Happy 80th Birthday Famoudou Don Moye!

Raising a glass to percussionist extraordinaire Famoudou Don Moye with an interview and a few stellar performances.

Remembering Fela Anikulapo Kuti on his birthday

Raising a glass to Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti with a few stellar performances and some reminiscences of Paul McCartney.

Lenny Kravitz producing new Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 album for Record Kicks!

Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 enlisted Lenny Kravitz as producer for their new album due Oct. 4th. Seun Kuti plays Toronto July 17th. 

Here's the scoop from Record Kicks...

As long-time fans of Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti and the whole Kuti family, we’re honoured to announce that SEUN KUTI & EGYPT 80 have joined the Record Kicks roster. The new album by SEUN KUTI & EGYPT 80 produced by Fela’s original engineer Sodi Marciszewer and none other than Grammy-winning rock icon LENNY KRAVITZ will be available on Record Kicks worldwide October 4th. More to be revealed soon.

Seun Kuti, the youngest son of Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti, has been a powerful force in the Afrobeat scene, continuing his father’s legacy while forging his own path. This new album promises to be a milestone in the genre.

Seun Kuti and Egypt 80 will also embark on a North American Tour on June 8th which makes a Toronto stop at Budweiser Stage for a show with Red Hot Chili Peppers on July 17th. Tickets for the tour are available for purchase through https://linktr.ee/seunkutitour. See a full list of upcoming tour dates below. 

For now, you can watch the video of Seun, Lenny and Sodi at Question de Son studio in Paris working on the new album and don’t forget to follow Seun Kuti on social media and DSPs. Stay tuned for more groundbreaking announcements!

Happy Birthday Fela Kuti!

Celebrating Fela Kuti's birthday with his 1978 performance in Berlin following Fela Kuti: The Legacy documentary. 

WKCR 89.9 FM presents 24 hours of Fela Kuti's music starting at 12 midnight. Check it out here.

Watch Fela Kuti & Africa 70 live in Berlin, 1978

Here's Fela Kuti's full performance in Berlin with the great Tony Allen, Tunde Williams & Lekan Animashaun in Africa 70. 

Adrian Younge shares collaboration with Afrobeat boss Tony Allen

The late Nigerian drumming dynamo Tony Allen – longtime Fela Kuti sideman – has an unreleased Jazz Is Dead session on the way.

Here's the scoop from Jazz Is Dead...

The genius that is Tony Allen departed this mortal world in April of 2020, but not without leaving an unmatched legacy that crossed oceans and borders, bridging cultures and forging a sound that changed music. As the drummer for Fela Kuti’s revolutionary Africa 70, Allen’s polyrhythmic drumming defined Afrobeat, combining American Jazz and Nigerian Highlife to animate one of the most iconic performers of all time. Over the course of Allen’s tenure with the group, and later as a solo artist, he would continue to relentlessly innovate, incorporating new sounds and working with scores of contemporaries. His contributions as an artist and cultural ambassador left an indelible impact on every genre of popular music, from Techno to Jazz to Rock and Hip-Hop. Tony Allen’s music stands as an ongoing testament to the interconnected musical relationships and dialogues across the African diaspora, and their lasting influence on how we listen.

Aside from traditional Yoruba Juju music, Tony Allen was enamoured with Jazz, particularly the recordings of Art Blakey, Max Roach, and Elvin Jones, musicians who had begun to experiment with West African rhythms and musical concepts. At the time, Nigeria’s immensely popular Igbo Highlife music was incorporating influences from Jazz formulating what became known as Afro-Jazz, connecting the American genre back to its roots. These early cross-cultural dialogues pushed Allen to develop a drumming style that fused Highlife and Jazz. In the mid-1960s, Allen met Fela Kuti, and the two formed the group Koola Lobitos, which would later grow to become the legendary Africa 70 band. Nigerian audiences did not immediately take to this new sound, but following a trip to the United States, Kuti was exposed to James Brown and the Black Panthers. Allen began to incorporate the sounds of Black American Funk and Soul. By the 1970s, the group morphed their influences into Afrobeat, the sound of post-colonial Africa, making music that was concerned with economic and political liberation and Pan-Africanism.

The nearly 30 records which Allen appeared on with Africa 70 contain some of the most innovative drumming of all time. Throughout his time with Fela Kuti and Africa 70, Tony Allen introduced the world not only to Afrobeat, but to an entirely new way of conceptualizing rhythm.

In his post-Fela career, Allen moved to Paris and continued to be a vanguard. He experimented with Dub, Electro, and Hip-Hop. He was a willing mentor, collaborating with several generations of musicians inspired by his vernacular. French pop artists, such as Sebastien Tellier, Air, and Charlotte Gainsbourg, called upon Allen to help shape some of their most well-known work, such as Tellier’s “La Ritournelle” and Gainbourg’s “5:55”. His collaborations with Damon Albarn of Blur and Gorillaz formed the bands The Good, the Bad, and the Queen and Rocket Juice and the Moon, where rock stars like Paul Simenon and Flea were eager to enter conversation with a musician Brian Eno once called “perhaps the greatest drummer who has ever lived”.

On some of his last recordings, Allen returned to his love of Jazz, while reminding listeners of the ongoing influence and legacy of the diaspora. Recording with Blue Note, he released a tribute to his hero Art Blakey, along with an album of original material and collaborating with the South African trumpeter Hugh Masekela. In 2018, Allen and Techno pioneer Jeff Mills released an EP that fused Afrobeat, Jazz, and Techno. On 2021’s aptly titled posthumous recording “There Is No End”, Allen worked with Hip-Hop artists such as Danny Brown and UK Grime star Skepta. Allen remained a constant innovator, absorbing sounds that had derived from West African music and conversing with new generations, passing on the ideals of Pan-Africanism. For Jazz Is Dead producer Adrian Younge, it is no small honor to share new music recorded with the drummer revolutionary Tony Allen.

"Don't Believe the Dancers" is the first single from the forthcoming Tony Allen JID018. Have a listen below. 

Paul Murphy curates a covers heavy Jazz Room comp for BBE

Paul Murphy's dancefloor-ready 13-track Jazz Room Vol. 2 collection is out May 5th. Read all about it and hear a few swingers.

Here's the scoop...

Welcome to the second Volume of the Jazz Room series compiled by DJ legend and label owner Paul Murphy. Following the success of the original Jazz Room compilation released by BBE in 2019, Paul has compiled a double vinyl volume of jazz dance tracks that range from heavy funk of New Orleans to Latin grooves and contemporary jazz from the new generation. Tracks written by Dizzy Gillespie sit with those penned by Raúl Monsalve and Fela Kuti. 

Paul's own label, Jazz Room Records, specializes in re-issues and it is his expertise in finding the rare and the obscure and matching with the new and the fresh that creates the joy filled atmosphere on this compilation. The Jazz Room, Vol. 2 really is as much for the party people as it it for the headz and links the audiences from his legendary gigs in the 1970s and 80s at the Electric Ballroom, 100 Club and The Blue Note to those at his current appearances at Spiritland, Shiftless Shuffle and Brilliant Corners. 

Indeed, among the rarities and the global rhythms in this collection are some excellent cover versions of tracks from the aforementioned Fela Kuti, The Stranglers, Azymuth and The Human League (yes, The Human League). What Paul Murphy has done here is compile a selection of tracks that could easily be a DJ club set, a soundtrack to a party, a Summer festival highlight or a night of music appreciation with a favourite tipple and partner. Pre-order a copy of The Jazz Room Vol. 2 via Bandcamp right here.

Check out Cheick Tidiane Seck's spin on Randy Weston's "Niger Mambo," Daniel Crawford's breezy Robert Glasper-style update of Fela Kuti's "Water No Get Enemy," the Florian Pellissier Quintet's crack at "The Hipster" by Harold McNair and Fast 3's radical Hammond-led reorganization of Human League's "Don't You Want Me?" following the track listing below. 

The Jazz Room Vol. 2 compiled by Paul Murphy

1. Eternal Buzz Brass Band - Sounds Good

2. César's Salad - Manteca

3. Chip Wickham - Rebel No. 23 (7" Edit)

4. The Stance Brothers - Roll Call

5. Cruisic - Jazz Carnival

6. Daniel Crawford - Water No Get Enemy 

7. Los Po-Boy-Citos - Fried Neckbones and Some Home Fries

8. Raúl Monsalve y los Forajidos - Black & Decker

9. Clare Fischer - African Flutes

10. Cheick Tidiane Seck - Niger Mambo

11. Florian Pellissier Quintet - The Hipster

12. Take Vibe - Golden Brown

13. Fast 3 - Don't You Want Me?

Watch Common perform "When We Move" with Seun Kuti & The Roots

Common performed "When We Move" – off his forthcoming album A Beautiful Revolution, Pt. 2 – on the Tonight Show last night. 

Hear "Free Your Mind" by Fela's grandson, Made Kuti

Made Kuti's released his single "Free Your Mind" on Fela Kuti's birthday. Check out Olly Frostie's animated video below. 

 

R.I.P. Afrobeat innovator Tony Allen, 1940-2020

Sadly, legendary drummer Tony Allen – Afrobeat architect and longtime Fela Kuti sideman – passed away on Wednesday. He was 79. 

LINKS
The Guardian Tony Allen, legendary drummer, dies at 79
New York Times Tony Allen, drummer who created the beat of Afrobeat, dies at 79

Happy 80th Birthday Fela Kuti!

Remembering the late great Afrobeat king Fela Kuti on his birthday with a documentary worth checking.

Here Lies Man vs. Fela Anikulapo Kuti

Check out Here Lies Man's cover of Sorrow, Tears and Blood followed by Fela Kuti's extended version. 

Whaddya mean you don't know Kokoroko Afrobeat Collective

Watch Kokoroko's Richie Seivwright, Sheila Maurice-Grey & Cassie Kinoshi rip on Fela's Colonial Mentality. 

Whaddya mean you don't know King Bucknor, Jr.

Kalakuta Republic member Kingsley Bucknor was just 19 when he cut his classic album with Afrodisk Beat 79.

Ginger Baker vs. Chris Ajilo

Ginger Baker had a slight advantage in having Fela Kuti help shape his 1972 version of Ariwo. 

Midweek Mixdown: Todd M. Simon

Fela Kuti, Mahmoud Ahmed & Tommy McCook appear on Todd M. Simon's stellar mix Jazz on 45: Vol 2.

Happy Birthday Fela Kuti!

Toasting Afrobeat innovator Fela Kuti on his day with the ripping Alu Jon Jonki Jon.

São Paulo's Bixiga 70 unleash third Afro-funk strike

Bixiga 70's whumpin' new album III is out now. Check out their recent Ensaio performance below. 

Souljazz Orchestra readies Resistance for September – watch their Shock & Awe clip

The Resistance album is slated for release by Do Right! on September 4. Check out "Shock & Awe" below.

One For The Weekend: Fela Kuti & Egypt 80

Members of Fela Kuti's Egypt 80 band now back his son, Seun Kuti, who plays the Phoenix on Saturday.