Various – Red Hot + Fela (Knitting Factory
Records)
Out Now
LP/CD/DL
To celebrate what would have been the 75th
Birthday of Nigerian icon and Afrobeat originator, a new compilation of Fela
Kuti compositions hits the public.
If you’re a fan Afrobeat, you’re a fan of Fela
Kuti.
If you’re a fan of Funk or Soul, you’re a fan
of Fela Kuti.
If you’re a fan of music, you’re a fan of Fela
Kuti.
You may not know it, but you are, such is his
influence over modern music culture.
Fans and admirers ranging from John Lydon to Paul McCartney will
acknowledge his contribution, not only in a musical sense, but also with his
influence and understanding of the World we lived in. ‘Red Hot + Fela’ is not only a tribute to the
great man but also a superb album in its own right.
The AIDS awareness organisation, Red Hot, have
joined forces with Knitting Factory Records and brought together thirteen
tracks originally recorded by Kuti. What
is particularly interesting is that the tracks have not necessarily been made
as straight copies of the originals.
There are Afrobeat influences certainly, and none more so than on ‘Lady’
by the partnership of tUnE-yArDs,
?uestlove, Angelique Kidjo and Akua Naru.
Funky guitars are accompanied by screeching brass and a vocal loop than
gets itself deep under your skin.
Where the album truly excels itself is when
other influences can be heard – ‘Yellow Fever’ for instance, performed by Spoek
Mathambo and Zaki Ibrahim, is given a hip-hop twist and works perfectly
well. There are other influences here in
the shape of dance, rap and spoken word, the later of which gives a nod in the
direction of Gil Scott-Heron. There’s
also something about ‘Buy Africa’ by Baloji that almost gets this aging
forty-five year old up on his feet and attempting to dance!
‘Red Hot + Fela’ is not just another trite tribute album. It’s a superb array of artists who not only
feel the music and spirit of Kuti, but, also breathe new life into the re-interpretations. The tracks are well chosen, the production
quality is amazing and everyone involved with the making of this album can be
well pleased with themselves. The Black
President would be a very happy man.
9.5/10
Links
Published on Louder Than War 18/10/13 - here
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