Fela Kuti Documentary wednesday 1Xtra
Posted by: jcs_smith on 16 October 2006
There is a documentary on Fela Kuti on Wednesday on the digital station 1Xtra. It should stay on the website for a while.
Fela was the master of Afrobeat and for me the most interesting and exciting African musician ever. Even more than Chris McGregor and Manu Dibango.
He was the master of the paradox. He was rubbish at saxophone, trumpet, keyboards and guitar and his sunging wasn't up to much and yet he made sublime music. Songs on his live sjows could last 5 years and yet his records often only last 20 minutes. He married 27 women in one go and yet he didn't go insane.
Personal favourites of his are Dog eat dog, Expensive shit, International Teef Teef, Coffin for head of state and Army Arrangement (produced by Bill Laswell.) Ther are some rare vinyl box sets knocking about. They are expensive but worth it - I was lucky enough to pick up a big pile of original African recordings but the pressings on some are so bad they sound like someone is frying chips. Also good is his drummer Tony Allen's band - Psych on da bus.
Fela was a legend. You should check him out
Fela was the master of Afrobeat and for me the most interesting and exciting African musician ever. Even more than Chris McGregor and Manu Dibango.
He was the master of the paradox. He was rubbish at saxophone, trumpet, keyboards and guitar and his sunging wasn't up to much and yet he made sublime music. Songs on his live sjows could last 5 years and yet his records often only last 20 minutes. He married 27 women in one go and yet he didn't go insane.
Personal favourites of his are Dog eat dog, Expensive shit, International Teef Teef, Coffin for head of state and Army Arrangement (produced by Bill Laswell.) Ther are some rare vinyl box sets knocking about. They are expensive but worth it - I was lucky enough to pick up a big pile of original African recordings but the pressings on some are so bad they sound like someone is frying chips. Also good is his drummer Tony Allen's band - Psych on da bus.
Fela was a legend. You should check him out