FEla KutI

“Deeply torn between the imperative of rejecting a legacy of subordination and the need to affirm a new libertarian future for his land and people, Fela ended up creating a body of work that is incomparable in terms of international popular music that expresses the cosmopolitan – and ‘cosmopolitical’ – spirit of the second half of the 20th century.” Gilberto Gil sings in the foreword to Cassava Republic Press’s 2010 edition of Fela: This Bitch of a Life, the biography by Carlos Moore that remains the definitive book on Fela’s life.

One artist exploring afrobeat’s origins and possibilities does bring the necessary elements together

With this spirit in mind, one artist exploring afrobeat’s origins and possibilities does bring the necessary elements together: Funsho Ogundipe.

When still in a profession more financially lucrative than experimental music, Funsho was a regular at the Shrine, learning first-hand from Fela in the mid-1990s. A remarkable individual, composer, pianist and band leader, Funsho embodies much Felasophy as well as additional (musical) influence from visionaries Thelonious Monk and Miles Davis. His collective, or arkestra, Ayetoro have a fluid line-up and their Afrobeat Chronicles often ride a groove in tune with the African classical music Fela orchestrated with Egypt 80 in the latter stage of his career.

Bands attempting to play afrobeat have every right to give it a go but as listeners, before choosing to pay for a record, it is worth look/listening through the hype to consider if we’re hearing imitators or innovators. Funsho Ogundipe’s new “directions in music” offer a shape of afrobeat to come (and now) although have we already listened and engaged with all Fela’s original material? All 77 albums and 133 songs? Let’s start!

Felabration, the annual festival of music and arts commemorating the life and times of Nigerian’s foremost musical icon, is underway and runs until the 19th of October

Source: thisisafrica.me