Sunday, September 26, 2010
Throwback Music: Fela Kuti - Zombie
FREE Fela mp3 in celebration of the continuing reissue of his amazing catalog. Here's the science:
"September 14, Knitting Factory Records will release the third set of Fela reissues. This portion of the reissues series, entitled "Zombie" in celebration of Fela's most well known song, spans the years 1976 - 1980. Containing 11 albums, this period of Fela's storied career saw his Kalakuta Republic increasingly under siege from the Nigerian government, and the clear rise of his vitriol as it fermented into scathing musical diatribes. 13 CDs and 23 albums have already been re-released this year through this landmark reissue series, and the reaction has been rapturous as Fela's music continues to find new audiences every day.
The titles that are being released are:
Zombie (1976)
Upside Down (1976) / Music of Many Colours (1980)
Stalemate (1977) / Fear Not For Man (1977)
Opposite People (1977) / Sorrow, Tears and Blood (1977)
Shuffering & Shmiling (1978) / No Agreement (1977)
V.I.P. (1979) / Authority Stealing (1980)
"What's fascinating about Fela's music at this point is the dichotomy between the music and the message," says Brian Long of Knitting Factory Records. "Out of context, these songs are incredibly upbeat and full of the hottest African funk, while in the context of Fela's life, when you read the lyrics and know the story, they are full of frustration and a fiery anger that was meant to lift the people into protest.""
Get ya mp3:
Fela Kuti - Zombie [direct mp3 download - right click and save as]
Fela online - website | twitter | facebook | myspace
[via]
Labels: Afrobeat/World Music, Fela Kuti
Sunday, March 21, 2010
New music: Black Man’s Cry - The Inspiration of Fela Kuti
Regular readers know I'm a big-time fan of afrobeat icon and legend, Fela Ransome Kuti. Check out this new project worth your attention if you feel the same way:
"Now Again Records have just released the Black Man’s Cry: The Inspiration of Fela Kuti collection. Available as both a hardbound book with CD and as a 4 x 10″ LP box set, Black Man’s Cry is as big on presentation as it is straight jams."
Click HERE for more info on the album. Follow Egon, A&R for Stones Throw records and founder of Now Again records on twitter at @NowAgain.
Listen:
Here's one track from
Sylvania East Side Symphony - "Egbi Mi O/Black Man’s Cry (Medley)" [yousendit mp3 download link]
[via Aquarium Drunkard]
Labels: Afrobeat/World Music, Fela Kuti
Friday, February 26, 2010
Video: Questlove on the 'Funky African', Fela Kuti
'
Clip description:
"?uestlove from The Roots, now an associate producer on the hit musical Fela! on Broadway, talks about when he first discovered Fela Kuti's music, and walks us through Fela's influence in yesterday and today's hip-hop -- including works by Mos Def, Macy Gray, D'Angelo, X-Clan, and Leader of the New School."
Fela is up there with James Brown, Bob Marley, George Clinton and Ray Charles in terms of being a pillar of black music and pioneering and becoming an icon for an entire genre of music, in his case Afrobeat. If you haven't heard his music before, check this:
"Knitting Factory Records will be re-releasing Fela's entire catalogue. The Chop 'N Quench batch, containing 6 CDs (9 albums total) from 1964-1974, is available digitally and physically now. Buy them from Fela.net to get a deal better than you'll find anywhere else!"
Click HERE for more details and preview some music from it in the streaming audio player below:
See The Kitchen on Fela previously HERE and HERE.
Online:
Fela - twitter | facebook | website | myspace
Tweet
Clip description:
"?uestlove from The Roots, now an associate producer on the hit musical Fela! on Broadway, talks about when he first discovered Fela Kuti's music, and walks us through Fela's influence in yesterday and today's hip-hop -- including works by Mos Def, Macy Gray, D'Angelo, X-Clan, and Leader of the New School."
Fela is up there with James Brown, Bob Marley, George Clinton and Ray Charles in terms of being a pillar of black music and pioneering and becoming an icon for an entire genre of music, in his case Afrobeat. If you haven't heard his music before, check this:
"Knitting Factory Records will be re-releasing Fela's entire catalogue. The Chop 'N Quench batch, containing 6 CDs (9 albums total) from 1964-1974, is available digitally and physically now. Buy them from Fela.net to get a deal better than you'll find anywhere else!"
Click HERE for more details and preview some music from it in the streaming audio player below:
See The Kitchen on Fela previously HERE and HERE.
Online:
Fela - twitter | facebook | website | myspace
Labels: ?uestlove, Afrobeat/World Music, Fela Kuti
Tuesday, December 08, 2009
Video: The Cast of Fela! Perform "Zombie" Live on The Colbert Report
Alt. links:
US-only: Colbert Report | Canada-only: Comedy Network [interview with Fela! director & choreographer, Bill T. Jones HERE]
Check out Fela! on The Kitchen previously HERE.
Labels: Afrobeat/World Music, Fela Kuti, Stephen Colbert
Tuesday, December 01, 2009
FELA! is now on Broadway!
The video above was from when this musical on the life of afrobeat legend and pioneer, Fela Kuti was playing off-Broadway. The musical was so well-received and blew the minds of people you probably respect that it has now been revived with the money backing of Jay-Z and Will & Jada Pinkett Smith. I know Broadway is a rich ticket for many but Fela is the truth - as important as James Brown, Bob Marley, Ray Charles, Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder etc. in the black music canon that you should try and see this if you can. I'm off to check it out tonight. Get discounted tickets for Fela! HERE.
Previously:
Check out The Kitchen on Fela previously HERE.
Online:
Fela! - website | twitter | iphone app | Cop blog discount tickets HERE
Labels: Afrobeat/World Music, Fela Kuti, Theater
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Its a Felabration 2009 - Celebrating The Life & Music Of Fela Kuti
To end another edition of #WhiteBoyWednesday, I gotta bring it back to the Black and there's no more effective a way to do that than with the legendary afrobeat pioneer & superstar, Fela Kuti. If you don't know about Fela get familiar. Like NOW!
To celebrate the legacy of Fela, his incredible catalog has been reissued including a greatest hits collection called The Best of the Black President and there has been 'Felabrations' going on all over the US over the past month. There's only one left and that's going down in NYC this Halloween at The Shrine (which is perfect since Fela's legendary homebase/club in Nigeria was named The Shrine also).
Do yourself a favor though: stop reading and start listening and buying! To apply an oft-abused saying here, Fela is the truth!
Listen to an online stream of the full The Best of the Black President album on AOL HERE. [limited time only]
MP3 Downloads: "Zombie" and "Water No Get Enemy"
BTW: this post is not motivated by the blog ad FELA!, a new Broadway musical directed and choreographed by Tony Award-winner Bill T. Jones based on the life & music of Fela Kuti that just re-opened, just bought here at The Kitchen. But you should go see it anyway! Don't believe me? See what Jay-Z and ?uestlove have to say about it. Then click the ad at the left or HERE to get discount tickets.
You're welcome....
Online:
Fela - Facebook | twitter | Knitting Factory records
Labels: Afrobeat/World Music, Fela Kuti
Tuesday, September 01, 2009
J.Period & K'naan - The Messengers (Episode 1: Fela Kuti)
Here's the plug:
"J. Period & K'NAAN are pleased to present the first installment of "The Messengers," a tribute to Fela Kuti, Bob Marley & Bob Dylan. Episode #1 pays tribute to Fela Anikulapo Kuti, Nigeria's eminent musical activist and arguably the most influential artist to emerge from Africa this century. Fela grew to international fame with his revolutionary, political views and innovative "Afrobeat," a musical genre he invented that combined soul, funk and African rhythms. Join J.Period K'NAAN as they pay tribute to Fela by remixing and reinventing his classic work on part 1 of "The Messengers." Guest MC's include: Zumbi (Zion I) & Bajah (Dry Eye Crew) from Sierra Leone."
Download The Messengers (Episode 1: Fela Kuti) here: direct zip file | zshare. [via J. Period]
Previously:
J. Period and K’naan – The Messengers EP, tribute to Fela Kuti, Bob Marley & Bob Dylan on The Kitchen here.
Monday, February 09, 2009
Video: Dallas Penn's Footage of First Saturdays at the Brooklyn Museum
Featuring Rich Medina and DJ Spinna doing a James Brown vs. Fela Kuti DJ set. That's regular (as far as there ever are regular) Kitchen commenter Combat Jack at the beginning of the video (at the museum, not in the chinese restaurant - just to be clear) with Dallas!
Online:
Dallas Penn
Labels: Dallas Penn, DJ Spinna, Fela Kuti, Internets Celebrities, James Brown, Rich Medina
