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Antibalas

A brief history of Antibalas The musical collective known as Antibalas (Spanish for bullet-proof or anti-bullets) was conceived of in Mexico City and formed in Brooklyn New York. The early nucleus of the group was composed of the band's founder Martín Perna and later included several other members (Gabriel Roth, Michael Wagner, Del Stribling aka Binky Griptite, Victor Axelrod, Fernando Bugaloo Velez, Anda Szilagyi) from the Soul Providers / Dap Kings band. performing their first show in May 1998 at St. Nick's Pub in Harlem NY.

A few months into the group's existence, Perna and Roth, on a walk through their southside Williamsburg neighborhood, met Amayo, who at the time owned a boutique / kung fu studio / arts space where he sold his own fashion designs, held shows. They invited Amayo, who grew up in Lagos, Nigeria and was fluent in the music of Fela, to see a show in the neighborhood. A few weeks later, they called again to ask him to fill in for a percussionist for a show at the Cooler (NYC) and he joined the band shortly thereafter. Within months he began composing and performing lyrics and assuming the role of the group's lead vocalist / frontman.

The nascent group spent its early months rehearsing and composing at Desco 41st street studios and later the first Daptone Studios at Amayo's Afro Spot. Eschewing all commercial venues for the first year, they performed exclusively in alternative spaces in lofts, community markets, parks, art spaces like Sara Roosevelt Park, Taller Latinoamericano, Brecht Forum, and the Angel Orensanz Center.

In August 1999, Greenwich Village record store owner Ayo Osinibi introduced them to the owner of the Tribeca club NoMoore, where they earned a weekly residence that ran for 18 months until the club was abruptly closed by the city. At No Moore, the group's nucleus and repertoire expanded, as they routinely played three 75-90 minute sets every Friday.

In 2001, following their debut record (reissued independently, then licensed to Ninja Tune) they began touring internationally, from Glastonbury, Montreux to Newport Jazz and other renowned rock, jazz and world music festivals.

Around 2003, following their third album "Who Is This America," the Dap Kings and Antibalas both became very busy, each group developed its separate full-time lineup although the groups would remain close, later reuniting with Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings and Charles Bradley for the 2014 Daptone Super Soul Revue across summer festivals and theaters in Europe and culminating in a three night run at New York's Apollo Theater.

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Radio & Podcasts

Antibalas, Oddjob, Pharoah Sanders, Greg Ward & Other New Releases

Read "Antibalas, Oddjob, Pharoah Sanders, Greg Ward & Other New Releases" reviewed by Ludovico Granvassu


We start 2020 where we left off in 2019, exploring great new releases. In this segment we feature music ranging from the upcoming release of the Afrobeat ambassadors Antibalas, who are turning 20 this year, to a previously unreleased superb 1975 live performance by Pharoah Sanders. In the process we take a look at the vibrant Swedish scene with the music of Oddjob and its pianist Daniel Karlsson, two recent albums featuring saxophonist Greg Ward, a very original take on ...

Film Review

Live from the House of Soul

Read "Live from the House of Soul" reviewed by Vic Albani


Antibalas Live from the House of Soul Valutazione: * * * * Daptone Records/MVDvisual 2016 Ogni tanto salta su l'amico che ti spaccia il nome della band “più grande del mondo," che “sono esplosivi," “una cosa incredibile," “davvero non puoi credere," “devi vederli dal vivo," “semplicemente fighi" e via di conserva. Il più delle volte si tratta di bufale, complice la classica serata allegra e ricca di molto alcool capace di deviare il ...

116
Album Review

Antibalas: Talkatif

Read "Talkatif" reviewed by AAJ Staff


In the aftermath of Fela Kuti's highlife/jazz/funk invention called Afro-beat, few groups have come close to the freshness, energy, and poignancy of his work. One reason is logistical: it can be hard to keep a large group together long enough to develop a coherent voice. Another reason is the cultural barrier that can prevent Western musicians from penetrating the inherently African sound of Fela's music. Finally, it seems impossible to build a critical mass without invoking some sort of collectivist ...

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193

Recording

Antibalas - Who is This America? (2004, 2010 Reissue)

Antibalas - Who is This America? (2004, 2010 Reissue)

Source: Something Else!

By Pico The American Afrobeat movement hadn't bubbled up from the underground all that long ago, but maybe it isn't too soon to look back at what have been the key releases from this revival. At least that's what Ropeadope Records thinks in re-releasing this week Who Is This America from Antibalas only six years after its original release. And who is this Antibalas? Antibalas is a very large Afrobeat collective (numbering 14 members in 2004) straight out of Brooklyn, ...

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Recording

Antibalas 'Who Is This America?' Reissued by Ropeadope

Antibalas 'Who Is This America?' Reissued by Ropeadope

Source: Chris M. Slawecki

Antibalas is set to have their modern day afrobeat classic, Who Is This America?, reissued by Ropeadope on August 17. While it's common for influential recordings to receive reissue treatment decades later or around specific anniversaries, Ropeadope has made the decision to bring back the Brooklyn-based collective's 2004 album just six years from its initial release for one primary reason: “The questions and powerful social statements on the record are as relevant today as they were in 2004. 'Big Man' ...

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Performance / Tour

Antibalas: Brooklyn Residency

Antibalas: Brooklyn Residency

Source: JamBase

ANTIBALAS LAND RESIDENCY AT KNITTING FACTORY IN BROOKLYN

Antibalas After dedicating the last three years to providing the musical foundation and pulse for the latest off-and-on-Broadway sensation, Fela!, Antibalas brings the party back to its Brooklyn roots for a weekly residency at the iconic music venue, the Knitting Factory.

The concerts - to be held December 3, 10, 17, New Years Eve, and extending into January, 2010 - promise to hearken back to Antibalas' legendary Africalia! dance parties at Tribeca's ...

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Recording

Ocote Soul Sounds: The Psychedelic Offspring of Antibalas and Grupo Fantasma

Ocote Soul Sounds: The Psychedelic Offspring of Antibalas and Grupo Fantasma

Source: rock paper scissors, inc.

The Catalysts of Coconut Rock: Ocote Soul Sounds Creative Mutations and Funky Beats

Just a sliver of the ocote wood starts a blaze. A few pieces of this pine was all Martn Perna needed to get his cooking fires started in a small fishing village in Michoacn, Mexico. It was there that Pernaknown for founding Antibalas, the NYC collective that sparked an Afrobeat revivalfound a new direction.

“For several years, I'd spend time in this little fishing village," Perna recounts, ...

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Performance / Tour

John Medeski, Billy Martin, John Scofield, DJ Logic, DJ Olive, Sex Mob, Antibalas, Marco Benevento, Vijay Iyer, Eric Krasno + Unite in Benefit for the Scotty Hard Trust

John Medeski, Billy Martin, John Scofield, DJ Logic, DJ Olive, Sex Mob, Antibalas, Marco Benevento, Vijay Iyer, Eric Krasno + Unite in Benefit for the Scotty Hard Trust

Source: Allegro Media

DOWNTOWN NYC JAZZ LUMINARIES OFFER HEARTFELT PERFORMANCES IN BENEFIT FOR FELLOW MUSICIAN AND PRODUCER SCOTT HARDING AT HIGHLINE BALLROOM NYC ON MARCH 19, 2008 JOHN MEDESKI, BILLY MARTIN, JOHN SCOFIELD, DJ LOGIC, DJ OLIVE, SEXMOB, ANTIBALAS, MARCO BENEVENTO, VIJAY IYER, ERIC KRASNO and more UNITE TO HELP RAISE MEDICAL FUNDS FOR BELOVED RECORD PRODUCER NEW YORK, NY — Downtown NYC luminaries unite for one astonishing benefit concert at the Highline Ballroom in New York City on Wednesday, March 19, 2008, ...

Pharoah Sanders
saxophone, tenor
Don Cherry
trumpet
Sun Ra
piano
James Brown
vocals
Fela Anikulapo-Kuti
composer / conductor
Mulatu Astatke
percussion

Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Antibalas

Daptone Records
2012

buy

Rat Race EP

Exactamundo
2012

buy

Security

Anti-
2007

buy

K-Leg

Unknown label
2006

buy

Who Is This America?

Ropeadope Records
2004

buy

Talkatif

Ninja Tune
2003

buy

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