Check out this video of Seun Kuti performing with Egypt 80 in Rio, below.
These two vibrant faces are Nola Darling, a duo currently working on their upcoming album, A Rude Gal’s Guide To… with hip-hop producer/artist Kwamé, who has worked with the likes of Mary J. Blige, Christina Aguilera, Missy Elliot and many more. Their latest track, “STFU (Start The Riot),” highlights the ladies’ island flava, showcasing classic African dance styles backed with afrobeat drums and dubstep electrified synths. Wine ya hips gals!
Video: Seun Kuti ‘The Good Leaf’ Live in NOLA
Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 recently brought their tantalizing show to New Orleans’ Jazz Fest 2012. Live audio/video blog Funk It captured the calmest part of the 2-hour set that they best describe as the “eye of the storm in the middle of… a political diatribe bookended by bombastic intensity on both ends.” Watch Seun and crew performing “The Good Leaf” — recently remixed by Spoek Mathambo — above.
(H/T FunkIt)