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Where to start with Fela Kuti?
- Thread starter Tupac
- Start date
Man, there's so much good music in Kuti's catalogue. The '69 Los Angeles Sessions is a good place to start. I also really dig Live! (1971). I haven't listened to much in the last couple of years, but those stick out. Enjoy and thanks for the nudge; I'm gonna listen to some major Kuti this week!
Reused joke I originally made on twitter a while back: "Fela Kuti: funk Wagner. Great moments, dull quarter hours".
Also check out Robert Christgau's typically great CG page on him and see what looks appealing http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist2.php?id=455
Also check out Robert Christgau's typically great CG page on him and see what looks appealing http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist2.php?id=455
I agree with Expensive Sh*t. Here's a sample:
If you can't groove to this, you're already dead:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdV1V4vPPLI
If you can't groove to this, you're already dead:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdV1V4vPPLI
For wicked groove, the more common ones to check out are Water No Get Enemy, Gentleman, Shakara, Overtake Don Overtake Overtake, Coffin for Head of State, Army Arrangement, Teacher Don't teach me nonsense, Sorrow tears and Blood, and Beasts of No Nation.
Also you must check out his son, Femi Kuti's stuff, especially Wonder, Dem Bobo, and Sorry Sorry. The bass player Joseph Darlington is sick on the Africa Shrine concert album, venue happens to be near my house in Nigeria
Enjoy!
Also you must check out his son, Femi Kuti's stuff, especially Wonder, Dem Bobo, and Sorry Sorry. The bass player Joseph Darlington is sick on the Africa Shrine concert album, venue happens to be near my house in Nigeria
Enjoy!Roforofofight!
Wasn't there also a soundtrack album for the Fela musical? That would be a good quick introduction. I saw that musical and really liked that band.
I had the chance to meet Fela Kuti for an interview a long time ago. He was really funny and charming and indeed did now how to share
.
If you like Fela, you should also check out the "Africafunk: the orginal sound of 1970's funky Africa". All african bands that were inspired by James Brown.
Wasn't there also a soundtrack album for the Fela musical? That would be a good quick introduction. I saw that musical and really liked that band.
I had the chance to meet Fela Kuti for an interview a long time ago. He was really funny and charming and indeed did now how to share
. If you like Fela, you should also check out the "Africafunk: the orginal sound of 1970's funky Africa". All african bands that were inspired by James Brown.
Are you predisposed to enjoy long tracks? If not, go for the The '69 Los Angles Sessions. The tracks are shorter than much of his later work.
My personal favorites are Coffin for Head of State/Unknown Soldier, Expensive ****/Water No Get Enemy, but really you can't go wrong with anything in his catalog.
My personal favorites are Coffin for Head of State/Unknown Soldier, Expensive ****/Water No Get Enemy, but really you can't go wrong with anything in his catalog.
My favourite Fela track is "Let's Start" (with Ginger Baker) on drums. I have to agree with the "great moments, dull quarter hours" quote. I can listen to Fela for relatively short bursts but I get bored quickly by a lot of his stuff. You might enjoy the album Red Hot And Riot...
I once spent two days on a boat traveling up the Mekong in forests of Northern Laos listening to Fela on my iPod. That's when those half hour songs finally made sense to me
It started with Flea, and I have since been retracing the family tree of groove. Good of you for noticinganything Fela!!!
BTW,... Tupac, who keeps turning you on to all of these ol' school legends?!!
You might also dig some of Manu Dibango's stuff. Here are a few examples from the early-to-mid '70s:
- "Soul Makossa":
- "Soul Makossa":
My friend (he's a drummer for what's it's worth) hipped me to Antibalas and I've been really digging the grooves. So far I've listened to Who is This America? (2004), and Security (2007). Check 'em out.
