Fela Kuti – Teacher Don’t Teach Me Nonsense
https://amf.didiermary.fr/fela-kuti-teacher-nonsense-live/
Fela Anikulapo Kuti (and young Femi on sax) with Egypt 80: “Teacher Don’t Teach Me Nonsense” live in England, at Glastonbury in 1984.
Compilation “Afro Baby – The Evolution of the Afro-Sound in Nigeria 1970-1979”
https://amf.didiermary.fr/afro-baby/
Nigeria in the 1970s had one of the biggest recording industries on the continent as well as one of the most diverse. The fusion of African rhythms and culture with jazz, funk, soul and rock was an Africa wide phenomenon but nowhere was […]
#70smusic #Compilation #FelaKuti #Highlife #Nigeria #OrlandoJulius #AfroBeat
28 years ago...
Fela Aníkúlápó Kútì (born Olufela Olusegun Oludotun Ransome-Kuti; 15 October 1938 – 2 August 1997)
All posts on AMF: https://amf.didiermary.fr/tag/felakuti/
Kokoroko – Carry Me Home (2020)
https://amf.didiermary.fr/kokoroko-carry-me-home/
“Before melody or harmony, there’s rhythm,” cites Sheila Maurice-Grey, the band leader of Kokoroko, when speaking to Dele Sosimi about musical structure. A profound statement that is reflected through the sonic depths of their hypnotically bracing new single, ‘Carry me home’. The track was inspired by conversations with the masterful Sosimi, whose technical ability […]
Kokoroko – Could We Be More
https://amf.didiermary.fr/kokoroko-could-we-be-more/
“Could We Be More” is an expansive and ambitious album that speaks to the force of Kokoroko.
Each song possesses the energy which so naturally underpins the heartbeat of Kokoroko’s identity – deftly moving through afrobeat, highlife, soul, and funk across the album’s 15 tracks and taking inspiration from a plethora of other influences from within […]
Kokoroko – Baba Ayoola
https://amf.didiermary.fr/kokoroko-baba-ayoola/
“Baba Ayoola”, released in November 2020, was written as a tribute to the grandfather of Kokoroko’s alto saxophonist Cassie Kinoshi and is “an invitation to celebrate life.” It’s their their first single since the sublime “Carry Me Home” in February of the same year.
Opening with the elevating vocal harmonies of the front women, […]
Kokoroko – Tuff Times Never Last
https://amf.didiermary.fr/kokoroko-tuff-times-never-last/
London-based octet Kokoroko announced their second studio album “Tuff Times Never Last”, a nod to nostalgia and endurance, with the release of “Sweetie” a few weeks ago, first new music since their EP “Get The Message.” The album is now available!
“Tuff Times Never Last” is a spirited and vibrant collection of songs […]
Kokoroko – Something is Going On
https://amf.didiermary.fr/kokoroko-something-going-on/
The London-based jazz collective Kokoroko released a new track exploring health crisis immobility: “Something is Going On”.
Inspired by the enforced stillness and unsettling existential crises collectively experienced through this ongoing global pandemic. The song opens with a twinkling promise of a new era, an ethereal sensation that escapes reality, suddenly drumrolls and crashes, [...]
Kokoroko – We Give Thanks
https://amf.didiermary.fr/kokoroko-we-give-thanks/
8-piece band Kokoroko released their long-awaited debut album “Could We Be More” in August 2022. Could We Be More is an expansive and ambitious album that speaks to the force of Kokoroko.
Each song possesses the energy which so naturally underpins the heartbeat of Kokoroko’s identity – deftly moving through afrobeat, highlife, soul, and funk across […]
Kokoroko - Sweetie
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDrS1qrHllE
London-based octet announce their second studio album, Tuff Times Never Last, with the release of “Sweetie.”
More music: https://amf.didiermary.fr/?s=kokoroko
Newen Afrobeat & Seun Kuti – Zombie
https://amf.didiermary.fr/newen-afrobeat-seun-kuti-zombie/
A cover of Fela Kuti’s Zombie by Newen Afrobeat with Seun Kuti. In 2018, Newen Afrobeat returns to Nigeria to share with the Kuti family and participate in Felabration Lagos for the second time. A few months later, there is a new meeting between Seun and Newen Afrobeat, this time in Santiago de Chile on […]
Fela Kuti – Expensive Shit
https://amf.didiermary.fr/fela-kuti-expensive-shit-water-no-get-enemy/
The song refers to an incident in 1974 in which the Nigerian police planted a hemp joint on Fela Kuti in order to arrest him for narcotics charges. As the police converged upon his compound, Fela ate the joint. He was taken to a police station, so that they could “test” him for THC the […]
The album, released in 1975, also contains "Water No Get Enemy", based on a Yoruba proverb.
Roforofo Jazz – Running the Way
https://amf.didiermary.fr/roforofo-jazz-running-way/
“Roforofo” means “muddy” in Yoruba. The 7 musicians composing Roforofo Jazz, a Parisian collective, mix Afrobeat, Jazz, Funk and Rap.
They were the first ever French band to play @ Felabration, in Lagos…
[…]
Opposite People by Fela Kuti & Afrika 70
https://amf.didiermary.fr/fela-kuti-afrika-70-opposite-people/
“Opposite People” by Fela Kuti is a rant expressing his aggravation with people who are contrary or go against the grain of the crowd.
His annoyance extends to a person who ruins the fun of a group of people dancing, or someone who is trying to speak seriously when […]
Newen Afrobeat Feat. Seun Kuti – Opposite People (live)
https://amf.didiermary.fr/newen-afrobeat-seun-kuti-opposite-people/
Opposite People with Seun Kuti and Cheick Tidiane Seck on keyboard too… This is a Fela’s cover by the Chilean band/collective Newen Afrobeat.
Cover art by Fela Kuti’s historic designer Ghariokwu Lemi.
From the vault: 2019
Femi Kuti on the importance of protest music: "There will always be a fight, so that’s why it’s always important for music and the arts to be at the forefront of fighting this… If we don’t have our voices in the forefront of suppressing evil, then evil prevails.”
Newen Afrobeat, Chilean collective
https://amf.didiermary.fr/chilean-collective-newen-afrobeat-curiche/
The Chilean collective Newen Afrobeat gets inspiration from Fela’s music and activism. In Chile, or rather, in all of South America, there’s no real information about Africa. There is a lot of ignorance about that big continent that has a lot of different cultures, but we just think of it as “Africa.” Like it’s just […]
Manu Dibango – Waka Juju
https://amf.didiermary.fr/manu-dibango-waka-juju/
Waka Juju is an ode to Juju Music on this 6-track album from 1982.
Mixing Afrobeat, Highlife and Jazz Funk influences across 6 tracks, Dibango incorporated electronic elements into his sound, with synths played by legend Wally Badarou.
#80smusic #Bénin #Cameroon #Highlife #Jazz #JujuMusic #LiveMusic #ManuDibango #AfroBeat
Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 - Emi Aluta
Live session in Rio de Janeiro
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLiMys0Ddlg
"The track is a frenetic ode to the spirit of the struggle against bad political leadership."
From latest album ‘Heavier Yet (Lays The Crownless Head)’
https://amf.didiermary.fr/heavier-yet-seun-kuti/
Warsaw Afrobeat Orchestra
https://amf.didiermary.fr/warsaw-afrobeat-orchestra/
Warsaw Afrobeat Orchestra (WAO) push their own sound, rooted in Lagos while adding their own unique flavors.
Formed in 2012, the 10-piece band consists of musicians that have worked and collaborated with each other in different projects ranging from Rock, Jazz, Folk, Reggae and Funk in the ever-evolving and musically diverse underground music scene in […]
#AfroFunk #altRock #Jazz #Remixed #Afrobeat #Poland #Blaugust
Fela Kuti – Trouble Sleep Yanga Wake Am (1972)
https://amf.didiermary.fr/fela-kuti-trouble-sleep-yanga-wake-am-1972/
“Trouble Sleep Yanga Wake Am” comes from the 1972 album ‘Roforofo Fight‘. The Broken English translation of “Trouble Sleep Yanga Am” literally means: toying with a loaded gun or playing with fire. In the song, Fela sings about the limit to human endurance. It is unlike any other Fela song of the era – spacey, […]
Fela Kuti and Egypt 80 – Beasts Of No Nation (live)
https://amf.didiermary.fr/fela-kuti-egypt-80-beasts-no-nation-live/
“Beasts of No Nation” a été produit par Wally Badarou. Fela Kuti commença à réfléchir à l’album pendant une détention pour infraction aux devises étrangères et termina la chanson à sa sortie de prison.
Il y accuse le gouvernement Nigérian et l’armée de diverses atteintes à l’égard des populations du pays. Il y évoque également [...]
Fela Kuti’s 1972 classic, “Lady.”
https://amf.didiermary.fr/fela-kuti-lady/
Shakara is a two-track release of 13-minute songs that showcase Fela’s satirical side.
“Lady,” perhaps one of Fela’s most popular tracks, criticizes westernized African women who he felt had been corrupted by their embrace of the new feminist movement of the time.
“Shakara” is another lyrically lambasting track that takes […]
Tony Allen & Hugh Masekela – Rejoice
https://amf.didiermary.fr/rejoice-tony-allen-hugh-masekela/
When Tony Allen & Hugh Masekela met in the 70s, during Apartheid, they talked about recording together. They had to wait till 2010 to work together in the UK, but the sessions were unfortunately archived.
Finally, Rejoice has been released. After Masekela passed away in 2018, [...]
#FullAlbum #HughMasekela #Jazz #Nigeria #Remixed #SouthAfrica #TonyAllen #Afrobeat #AfroJazz
Fela Kuti – Zombie
https://amf.didiermary.fr/fela-kuti-zombie/
Zombie was released around 76/77. It’s one of the iconic Fela’s songs, a harsh critique of the Nigerian soldiers who blindly follow, usually inhumane, orders.
Fela paid a big price for this bold condemnation of the military institution.One thousand members of the Nigerian army attacked and burnt down his house after the release of the […]
