Subcultural engagement for the 21st Century...
Barbelith is a new kind of community (find out more)...
You can login or register.

Fela Kuti

William Sack

12:09 / 27.09.04

I noticed a poster on the tube today for a series of events at the Barbican on the life, music, and influences of Fela Kuti. For those who don't know, Fela was a Nigerian musician/political activist/self-styled Governor of the Kalakutu Republic who recorded some 50 or so albums before his death in 1997. I am utterly useless at describing music, and the more enthusiastic I am the less eloquent I become, so forgive the Allmusicguide link for an infinitely better description of Fela's music that I could provide.

Is anyone else a fan of Fela ?

at the scarwash

19:22 / 27.09.04

Fela's output is gorgeous. His work is testament to the potential for unlimited freedom and space within the confines of dance music. There is something so exquisitely enveloping about his longer compositions, the hypnotic ostinatoes of the drums and guitar snaring the mind, the solos cutting through like a sudden light in a smoky barroom. God, I love this stuff.

HCE

22:25 / 27.09.04

After raiding my mom's collection and coming up with nothing, I went out last week and bought 'expensive shit' -- great stuff, and so much that came after was influenced by it, it's difficult to know where to begin when describing his impact.

illmatic

08:31 / 01.10.04

Absolutely love Fela's stuff. Heard some in the bar I'm in last night and me feet were tapping away. For those who haven't heard - percussive lead jams that go on for ages - half hour per track is the norm, though it never gets boring - chants with beautiful sliding brass and horns over the top. I wonder if this music only really comes into it's own live? I saw Fela's drummer, Tony Allen, a year or two ago (at the Barbican funnily enough) and he was incredible.

Refered to as "afrobeat" - from the outside, this stuff horrible "world music" connatations but that shouldn't put people off. It really is some of the best most involving party music I've ever heard.

haus of fraser

09:56 / 01.10.04

I don't really know Felas stuff as well as I should- however I saw Femi Kuti (Fela's Son) and his band at Glastonbury 3- 4 years ago and was utterly blown away very fucking groovy- I went out and bought his debut album on the strength of it which didn't impress me nearly enough sadly. However if Femi is playing at the barbican event and you want to have your mind blown I really really recommend going- kind of like James brown funk n horns with a jazzy african feel- and a stage show that would make ol' Mr Brown himself look like a shoegazer...

William Sack

10:18 / 01.10.04

Yes, I saw Femi a couple of years ago at the Royal Festival Hall and he was dynamite. Most of the crowd just got up out of their seats to dance and didn't go back to them. One of the people I had gone to the concert with had seen Fela a while back and confirmed that the old man was just something else live.

There certainly is something rather hypnotic about Fela's music, and it probably is the percussion and spare guitar (often just a few notes or chords repeated over and over again) that just drives things on as the horns and vocals go on around them.

In terms of assessing his impact, or perhaps what he meant to his followers, his funeral was attended, according to many estimates, by 1 million people.

Add Your Reply