Afrobeat

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Afrobeat

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Dudnote

Posts: 1805
Joined: Nov. 13 2007

Afrobeat

Not a genre I know anything about, but just heard this, instantly liked it, so thought I'd share...

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 28 2015 20:12:42

estebanana

Posts: 9351
Joined: Oct. 16 2009

RE: Afrobeat (in reply to Dudnote)

Start by getting a few Fela Kuti albums from the late 1970s, early 1980s. Listen copiously. He was the undisputed master. He was in his most prime in those days

Think of Fela as a Nigerian James Brown. He put together a mighty horn section to play along with the African drumming mixed with R-B, Funk and rock. The horn section comes out of James Brown, but is wilder and Fela also studied the American horn players from the 1950s 60s who played hard bob and also the Coltrane,Lateef, Dolphy direction.

Fela is the Afrobeat Nigerian daddy, but there is also the whole swath of West African guitar playing, which is a BIG subject and has lots of masters. Fela however is the architect of those hard driving horn sections from Lagos.

The music is political, highly political, but you have to get deep into Nigerian post colonial history to catch the references. The enemies in Felas music are the corporations that moved into Nigeria and took advantage of regular people through political corruption of the Nigerian elite. A lot of Afrobeat is about exposing corruption or imploring the people to forebear and deal with bad politics. Fela was always getting the heat of the government and he paid a price for challenging the power. He was not a great guy himself all the time, but he supported a large extended family of wives, kids and musicians. He was a monster of African music.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 29 2015 4:12:19

estebanana

Posts: 9351
Joined: Oct. 16 2009

RE: Afrobeat (in reply to Dudnote)

ITT Inernational Thief Thief

Before Skype....

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 29 2015 4:36:09

estebanana

Posts: 9351
Joined: Oct. 16 2009

RE: Afrobeat (in reply to Dudnote)

And if ever wondered what Ginger Baker did after Cream...

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 29 2015 4:39:47

estebanana

Posts: 9351
Joined: Oct. 16 2009

RE: Afrobeat (in reply to Dudnote)

This album is mile stone in Afrobeat, and this song is super bad ass both in horn power and message.

This tune is straight outta James Brown.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 29 2015 4:46:31

estebanana

Posts: 9351
Joined: Oct. 16 2009

RE: Afrobeat (in reply to Dudnote)

There is another genre in West Africa called Highlife music, basically has the same components as the Fela channel, but is lighter hearted most of the time. It"dance music.

Up in North Africa is Rai music, more Arab influneced....

There is a podcast about African music that is pretty good, and the host goes into all the different stuff. All of it is cool, but Fela was one of the most important to get.

http://feeds.feedburner.com/afropop/podcast//

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 29 2015 4:54:28

BarkellWH

Posts: 3458
Joined: Jul. 12 2009
From: Washington, DC

RE: Afrobeat (in reply to Dudnote)

For my money, the finest music coming out of Africa for the last ten years or more is that produced by singers and musicians from Mali. In my opinion, Malian guitarists and singers are a cut above those from South Africa, Nigeria, and other countries in Africa. I can listen to it for long stretches without tiring of it. Really interesting stuff.

Bill

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And the epitaph drear, "A fool lies here,
Who tried to hustle the East."

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 29 2015 13:02:40

Dudnote

Posts: 1805
Joined: Nov. 13 2007

RE: Afrobeat (in reply to estebanana)

Thanks Stephen for this awesome response - I look forward to working through some of these works.

My limited knowledge of African music is more or less limited to this superb offering from Ethiopia, The Very Best of Éthiopiques, which is I heartily recommend.
http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-very-best-of-%C3thiopiques-mw0000791238

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 29 2015 17:41:39

estebanana

Posts: 9351
Joined: Oct. 16 2009

RE: Afrobeat (in reply to Dudnote)

Bill,

There are so many great players from West Africa, hard to even stratch the surface. But I hear what you are saying about Mali too. There are big stars like Baaba Maal and local guys playing Palm Wine sound and kids playing punk. Much to take in an lots of it so good. I do happen to like Fela a great deal however, he comes out of blend of the horn playing of Coltrane and just put together that smashing power horn section. I a not a big follower of political art or music usually, but I get a lot out of Fela's music.

I also like the the older Latin inspired group Étoile de Dakar from Senegal. They are a oddball blend of African guitar riffs with latin dance band intent. It is off kilter in a nice way. Most of my Latin band enthusiast friends don't give them high marks, but I think they are cool and enjoyable. I listen once in while when working.

I like some older African stuff too and I'll share some when I can get into my old hard drive with my new computer.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 30 2015 12:48:13