Fela Ankikulapo-Kuti has surpassed mythological proportions. Since his untimely death in 1997, interest in his music and life has gradually risen in popularity with new & older generations alike. This year his shadow looms larger than ever thanks to the Theatre production of Fela! Coming to London for a 2 month run from early November to January. Fela! Proved to be a success on Broadway during this past year & has attracted financial backing by influential A-listers such as Will Smith & Jay Z.
The musical is based on his incident packed life as the sax playing & singing bandleader. The story starts with Fela studying music at university in London, then going on tour in America where he became familiar with the Black Panther movement. When he returned to West Africa - he combined his primary influences of Jazz, Funk & Ghanaian Highlife music to create the Afro-beat genre. He utilized “music as a weapon” to rebel against the injustice of a corrupt Nigerian government & built himself a commune he named the “Shrine” (still going strong today) where he lived, performed and married all 27 of his female backing band whilst smoking enough weed to make Cheech and Chong blush.
Kuti’s reputation as a revolutionary icon & music innovator will be celebrated at the Jazz Café, marking what would have been his 72nd birthday. Leading the tributes will be Keyboard player Dele Sosimi, who played an integral role as a musical director in Fela’s Egypt 80 backing band. Dele played the keys on a number of Fela Kuti songs including ITT (International Thief Thief), Teacher Don’t Teach Me Nonsense, he was part of the band that toured the U.S and Europe during the early to mid 80s before touring & recording with Fela’s oldest son Femi Kuti.
Dele has become of the leading figures in the Afrobeat scene through his multiple roles as an educator, instructor & a touring musician. In keeping with the big band tradition of Fela, his 15-piece Afro Beat Orchestra consists of a five-piece horn section and dancers to complement his core band that also perform with Dele when he changes his live band format to a trio or sextet.
Material performed will cover a selection of Fela’s classic tunes as well as songs from Dele’s critically albums “Identity” and “Turbulent Times”. Expect to hear one of the best live horn sections and experience a commemoration of a true original.
The gig itself: Upon entering the intimate confines of the heaving Jazz Café, it was abundantly clear that those in attendance were in party mode. The gig coincided with Nigeria’s 50th anniversary of independence plus there was the birthday of Africa’s most famous musician to celebrate as well so the celebratory mood was definitely prevalent. Dele Sosimi and his band didn’t disappoint with joyous renditions of such Fela classics as “Water Have No Enemy”, “Zombie” and “Lady”. The vibrant five-piece Horn section and group of backing singers & dancers deserve special mention for adding authenticity and musical accomplishment to the spectacle. A few of Dele’s own numbers were thrown in for good measure before the band departed the stage only to return for one more Fela number that the crowd were baying for. Even though Dele admitted onstage that they could have played through the night and everybody would have stayed, after an hour and twenty minutes the party was over and the people reluctantly dispersed into the London night with smiles a plenty.
Thanks for this! We are back on the 20th of October as Fela would have turned 75 this year!
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