Friday 8 November 2013

News - Felabration 2013



On Saturday, 14 December 2013, at the 229 venue in Central London, a celebration of a special kind will take place - FELABRATION: honouring the life and legacy of Fela Anikulapo Kuti - and supporting the recent release of the AIDS charity compilation 'RED HOT + FELA'. Joining in the celebration on the night will beOLUGBENGA (Metronomy), Baloji, Sam Duckworth (Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly), Shingai Shoniwa (Noisettes), TY, Blak Twang, ESKA, Zee Gachette (Z-Star)and very special guests. The musicians, singers and rappers will offer their interpretations of Fela songs, aided and abetted by the musical backdrop provided by The Dele Sosimi Afrobeat Orchestra led by none other than the inimitable keyboard player Dele Sosimi who formerly played and toured with Fela's Egypt 80 band. 
 
Fela has been gone 16 years now but keeping his legacy alive and introducing his music and message to an ever-growing audience is a mission for Dele and Fela's legions of admirers. Were he still alive today, 15 October, would have been Fela Kuti's 75th birthday. This has been celebrated with Felabrations taking place all over the planet (Lagos, Brussels, Paris, 13 across America, Osaka and heaven knows where else). Now it's London's turn to pay homage to The Black President.
 
2013 has been a busy year with Fela's entire 46 album catalogue having been re-packaged and re-released by Knitting Factory Records. October also saw the release of 'RED HOT + FELA', a compilation album containing interpretations of Fela songs by a raft of top drawer artists including Angelique Kidjo, ?uestlove (The Roots), M1 (Dead Prez), Spoek Mathambo, tUnE-yArDs, Nneka, Kronos Quartet, Tony Allen, Baloji, Chance The Rapper, My Morning Jacket and others. All profits from this album go towards HIV/AIDS education and relief worldwide.




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