FELA (Re: The AJ Seed)

pyramus@wavenet.com
Sat, 4 May 1996 14:20:30 +0100

>>
>> ma> A discussion of the real roots of acid-jazz drawn further than this is
>> ma> in my opinion kinda strange since we all would end up discussing true
>> ma> jazz-bop and then go further to there influences in more traditional
>> ma> jazz and blues and then go to ........
>>
>
>Africa (must be said :-)). Check out the MASTER MUSICIANS OF JAJOUKA and
>GNAWA (Music of Marakesh). It was mind blowing to hear this music and
>realize the sound of funk has been alive for hundreds of years.

On that tip, are there any other FELA fans on the list? Having a few of
his Africa 70 and Egypt 80 albums, and having caught him live, I have
to recommend him to the list.

I'm not clear on the whole story, but he apparently came to the states as
a young man and took *back* to africa what James Brown was doing over
here. His grooves are nowhere near as "happy" or "sunny" as, say,
what King Sunny Ade or Juluka does. With darker, more minor chord grooves and
a *definite* feel for the funk (the 40-piece band doesn't hurt either), he
gives great groove.

When I saw him live, no song lasted less than 30 minutes.

He is also an outspoken political activist, and has been both prevented
from touring outside Nigeria and jailed there. Check out "Original Sufferhead"
for some deep african funk.

Mike

Michael Faulkner--------pyramus@wavenet.com
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