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Fela Anikulapo-Kuti
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Red Hot+Fela
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The Making of Red Hot + Fela (1)
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The Making of Red Hot + Fela (2)
Fela Kuti lives on. Since his death in 1997, the Nigerian icon and Afrobeat originator has been transformed from musician's musician with a cult-like following to a worldwide musical icon. The last four years have seen the Broadway-hit FELA! win Tony Awards and tour the world, Knitting Factory Records reissue the prolific Nigerian firebrand's back catalogue, and now, 'RED HOT + FELA'.
Red Hot is an AIDS awareness organisation currently partnering with cross-genre collaborators representing rock, hip-hop, Americana, and classical for a recent album release of Fela Kuti compositions, 'RED HOT + FELA' (Knitting Factory, 15 October 2013).
The release includes classic Fela anthems like "Lady" recorded by tUnE-yArDs, ?uestlove (The Roots), Angelique Kidjo and Akua Naru, "Zombie" recorded by Spoek Mathambo, Cerebral Cortex and Frown, and "Trouble Sleep Yanga Wake Am" recorded by My Morning Jacket, Merrill Garbus (from tUnE-yArDs), and Brittany Howard (from Alabama Shakes) and "Sorrow, Tears & Blood" reworked by the Kronos Quartet along with TV On The Radio's Kyp Malone and Tunde Adebimpe.
Stuart Bogie, who contributed to the album's "Sorrow Tears and Blood" and "ITT" as a member of Superhuman Happiness, represents a bridge between the early adopters of Afrobeat and the recent recruits of the genre: "Fela's music has deeply inspired and impacted how we think about music," Bogie reflects. "From critical details like his use of guitars and bass lines in perfect rhythmic counterpoint, to his long and epic forms, his music is a treasure and deep reason for musicians all over the globe."
Although Fela inspired each and every artist on the album, Afrobeat is not necessarily the musical meat-and-potatoes for most of these musicians, thus presenting challenging responsibilities in recreating Fela's work. Bogie stated, "One challenge was maintaining the lyrical integrity. Fela's poetry is a critical component, and we aren't satisfied with getting it close - we want our tracks to honour his work the same as you would honour the lyrics of a Beatles, Bob Dylan, or Prince track."
Each rendition on the album tackles each composition quite differently. Honouring the tradition of Afrobeat, "Lady" presents wailing brass and sax with funky electric guitar while other reinterpretations execute their track with more inventive deviance. For example, "No Buredi" is reimagined as an electro-house track by Nneka, Sinkane, Amayo, and Superhuman Happiness, meanwhile dance-inducing R&B and hip-hop flavour "Yellow Fever" recorded by Spoek Mathambo and Zaki Ibrahim.
The partnership between Knitting Factory Records and Red Hot is particularly relevant to Fela Kuti, given that he died of an AIDS-related illness himself. To date, Red Hot has released 18 albums and produced several concert and film series to raise money and awareness to fight AIDS around the world. They have partnered with countless local, national, and international AIDS organisations, all of whom have benefited from releases like 'RED HOT + FELA'.
'RED HOT + FELA' is produced with Anthony Demby and Paul Heck for the Red Hot Organisation. Paul Heck explains: "We didn't set out to make a 'nu sound of Africa' or a cheap, of the moment kind of album. We reached out to artists we loved, who were making deep and inspiring music. You can't mess around with Fela. There's too much poetry and spiritual force in the music. It's hard to explain the life-long love affair that happens when you get into Fela Kuti's music. It is eternal, you can't ever deny it - you just love it. 'RED HOT + FELA' is not a sequel to 'Red Hot + Riot' (2003). It's a continuation, a desire to want to hear more. We wanted to hear new music in this new moment; to hear these incredible artists approaching these incredible songs. The artists on 'RED HOT + FELA' got seriously down with Fela's music and spirit on this album. My co-producer, Anthony Demby, and I are incredibly thankful and feel lucky to be involved with the artists on this fierce and beautiful album."
Track-listing:
1. "Buy Africa" - Baloji & L'Orchestre De La Katuba featuring Kuku
2. "Lady" - tUnE-yArDs, ?uestlove, Angelique Kidjo + Akua Naru
3. "Yellow Fever" - Spoek Mathambo + Zaki Ibrahim
4. "No Buredi" - Nneka, Sinkane, Amayo + Superhuman Happiness
5. "Who No Know Go Know" - Just A Band + Childish Gambino
6. "Trouble Sleep Yanga Wake Am" - My Morning Jacket w/ Merrill Garbus + Brittany Howard
7. "Sorrow Tears and Blood" - Kyp Malone and Tunde Adebimpe, Kronos Quartet + Stuart Bogie
8. "ITT" - Superhuman Happiness w/ Sahr Ngaujah, Abena Koomson + Rubblebucket
9. "Afrodisco Beat 2013" - Tony Allen, M1 + Baloji
10. "Gentleman" - Just A Band, Bajah + Chance the Rapper
11. "Hi Life Time" - Gender Infinity
12. "Zombie" - Spoek Mathambo + Cerebral Cortex + Frown
13. "Go Slow" - King
RED HOT + FELA
Twitter: @redhot_fela
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/redhotfela
Website: http://www.knittingfactoryrecords.com/artists/red-hot-fela