by Andrew Frisicano

Seun Kuti @ Prospect Park (by maiga_69)

A sizable crowd braved the 100 degree heat Friday night for Seun Kuti and Egypt 80's Celebrate Brooklyn show. Faaji Agba, a collective of Nigerian musicians, opened the night with a set of laid-back traditional tunes. By comparison, the Egypt 80 set was anything but laid back. Steamy music for a sweaty evening in Prospect Park.

The band first took the stage without their frontman for a warm-up song to set the mood. Though it was Seun's name on the bill, Fela's presence was felt throughout the evening. Egypt 80 used to be Fela's backing band, and in the introduction, the bandleader referred to Seun as "the last son of our hero, Fela Anikulapo Kuti." From there, another Fela tribute followed: a 10-plus minute version of "Zombie," probably Fela's best known song. Seun played the opening lick and took a moment to glance at the audience for a hint of recognition, which came in cheers and applause. The song was an early highlight, and an example of Seun's highly theatrical performance style.

During "Zombie," the singer moved in circles, pantomiming the lyrics of the chorus by marching across the stage, saluting, etc. Later on, he took care to water the stage aka his weed garden on "The Good Leaf," and sprint from side-to-side on "You Can Run." His active presence made for good viewing, though his moves often put his back to the crowd.

While Seun was the visual focus, the band's sonics centered on the Afrobeat rhythm. In addition to the kit drummer, the group's percussionists included musicians on shekere (that's a dried gourd with beads on the outside), wood block and congas (or a set of similar drums). Those three performers stood up front, at times blocking out the other band members (like the backup singers, stuck way in the back).

After the opening Fela tune, it was all Seun originals, mostly off the new From Africa with Fury: Rise: "African Rulers," "Giant of Africa," "Rise," "Mr. Big Thief," and the finale, "You Can Run." The ending--no encore because of park curfew--seemed abrupt, with the last song's soaring horns and charging rhythms marking the show's peak to that point.

The band should get more time to stretch out at their more intimate show at SOB's tonight (Wednesday, July 27th). Tickets are still on sale. More tour dates and info HERE. Video of "Zombie" from the Brooklyn show below...

Continue reading "Seun Kuti played Celebrate Brooklyn, playing SOB's tonight"

photos by Tim Griffin

Femi Kuti & The Positive Force @ The Moody Theater

The Femi Kuti & The Positive Force 2011 North American tour is still underway and is now on the West Coast until the tour's final show in Seattle on May 15th. Along the way they hit Highline Ballroom & Music Hall of Wiliamsburg in April and the new ACL Moody Theater in Austin on May 6th...

"Austin City Limits Live at The Moody Theater is a state-of-the-art, 2,700 + person capacity live music venue that will also serve as the new home of the KLRU-TV produced PBS program Austin City Limits, the longest running music series in American television history. The venue will host 60-100 concerts a year, in addition to the nights the Austin City Limits show will tape. Commitment to green building standards qualify us to apply for LEED® certification, the highest standard for sustainable development."

Fela's two most successful Afrobeat-playing sons are Femi and Seun. Seun even now leads Fela's old band Egypt 80. As you might have noticed in this summer's Celebrate Brooklyn lineup, Seun has a show (shows) coming up too. The free Brooklyn one happening at the Prospect Park Bandshell is listed like this:

FRIDAY, JULY 22, 7:00 P.M.
SEUN KUTI & EGYPT 80 | FAAJI AGBA

The yearlong celebration of Nigeria's 50th anniversary of independence that began last October continues here with a generation-bridging concert. Fronting his father Fela's legendary band, Seun Kuti is the living embodiment of afro-pop. Faaji Agba's lineup of Afrobeat pioneers--including Fatai Rolling Dollar, Chief Seni Tejuoso and Prince 'Eji' Oyewole of the Afro-Skittles Band--makes them Nigeria's answer to the Buena Vista Social Club: a supergroup of veteran musicians who are re-popularizing faaji grooves, agidigbo blues, juju and other styles of Nigerian roots. Travel support provided by Arik Air.

A full Seun North American tour will be announced soon, but in the meantime, all known Seun & Femi dates, and more Femi pics, below...

Continue reading "Femi Kuti tour continues (Austin pics), Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 playing shows this summer (Prospect Park & other dates)"

photos by Andrew St. Clair

Femi @ MHOW

Chicago Sun-Times: You're always discussed in relation to your father's musical legacy. What does that mean to you? What was his musical legacy?

Femi Kuti: It's one that started within our family, creating a music that was unique. Folks in Lagos and Africa can identify. It's very homely for us. It's like funk is to America, or rock. It's a distillation of the native sounds made into something a wider audience can appreciate...

Chicago Sun-Times Is it a burden to carry your father's legacy?

Femi Kuti: No, because I understand what I am doing. I enjoy doing the music myself. People want to know about him and I'm obliged to answer. I love my father. Some people are not close to their parents, they grow up and don't want to be identified with them. It's not a problem for me.

Femi is out on tour supporting his new album 'Africa for Africa.'

More pictures from Music Hall of Williamsburg and some recent video of both bands in action, including video from Highline Ballroom, below.

Continue reading "Femi Kuti played Highline Ballroom & then Music Hall of Williamsburg w/ Lord Huron (pics & video)"

tonight in NYC
* Whiplash @ UCB
* Cumbiagra @ Barbes
* Kylesa, Hull @ Public Assembly
* The Tiptons Sax Quartet @ Barbes
* Jim Campilongo @ the Living Room
* Jake Shimabukuro @ Highline Ballroom
* Jakob Dylan, Nicole Atkins @ City Winery
* Martha Wainwright sings Piaf @ Le Poisson Rouge
* Milk & Blood, New Moods, Indyans, Wolfff @ Cake Shop
* Brenden Wood, Colin Langenus, CSC Funk Band @ Zebulon
* Sasha Dobson, Poundcake (Teddy Thompson) @ Rockwood Music Hall
* Felabration 2010: A Tribute to Fela @ Knitting Factory
* Superhuman Happiness w/ Fela! cast members @ Coco 66???
* Golden Animals, Battlehooch, Slowdance, Papertwin @ Pianos
* Keith Caputo & Michael Alago (spoken word)@ Bowery Electric
* Future Islands, Talk Normal, Ed Schrader, Soft Skin @ Mercury Lounge

There are two Fela! related events in Williamsburg tonight, or are there? Superhuman Happiness is scheduled to play with Fela! cast members at Coco66 tonight, but Coco66 was shut down over the weekend. CAll ahead. The Knitting Factory event is definitely happening though and that has "Ikebe Shakedown And Guest Fela's, Including:, Kevin Mambo - Star Of FELA! On Broadway, Malik Yoba, Bajah Of Bajah + The Dry Eye Crew, DJs From The Fela Undustrial Complex: Dhundee, OP!, Dj.Aqbt, And More!!!"

Watch Bleary Eyed Brooklyn video of Dominique Young Unique making the BrooklynVegan Saturday day party crowd going crazy, below...

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Monday?"

sometimes Superhuman Happiness dresses up

Superhuman Happiness, the afro-funk outfit headed by Antibalas's Stuart Bogie, kicks off a weekly Monday residency at Coco 66 tonight (10/4). The regular shows will have guests - some confirmed on the venue's website are Brian Chase of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs on October 11th, comedian Matt Higgins on October 18th, and Jeremiah Lockwood of The Sway Machinery on November 1st.

The Coco 66 show tonight (10/4) will be after (presumably) the free "Music of Fela!" concert at Brooklyn Bridge Park's Pier 1 at 6:30pm (that's cause trumpeter Eric Biondo, Stuart and others play in both bands).

A video of Matt Higgins improvising with Stuart Bogie and drummer Miles Arntzen and Stuart Bogie's Superhuman Happiness at Public Assembly in 2009 are below...

Continue reading "a Superhuman Happiness residency & free Fela! reminder "

The Budos Band in Prospect Park (more by David Andrako)

The Budos Band celebrated the release of their new LP The Budos Band III at Southpaw last week (9/18), and now will wreck Bowery Ballroom on December 3rd. Tickets go on sale AmEx presale today at noon, and then general sale Friday at noon.

Its easy to tell that a heavy influence on the sound of The Budos Band is Nigerian legend and subject of a Broadway musical, Fela Kuti. In recent weeks, FELA! has taken both a big step forward and a huge step back; R&B legend Patti Labelle recenlty joined the cast of the acclaimed musical, but unfortunately the show will close during the first week in 2011. Boo.

If you haven't seen the show yet, you should. If you can't afford it, then take note: you can get a taste when members of the cast play a FREE show at Brooklyn Bridge Park's Pier 1 on October 4th. Patti won't be there, but FELA! star Sahr Ngaujah will be, alongside the FELA! house band (which includes members of Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra). The show kicks off at 6:30 P.M. More details can be found at the St. Ann's Warehouse site.

In related news, the non-profit Hip-Hop Theater Festival is celebrating its 10th anniversary with a gala at Urban Zen Center at the Stephan Weiss Studio (711 Greenwich Street NYC) on on 9/27:

From 7-8pm VIP guests will be able to enjoy a rooftop reception before general admission. Doors will officially open at 8:30pm, followed by performances from Pulitzer finalist Eisa Davis and Tony Award winning poet Lemon Anderson. A presentation honoring playwright and poet Ntozake Shange and graffiti pioneer artist Enrique PARTONE Torres will then ensue. Sahr Ngaujah of FELA! on Broadway will host the special evening with music provided by DJ Rich Medina.

The Budos Band recently performed live for KEXP in Seattle. Video below...

Continue reading "a free Fela! show, the Budos Band @ Bowery, Patti Labelle on Broadway (but not for much longer) "

words & photos by Benjamin Lozovsky

"What we bring is heritage," said a gracious Tony Allen Tuesday night at the Oval in Stuyvesant Town. "Thank you for tripping with us."

Quite a few attendees of the free concert, part of the Music on The Oval performance series and the first of three shows Allen is/was playing in the NYC area, had probably not experienced much or any of the heritage of which Allen spoke.

Fela Kuti's longtime drummer and according to Brian Eno, "perhaps the greatest drummer who has ever lived," played to a munchkin-filled audience that had about as many temper tantrums (but far less chair throwing) as the canceled Drake/Hanson Seaport show that nearly turned into a riot the day before. But age or cultural backgrounds didn't matter as the father of afro-beat percussion illuminated his contributions to the music and cultural landscape to a sea of dads and a new generation of eager ears.

Even as age 70, Allen was effortless in his drumming, launching into understated fills and precise syncopation all while singing lead. A self taught drummer steeped in both western and African percussion, his jazz influences were obvious, categorized by a technical ability and suaveness that has yet to be matched within the Afrobeat genre.

After playing another free show at Metrotech in Brooklyn today (happening as this is being posted), Allen brings his Afrobeat Orchestra to Le Poisson Rouge tonight for a slightly older crowd. Janka Nabay is also on the bill of the show that doesn't get started until 11:30pm (6/17). Tickets are still available.

More pictures from Stuy Town below...

Continue reading "Tony Allen played Stuy Town (pics), plays LPR late tonight"

photos by David Andrako

Fela! party @ Brooklyn Bowl

"The musical "Memphis" emerged as the early leader in the Tony Awards on Sunday night, while the film actress Scarlett Johansson won the first acting award: best featured actress in a play for her Broadway debut in the revival of Arthur Miller's "View From the Bridge."..

...Two rivals with "Memphis" for the best musical Tony, "Fela!" and "American Idiot," won two Tonys a piece before the telecast -- "Fela!" for costume and sound design, "Idiot" for lighting and scenic design. The "Idiot" winners each profusely praised the director of the show, Michael Mayer, whose lack of a nomination surprised many in the Broadway industry...

...None of the four nominees for best musical, for instance, have been hot sellers at the box office; the one that tied for the most Tony nominations, "Fela!," about the Afrobeat sensation Fela Kuti, has even struggled to cover its weekly running costs." [NY Times]

On Monday (6/7), BrooklynVegan co-sponsored a free Fela! Original Cast Recording release party at Brooklyn Bowl. The event was hosted by Fela! stars Sahr Ngaujah & Kevin Mambo and featured various performances including a DJ set by Questlove (who opened for Janelle Monae and Erykah Badu at Roseland that same night).

Jay-Z was rumored to be making an appearance at Brooklyn Bowl, but unlike at the Tonys (which he went to one night after performing at Bonnaroo), he did not show up. Many others did - the free event was "sold out" by around 9pm and went all night. More pictures from that party below...

Continue reading "Fela! didn't win Best Musical, but did get best choreography - here are the pics from the album release party "

The previously mentioned BV-co-presented Fela! cast party/album release show is happening at Brooklyn Bowl on June 7th. DJ Questlove, Fela drummer Tony Allen (who also has another show coming up), OP!, Dhundee and cast members from the show will be in the house for the free event. There will even be an invocation, libation, and performance by Yoruban priest Baba Ola Jagun.

The Fela! show continues on Broadway and we have another two tickets to giveaway for that. Details below. The album is the original Broadway cast recording, and can be streamed HERE (it's officially out on June 8th via Knitting Factory Records).

The flyer for the Brooklyn Bowl event with more information and video spotlights on the show's 11 Tony nominations, the soundtrack tracklist, and the contest details, below...

Continue reading "Fela! Broadway Cast Recording release party & album stream (and a chance to win tix to the Broadway show)"

Kniting Factory Records, in the process of reissuing all of Fela Kuti's catalog, is hosting at re-release party for 7 CDs (that contain 14 albums) that they're calling "Na Poi" releases (named after his '72 LP/song) tonight (5/10) at Knitting Factory. It's free and there will be music from the Fela Un-Dustrial Complex DJs.

Other upcoming Fela-related events include the after-party for this year's Obie Awards, which will have Antibalas playing a set at Webster Hall on Monday, May 17th. Tickets are on sale. Fela!, which won an Obie for its Off Broadway run, is nominated for 11 Tony awards this year.

Between those, Antibalas & Fela! band member Stuart Bogie plays with his group Superhuman Happiness at Pianos on Friday May 14th.

And don't forget about Antibalas for free in Battery Park, Femi Kuti at Lincoln Center, and Fela drummer Tony Allen at BAM Metrotech and Stuy Town Oval this summer.

Videos are below...

Continue reading "upcoming Fela events - Antibalas at Webster Hall & more"

"The new musical Fela!, which began life Off-Broadway, and the revival of La Cage aux Folles, earned 11 nominations a piece, the most of any production of the season. Memphis, a new musical by Joe DiPietro and David Bryan, earned eight nominations, including Best Musical. The other Musical nominees are American Idiot, Fela! and Million Dollar Quartet."" [Playbill]

by Andrew Frisicano

DOWNLOAD: Fela Kuti - Water No Get Enemy (MP3)

Fela!, the musical based on the Afrobeat pioneer's songs and life, has been running on Broadway since November - this upcoming November it'll be expanding to London's National Theatre - with its two Broadway leads (who alternate nights now) splitting US and UK duties.

The show is more of a concert with a story than a typical Broadway experience. It's a worthwhile night (if a bit expensive, though you can usually find discount tickets), and it goes without saying that the music is superbly performed by the house band, comprised of mostly Antibalas members. Though it's seated, prepare to get up and dance: the strongly encouraged crowd participation is one of the show's more unique aspects (check it out in the video below).

Fela Kuti's complex and often controversial views (on politics, women, AIDS) are condensed for the purposes of the show, but the amount of drugs, sex and politics included is still considerable. And it's hard to argue with New York mag's assertion that "if you don't spend a portion of Fela! staring at the amazing asses onstage, you're just not doing your job." The show has also raised a larger debate about authenticity and representation with regard to Fela and his music. A big feature in the Voice last fall discussed some of those issues at the start of the Broadway run (the show tightened up considerably from its Off Broadway version). Another more recently written good read is Afrobeat blog's response to the claim of one Times critic that the show is culturally insensitive..

Information on discount tickets can be found here.

A big implicit part of the show is the continuing Afrobeat revival outside of it. Around NYC, Antibalas and its associated acts have been central to that. Those groups, that include Amayo's Fu-Arkist-Ra and Ocote Soul Sounds, play sporadically around town. One of them, Stuart Bogie, sax player for Fela! and Antibalas, and his band Superhuman Happiness performed last night at Union Pool, for a show with Nomo, In Tall Buildings and Natalie Bell.

Off stage, Knitting Factory Records is in the process of reissuing Fela's catalog, and it'll be releasing an original cast recording of the Broadway show on June 8th, the tracklist of which is below. Their first Fela disc was a best-of compilation, which came out last fall - a track from that is above.

There's also a Record Store Day-only 10-inch EP of Kuti's "My Lady Frustration" and "Wayo" on the A-side and "Lover" + "Eko" which you should at least be able to find at Sound Fix.

Outside of those Brooklyn-centric Fela-influenced acts, there are also two of Fela's sons, Femi (who toured North America last summer) and Seun, who lead their own bands. Femi Kuti and the Positive Force will be back in the US for a tour this July - that includes a July 12th show at New York's City Center. Ticket info TBA.

Videos of Fela! the musical and Fela the performer, cast CD tracklist, and all Femi tour dates are below...

Continue reading "Fela! still on Broadway & going to London, the soundtrack & actual Fela CDs coming soon, Femi Kuti touring this summer"

Ocote Soul Sounds (Martin from Antibalas, left)

Mondo Mundo Festival, put on by the booking agency of the same name, is happening at Hiro Ballrom Saturday, January 9th. Ocote Soul Sounds, the world jazz/soul-funk group with Adrian Quesada of Grupo Fantasma and Martin Perna of Antibalas (and frequent sideman for TVOTR, Scarlett Johansson, Celebration, Dragons of Zynth and others), headline. The lineup also includes Toshi Reagon & BIGLovely's varied folk-rock, electronica-influenced instrumental jams from Burkina Electric, Lebanese-born singer-songwriter Abaji and DJ Angola. Tickets are on sale. We also have a pair of tickets to give away. More info is below.

Speaking of Antibalas, we just mentioned that Antibalas's Knitting Factory residency would be continuing into 2010, but those shows have been canceled for now (stay tuned for new dates later in 2010).

You can still see Fela! on Broadway though (starring members of Antibalas in the band). In fact, you can see it for free or cheap(er). We're giving away TWO pairs of tickets to see Fela! (in addition to the pair of tickets to the Mondo Mundo Fest), and we have an exclusive discount code that will get you tickets at a reduced rate should you choose to pay for them.

Details on all of that, with a streaming NPR story, a flyer, and more info on Mondo Mundo, below...

Continue reading "Mondo Mundo Festival this weekend, WIN tickets to that and to FELA! (featuring Antibalas whose residency is cancelled)"

by Andrew Frisicano

DOWNLOAD: Charlie Hunter - High Pockets and a Fanny Pack (MP3)

Charlie [Hunter] has wrapped up the recording of his next record titled 'Gentlemen, I Neglected To Inform You You Will Not Be Getting Paid.' The lineup includes Eric Kalb (Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, John Scofield) on drums, Curtis Fowlkes (Jazz Passengers, Lounge Lizards, Bill Frisell) and Alan Ferber (Don Byron, Kenny Wheeler) on trombone, and Eric Biondo (Antibalas, TV On The Radio) on trumpet! The official street date for the new album is January 12th!

Eric Biondo, who plays with Charlie, is also a member of Antibalas, who are continuing their Thursday night residency at Knitting Factory Brooklyn into 2010. They're on the schedule for January 7th (tix), 14th (tix), 21st (tix), and 28th (tix). Members of Antibalas play in the Broadway musical Fela!, which is currently selling tickets into June 2010 (we're rooting for it in light of the news that 10 Broadway shows are closing this month alone)...

...[Fela!]producer Stephen Hendel knows that developing audiences for Fela! isn't going to be easy: He needs to sell three times as many seats a week as he did off-Broadway. So he's enlisted rapper Jay-Z and superstars Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith to lend their names as producers. He hopes Fela! will become a hot ticket, like it was off-Broadway.

"Suddenly, we were just sold out," he says. "Celebrities calling every day, world-famous musicians. We had no tickets. We'd squeeze them in."

Jones says he's already hearing good word of mouth when he stands at the back of the theater.

"It's a fun evening," he says. "Even with all the things that go down in that second act, I heard some people describing it as 'uplifting' the other day. Uplifting? Well, it ends with people bringing coffins into the theater, but I guess that's ... I've also heard people say, 'It made me want to go out and be an activist!' Well, that's good." [NPR]

All Charlie Hunter tour dates and album info are below...

Continue reading "Charlie Hunter kicks off Brooklyn residency (w/ new album), Antibalas extends theirs (while Fela! continues on Broadway)"

by BBG

Antibalas in Philly on 6/6 (more by Tim Griffin)

Much like The Roots, who they shared the stage with at The Roots Picnic in June, have been doing lately, Antibalas will play a NYC residency. Theirs will take place at Knitting Factory in Brooklyn over four Thursdays in December (they exclude Dec 24th), culminating in a New Years Eve show. Tickets are on sale for the 12/3 show, the 12/10, the 12/17 and the New Years Eve show. Antibalas is also scheduled to appear at the Winter's Eve Festival on 11/30 along with Joy Behar. Yes, that one.

Members of Antibalas are also notably a part of the Broadway musical FELA! based on the life of the Afrobeat legend, and produced by Jay-Z and Will Smith/Jada Pinkett-Smith.

A provocative hybrid of dance and Broadway musical, FELA! features the Afrobeat music of Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, a book by Jim Lewis... arrangements by Aaron Johnson and Antibalas with direction and choreography by Tony® Award winner Bill T. Jones...
FELA! uses stirring Afrobeat music (a blend of jazz, funk and African rhythm and harmonies), to tell the story of Kuti's controversial life as artist, political activist and revolutionary musician. Featuring many of Fela Kuti's most captivating songs and Bill T. Jones's visionary staging, FELA! is the most original new musical on Broadway.

Some related videos below...

Continue reading "Antibalas are playing mutliple shows @ Knitting Factory & are in the Fela! musical (for which they offer a coupon)"

On the eve the release of his first studio album in seven years, Femi Kuti has confirmed a U.S. tour that will see the Afrobeat legend play venues from coast to coast in January 2009.

Femi's forthcoming album, Day By Day, is set for release November 18 and will be the first release from the new Downtown Records imprint Mercer Street Records. Femi launched back onto the public stage this fall when he was featured on emerging artist and label mate, Brett Dennen's hit, "Make You Crazy."

Not content to merely follow in the footsteps of his famous father, Fela Kuti, Femi continues to expand his musical palette with his latest studio release, Day By Day, a hybrid of Afro-pop, jazz and urban influences. Femi is world renowned as a gifted songwriter and performer who continues to push the boundaries of Afrobeat rather than resting on his legacy. He has toured America with alt-rock band Jane's Addiction, sang on Rachid Taha's Made In Medina album and reached out to the American hip-hop community connecting with artists such as Mos Def, D'Angelo, Nile Rodgers, Erykah Badu and the Roots.

For the sixth year, this leading showcase for international sounds keeps a foot in the door of cultural exchange, giving dozens of musicians access to the national stage. The event takes place on January 11, 2009 on three stages at the newly remodeled Webster Hall in New York City. With just one ticket, festival-goers can see thirteen acts in one night, representing diverse global styles, from groundbreaking hybrids to little-known traditions, and in three unique settings under the same roof.

Line-up to feature Calypso Rose, Chicha Libre, Femi Kuti & the Positive Force, Hot 8 Brass Band, Kailash Kher's Kailasa, L&O, La Troba Kung-fú, Marcio Local, Occidental Brothers Dance Band International, Shanbehzadeh Ensemble, Tanya Tagaq, and Watcha Clan.

Continue reading "Femi Kuti - 2009 Tour Dates (Webster Hallx2, GlobalFEST)"