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Fela Anikulapo-Kuti

Fela Kuti was one of Africa's most controversial musicians and throughout his life he continued to fight for the rights of the common man (and woman) despite vilification, harassment, and even imprisonment by the government of Nigeria. Born to Yoruban parents, Kuti was strongly influenced by both parents, his mother being Funmilayo, a leading figure in the nationalist struggle. Practically all of his records are dominated by political events and discussions from the approach of Pan- Africanism. In 1954, Kuti joined the Cool Cats as a singer in that highlife band (highlife being the rage of the Lagos music scene at the time). During this period Kuti developed his own unusual sound which he described as highlife-jazz. In 1968 Kuti announced the arrival of Afro-beat, within the year was promoting his sound all over the USA on a 10- month tour where he became influenced by American jazz. He did some recordings in that came to be known as the “'69 Los Angeles Sessions,” that were remarkable, an indication of a maturing sound and of the raucous, propulsive music that was to mark Fela's career. When he returned to his homeland he opened a nightclub, the Shrine, and changed the name of his band to Africa 70 (and later to Egypt 80). His bands traditionally included the typical huge line-up consisting of many singers and dancers, numerous saxophonists, trumpeters, drummers, percussionists, and of course, many guitarists blending African rhythms and jazz horn lines with politicized song lyrics. His music was intricate, rather than calling it Afro-beat you might more arguably consider it Afro-jazz. Entire recordings often consisted of just a few songs and this propensity for jamming set up a roadblock for Fela to attain commercial acceptance in the United States. He also abhorred performing a song after recording it, and this led to audience disinterest in the U.S. where the people wanted their music to be recognizable hits. Kuti continued his outspoken attacks on the Nigerian government. When the people returned to power in 1979, Kuti began his own political party - MOP (Movement of the People). The military returned to power in 1983 and within the year Kuti was sentenced to five years in prison on a spurious currency smuggling charge. He was released in 1986 after yet another change of government. Fela Anikulapo Kuti died on Saturday, August 2, 1997, in Lagos, Nigeria. It had been rumoured for some time that Fela had a serious illness he was refusing treatment for, many said he was suffering from prostate cancer.

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Liner Notes

Fela Anikulapo Kuti: Original Sufferhead

Read "Fela Anikulapo Kuti: Original Sufferhead" reviewed by Chris May


Original Sufferhead was the first album Fela released under Egypt 80's name, having disbanded Afrika 70 in 1979; the only musician held over was baritone saxophonist Lekan Animashaun, who had been with Fela since 1965 and who took over from the departing Tony Allen as bandleader. The album was recorded in early 1981, shortly after Fela received a particularly savage beating from the Lagos police—the only beating, he said later, among the many that he received over ...

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Afrobeat Diaries

Part 13 - The Complete Works of Fela Anikulapo Kuti

Read "Part 13 - The Complete Works of Fela Anikulapo Kuti" reviewed by Freddy Charles


Fela Anikulapo KutiThe Complete Works Of Fela Anikulapo KutiWrasse Records2010 Who knew? Who imagined, even a few years ago, that the life and music of Fela Anikulapo Kuti would inspire the biggest Broadway musical sensation of 2010 and the concurrent release of this lovingly put together, definitive collection of his recorded work? Kuti's fans have long proclaimed his relevance to all times and to all peoples, but to see the dawn ...

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Afrobeat Diaries

Part 12 - Fela Anikulapo Kuti: Teacher Don't Teach Me Nonsense

Read "Part 12 - Fela Anikulapo Kuti: Teacher Don't Teach Me Nonsense" reviewed by Chris May


Fela Anikulapo Kuti & Egypt 80Teacher Don't Teach Me NonsenseWrasse Records2001 (1986) During the latter half of the 1980s, Fela Anikulapo Kuti's international star waned a little, as Congolese rumba and Malian desert blues became the new world music flavors of the moment. And in 2010, even a portion of the Afrobeat audience tends to underestimate Kuti's later work. But 1986's Teacher Don't Teach Me Nonsense, along with albums such as ...

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Event

FELA! comes to Chicago

FELA! comes to Chicago

Source: Chris May

The award-winning Broadway musical FELA! – which is bringing the life and music of Nigerian icon and Afrobeat originator Fela Anikulapo-Kuti to the world stage - will play Chicago’s Arie Crown Theater February 19 – 23. An all-singing, all-dancing extravaganza in the best Broadway tradition, in other respects FELA! transcends musical theater convention. Escapism is replaced by gritty realism, compromise by authenticity. Kuti’s revolutionary politics are sympathetically presented, and his heroic story – marked by decades of brutal repression by ...

Event

Fela NYC: Fresh From Africa at British Film Institute

Fela NYC: Fresh From Africa at British Film Institute

Source: Chris May

New Nigerian Cinema and African Odsseys are screening Fela NYC: Fresh From Africa at the British Film Institute on London's Southbank at 2pm on Saturday 18 August. The 90-minute Fela Kuti documentary, directed by Edward Jaheed Ashley, is a mixture of interview, reportage and performance footage, shot in New York in 1986. All About Jazz's Chris May, the first overseas journalist to interview Kuti following the destruction of his Kalakuta Republic HQ by the Nigerian army in February 1977, will ...

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Recording

New Fela Kuti Reissue Series Begins!

New Fela Kuti Reissue Series Begins!

Source: Big Hassle

KNITTING FACTORY RECORDS TO BEGIN COMPLETE FELA REISSUE SERIES FIRST RELEASE TO BE THE BEST OF THE BLACK PRESIDENT WITH EXCLUSIVE DVD ON OCTOBER 27, 2009 FIRST TIME ALL 45 TITLES WILL BE RELEASED ON VINYL IN NORTH AMERICA FIRST OFFICIAL RELEASE OF ENTIRE CATALOGUE OF FELA'S 1960s BAND: KOOLA LOBITOS BROADWAY MUSICAL FELA! TO OPEN NOVEMBER 23 AT EUGENE O'NEIL THEATRE Knitting Factory Records is very excited to announce that over the next 18 months, all 45 Fela titles ...

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Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Original Sufferhead

Partisan / Knitting Factory
2021

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The '69 Los Angeles...

Stern's Africa
1969

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Videos

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