YES this is the kind of music I was hoping to find on here - artists/music/genres I've never heard of but instantly like and appreciate. This musician's bio was awesome to read - he's had such an influence on so many people
This album delivers the 2 things I felt were missing from Monday's Fela album, so I have no choice but to give it a 5. The album cover alone is worth a 5. Sue and I drove to Toronto in 1987 to see them at Lamport Stadium and the concert was cancelled due to "VISA issues" which, in retrospect, I understand to mean the Nigerian government didn't want Fela travelling the world singing about Zombie Soldiers. I have a much greater appreciation listening all these years later, after hearing his influence popping up in the 3 decades of Acid Jazz that have been released since.
I love me some Fela Kuti, but I've listened to his early-70s stuff more than the rest. My favourite album is "Gentleman", and I stand by that as being his best work. However, "Zombie" is close behind, and I hadn't fully appreciated it until now. The album was a critique of the Nigerian military, and it resulted in violent suppression of Kuti, his family and his followers. But the music is also worth holding up on his own terms. The original record has two 12-min tracks (the other two are reissue bonus tracks), and as usual they are energetic explorations of funk and jazz, matched with African rhythms and call-and-response. "Gentleman" has an even better elastic energy to it, but "Zombie" is a little more polished. Many of Kuti's albums do follow a blueprint, but it's such a good and original blueprint that it doesn't matter! Perfect 5 for this one.
Wow, this was just... amazing. Really hit that jazz craving I need every so often. Reading the background of the album was essential to this as well. Definitely going to seek out more of his work.
Did a quick Wiki on this and mad props to Fela Kuti. He showed integrity and the importance of making your voice heard through your art, and he suffered so much from it. The music itself lacking context is also really good
The mighty Fela! You have to admire a man who can marry 27 women and still survive another two decades after that. This album is one of a bunch of classic releases by him in the 70s. The original only have two pieces on it, each slightly under 13 minutes but both having such an impact both politically and musically. If you ever wondered where the Talking Heads got a major influence from. Even McCartney talked about seeing Fela play when flew to Lagos to record Band on the Run. I usually try to rate just the original album but that would already have received 5 stars. The bonus tracks I think add to the original release and the album still maintains it's original vibe with them added. If you're looking to get into more of his music checkout out Roforofo Fight, Gentleman, Sorrow Tears & Blood, or Expensive Shit. All of these along with Zombie are probably his strongest releases.
This is generally not my genre. That said, the sheer unbridled energy brought to music on this album is infectious. It's 100% a protest album and also 100% and act of creative freedom. It was his way of saying "screw you I'm going to be me and be free no matter what." And you have to respect that. Even so, it really really wasn't my jam. So I can't give it full marks.
Zombie was the most popular and impacting record that Fela Kuti & Africa 70 would record -- it ignited the nation to follow Fela's lead and antagonize the military zombies that had the population by the throat.
What a groovy, fun album! The first track Zombie is the more upbeat of the half, with a clear blueprint for the incredible opening track Born Under Punches on Remain In Light, released three years later. Clearly an important political album, criticizing the Nigerian military of the day. It's impossible not to appreciate such a cornerstone.
I was going to say, as a joke, that a nice change from the Fela album we heard a few days ago is the half dozen or so of his wives who joined to sing back up vocals. But after reading wiki, they might all actually be his wives. Fuck I'm funny! On general principle, I can't give the same same artist two 5s in one week even though I like Zombie more. I feel like the boxing judge who is worried he scored an early round wrong so makes up for it by fudging the score in a later round.
When I first saw it was only four song, without checking the time length, I assumed it was a fairly short EP. Then, before I knew it, I had listened to almost an hour of some pretty groovy jazz. Enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would (especially since the album cover is less than appealing). Not going to add it to my library as I don’t imagine I will ever listen to it again, but it was definitely a great album. 4/5.
Zombie is a studio album by Nigerian Afrobeat musician Fela Kuti. It was released in Nigeria by Coconut Records in 1976, and in the United Kingdom by Creole Records in 1977.[1] The album criticised the Nigerian government; and it is thought to have resulted in the murder of Kuti's mother Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, and the destruction of his commune by the military. The album was a scathing attack on Nigerian soldiers using the zombie metaphor to describe the methods of the Nigerian military. The album was a smash hit with the people and infuriated the government, setting off a vicious attack against the Kalakuta Republic (a commune that Fela had established in Nigeria), during which one thousand soldiers attacked the commune. Kuti was severely beaten, and his elderly mother was thrown from a window, causing fatal injuries. The Kalakuta Republic was burned, and Kuti's studio, instruments, and master tapes were destroyed. Kuti claimed that he would have been killed if it were not for the intervention of a commanding officer as he was being beaten. Kuti's response to the attack was to deliver his mother's coffin to the main army barrack in Lagos and write two songs, "Coffin for Head of State" and "Unknown Soldier", referencing the official inquiry that claimed the commune had been destroyed by an unknown soldier. Kuti and his band then took residence in Crossroads Hotel as the Shrine had been destroyed along with his commune. In 1978 Kuti married 27 women, many of whom were his dancers, composers, and singers to mark the anniversary of the attack on the Kalakuta Republic. Later, he was to adopt a rotation system of keeping only twelve simultaneous wives.[2] The year was also marked by two notorious concerts, the first in Accra in which riots broke out during the song "Zombie," which led to Kuti being banned from entering Ghana. The second was at the Berlin Jazz Festival after which most of Kuti's musicians deserted him, due to rumors that Kuti was planning to use the entirety of the proceeds to fund his presidential campaign.
Apparently this album is a "scathing attack on Nigerian soldiers using the zombie metaphor to describe the methods of the Nigerian military" and its release resulted in the military attacking Fela Kuti's home and studio, beating Kuti and killing his mother in the process. . The album is comprises only two tracks. Both are powerful and funky with politically charged lyrics. The metaphor is clear once the context is known, and both tracks appear to be questioning soldiers following orders like the titular zombies and Mr Follow Follows. Away from the heavy context, considered just as a piece of music, this is an enjoyable and fun listen. With the context this is powerful and engaging. 4/5.
I appreciate this. I read up on the story behind the album and the meaning of the songs and it feels like a powerful and enduring work. However, there's shallower layer where Fela Kuti also reminds me of when it's the 90s and you're hanging out with a dude and he keeps playing his Fela vinyl and he's digging it more than he's digging you and it triggers an existential crisis. Maybe we could have had a 1001 albums date.
This guy used his craft to stick it to the man and paid the ultimate price for it, then got back up and did it again. An incredible story. The songs are bangers, too. Best track: Zombie
fantastic, nog nooit so naar afrobeat geluisterd en wat dit album heeft gedaan voor nigeria echt top genieten van begin tot eind
The first song reminded me of the first time I listened to the Stray Cats for some odd reason and I just got all types of fired up
I love this album. A jazz maestro at his peak, blendign African rhythms and backing with his own genius playing.
i fucked with this heavy, it took a couple days to get to but this is going right in the study music rotation
i don't know how to rate this, but it FEELS awesome, so i bet it IS awesome. Also this dude had like 27 wives
Quizá mi calificación para este disco sorprenda, pero hay una justificación interesante: el estilo musical de Fela (al menos en este disco) es una mezcla de Jazz y Funk con ritmos tradicionales Yoruba, y la música afrocubana tiene una influencia importante de los ritmos Yoruba. A pesar de que sus canciones "duran mucho", tienen una musicalización y una vocalización que las hacen muy agradables, casi casi dan ganas de bailar, lo cuál contrasta significativamente con los motivos de su letra. Seguramente la situación política de Nigeria en los 70's fue muy complicada, y no justifica lo que el gobierno hizo con Fela, pero la verdad el amigo si estaba medio loquito. Es una fortuna que su "locura" abonara a la creación de este disco tan interesante.
First two songs definitely the standouts, but this whole album is a jam. Remember dad playing this, horns and drums killer and the limited vocals all hit hard.
I’ve been a Fela fan for a long time, so was really happy to see this album. Love side one (that’s song one and two for you youngsters who didn’t grow up on vinyl). Side two was good, but didn’t have the catch of the other two songs. The interplay of the Sax, organ, drums and guitars are phenomenal. I even like the brass here; usually horns are not my favorite. Afrobeat jamming at its best. This is a 4.5, but I’m rounding up due to the artist and the album’s superiority to Kate Bush and Super Fury Animals. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Listworthy? = 👍
Saved Prior: None Off Rip Tier: 2. Mr. Follow Follow 1. Zombie Overall Notes: This was really really good. Brave politics and boomin' beats. 25 minutes of vital music.
Killer funky afrobeat album with a powerful antimilitaristic message on top. Definitely a classic worthy of this project.
Really loved it, never heard of him but got pleasantly surprised. Only 5 songs in the album, but around 12/13 mins each. Early rock/soul vibes, very chill with good riffs, loved it.
This is the kind of music that deserves 5 stars just because of its existence. It's not the best Jazz album that I listened to here on this list, but that has very good songs with some meaning. The Wikipedia article here is essential to understand the album.
Outstanding album by Fela. A stunning act of political courage on his part, and a testament to the power of music. Fave Songs: Zombie, Mr. Follow Follow
Knew this was one of the best known Fela Kuti albums but never got to listen to it. A few days ago I made a mistake with giving a +2 score for Os Mutantes way too early. Did not want to make the same mistake. So listened a few times to Zombie - only two songs after all :-) - and really started to like them: great rhythms and hardly noticed the second time that they both last for 12 minutes or.
The title track alone makes this an album worthy of classic status. But there's much more here than just that epic. Each of the 5 songs are worthy exercises in jazz / afro beat greatness. 5 🌟
Fela you've never done me wrong. African Jazz is some of the best shit we, as a species, have ever come up with (not that I can take any credit for it). ONE OF THE FEW ALBUMS ON THIS CURSED LIST THAT IS TOO SHORT INSTEAD OF TOO LONG.
Hah hah yes! Awesome! By turns funky, chill, groovy and banging. An archetypal afrobeat album. Fave track - "Zombie" for upbeat, "Mr. Follow, Follow" for chill
As a fan of progressive jazz and acid jazz this took it to a whole new level and I can't believe I've never heard it before! The afrobeats and percussion that go along with it it is just amazing
It turns out that I love afro beat! Really fun, engaging, and interesting to listen to, and not as dense or challenging as I would have thought. Brilliant, hope to hear more from Fela and his various bands. P.s. read the Wikipedia page to see how his government reacted to the success of this album - showing why it was needed.
OH YESSS love a bit of afrobeats, this is the real stuff. Holy shit though I can't believe the levels of controversy in the history of this album and I'm so sad to hear about Kuti's mother, heart breaking. That kind of sums up exactly the message he was trying to send out with this album... I can't believe the juxtaposition of how happy this makes me feel but also how sad it truly is. That's art!
Great but sad story behind this album. I love being able to trace history through music, and this certainly delivers. Fantastic afrobeat tunes
Goddamn what a fucking tour of force this album is. Insanely catchy, insanely influential (on both the global scene and on the country in which it was created) and nothing less than a masterpiece.
First time listening to this music. Really vibrant! Looking at the history of this record was interesting
Very catchy start and interesting sound! But the songs were too long for my taste or not various enough for this lenght. Would give a 3,5.
Weird Reagea-Jazz with very clear messaging. Not much more to say, it was a good listen.
I was excited about this one because I enjoyed Fela Kuti's live album (w/ Ginger Baker) so much. I still think that's the better album, but this one is no slouch either. Excellent African rhythms and drums horns, with a good political message underneath it.
Was a bit apprehensive after getting yet another Fela Kuti album but this one is very different, much less frenetic Afro-beat and more Afro-jazz, it meanders at a more relaxed pace and has a more serious political tone.
Cool in context, and fun enough in general, one of my favorite "big band" albums so far.
Fela groovt sich mit zunehmender Zeit hypnotisch in die Ohrmuschel, frisst sich smooth ins Hirn, breaking & entering my mind, body just follow follow. (Haben Can sich hiervon eine dicke Scheibe gegönnt?) Virtuos instinktive 3.8
Dosc niecodzienny pik listowy, bo muzyka ani to hamerykanska, ni brytyjska, a tym razem afrykanska, afrobeat prosto z nigerii lat 70, bedacym panstwem rzadzonym przez wojskowe junty, zmagajacym sie z nieposzanowaniem jakichkolwiek praw, no i jak przystalo na afryke z wszelaka bieda, takie tlo na ktorym powstal ten albumik, sam Fela Kuti nie byl wlacznie grajkiem, ale takze aktywista politycznym dlatego glownym themem jest tutaj wlasnie militarny rzad, ktory mozemy utozsamiac z tytulowym zombie, orginalne wydanie zawiera tylko dwa ponad 12 minutowe traki zombie i mr follow follow, ktore juz samymi tytulami jasno wskazuja o czym beda traktowac, reedycja zawiera dodatkowy trak observation no crime i zapis live kawalka mistake z berlinskiego jazz festiwalu w 78, Kuti byl wspierany tutaj przez bande znana pod nazwa Africa 70, jak na nigeryjska muzyke i okreslenie afrobeat jak dla mnie brzmi to jazzem lat 60, dosc surowym w wykonaniu, ale jedak juz granym w wiekszych bandach, bo troche instrumentow mozna tutaj naliczyc, ale dokladnego skladu grajcego nie potrafilem znalezc, co natomiast wyroznia ten material od typowego jazzu sa wstawki wokalne, wykorzystanie chorkow, ktore nie tylko w rytm sie zgrywaja z swoimi wstawkami, ale nieraz same nadaja tempa traku, gdzie wystepuje licytacja miedzy chantem chorowym, a Kutim na glowym wokalu, ktory tak samo jak chorkowe wykonany jest w typowo afrykanskim ingliszu, wiec dosc prostym i z typowa skladnia, ciekawa postacia jest sam wykonawca, bo jako dzialacz polityczno spoleczny, tak bardzo mial w niesmaku wladze, ze postanowil stworzyc wlasna niepodlegla komune, brzmi niezle, ale jesli dodamy do tego, ze mial wlasny harem 27 zon nadaje to prawdziwie afrykanski klimat opowiesci, po wydaniu zombie rozmontowali mu komune, ale muzyka przezyla i jest swiadectwem jak sztuka potrafi walczyc z systemem, na plejke wrzucilem oba orginalne traki, bo sposob w jaki nagrany zostal mistake pozostawia wiele do zyczenia
I don't have a lot to say about this one, but I thought it was really catchy and fun. (And a good, short album to follow up after yesterday's pick).
not _super_ into Afrobeat but it's a warmer-temperature aesthetic not dissimilar to Bitches' Brew. liking the revolutionary undertones
Funky Jazz Album. Anothwr album with long songs Zombie gets a little repetitive for my tastes I think but all thenother songs have good development and interjections that make them worth listening to, unlike Bat out of Hell
Pretty much every Fela Kuti album is a really excellent song the album is named after followed by a good song that can't quite live up to the main attraction. Zombie is one of Kuti's best songs but Mr. Follow Follow is even more forgettable than some of his other secondary tracks. I had, in fact, literally forgotten what came after Zombie. Still, it's not BAD. Solid 4 overall, best album yet.
powerful with and without the heavy context behind it of resistance to military rule in Nigeria. aside from its meaning, it also communicates on a physical level in a way that's hard to find an equal to – its extended groove is irresistible
An absolutely amazing Track 1. 4 tracks of afrobeat jazz. The surprise when the vocals kicked in 5 minutes into the song created an intensity that I'm always searching for in my music. A hugely interesting and enjoyable album - matched only by the story of the man.
Sehr gut zum Uni machen und nebenbei hören, fand es sehr entspannt und mochte die Instrumente sehr.
Awesome album, short but still fulfilling. The songwriting is great although I had a hard time understanding the vocalist.
Something completely different. For long songs, it was incredibly funky. Didn't love it but will be a recurring listen
A catchy protest album. Who knew that could happen? Fela Kuti’s band here is tighter than any other band ever tried to be, and he is full of rage and energy and channels it into songs that energize you fully. Twelve minute songs that you actually want to hear through to the end.
This is what I’ve been waiting for, something wild and different. Great rhythms, an actual message, and kinetic intensity. Hell yeah.
A pioneer of Afrobeat at the intersection of jazz and West African rhythm and instruments. Interesting to hear the political history behind this album and Kuti. Dude married two dozen women and had them his back up singers. Tracks flow well and have a lot of diversity in itself, maintaining the rhythm while trying out various instruments and vocals. Very well produced. You can hear the inspiration of soul and funk, especially in the third track. Fourth track was the weakest but still pleasant and would definitely get a huge applause out of me if that played at my jazz festival.
What a cool f'n album. Had no idea who this guy was, but what a story, especially how this album was beloved by the public but incensed the Nigerian government. Now those are powerful lyrics. And his delivery (and his backing band's) is electric. I love Zombie by the Cranberries but I think I have to Kuti's Zombie right up there with it. The album is really just two songs. Zombie kicks serious ass. Mr. Follow Follow isn't quite as good but it still deserves respect.
Before I heard Fela Kuti, I heard Femi Kuti (his son). A co-worker then introduced me to Fela. I do really enjoy west African music, and this is classic.
This was a cool album. Always nice to have a departure from familiar genres. Nothing too special about it, but great rhythms and just an enjoyable groove. Just a few songs, all very long, but the kind of long songs that I enjoy. Basically the polar opposite of that Goldie album we had recently that overstayed its welcome. Favorite tracks: Zombie, Mr. Follow Follow. Album art: Hard to tell exactly what's going on here. A collage of soldiers, and Fela is pointing a finger gun at one of them? Is he accusing soldiders of being zombies? I'm not sure. It looks alright though, and the bold, colorful text design is really great. 4/5
I liked this more than I expected - definitely fusion music, but bringing the best of both.
Very jazzy. First time I've heard reggae elements in jazz. Lots of movement to the music.
Nice jazzy after-beat album. Just 4 songs but each has a pretty unique sound and the lyrics get straight to the point of what they’re trying to say. The horn work really made this album for me. 7/10
Frenetic and contagious. This one was a chant for freedom and art. I will always applaud meaningful art! Sorry to see the aftermath caused by this album. Death and war is the language of tyranny
What a life this guy has lived..and yet with such tragedy, comes uplifting music despite themes and lyrics rooted in darkness. Quite a unique blend and I really enjoyed the two pieces. Great dynamics and a great overall runtime.
I listened to the album before reading about it, just to mix things up (usually I read about it before listening). I enjoyed it musically - I've always been drawn to Afrobeat/ music of Africa. I obviously didn't know what each song was about specifically, but the passion and energy was undeniable throughout. I learned that this is a political album - it's criticism of the Nigerian government likely resulted in Fela's commune being attacked by Nigerian soldiers. His mother was killed in that attack, and Fela was severely beaten. Also, he formed the commune which declared itself independent of the Nigerian government. He played multiple instruments, had multiple wives at once, and is widely regarded as the pioneer of the Afrobeat style.
Like it, as i´m not a jazz export, don´t know if it´s really exceptional, but it swings, has spirit and uses vocals like an instrument rather than spitting lyrics
4 very long songs, but it is so dynamic that the hour of listening passes very quickly. Ideal of cooking hours.
Not entirely sure how to rate this album. I thought it was pretty good and the story behind it is awesome. A lot of the songs had these weird moments of awkwardness that affected my enjoyment. Between 3 and 4 stars but closer to 4.
Never really listened to anything like this before, really fantastic! Really great beat and horns that just loop and drive without tiring. Lyrics to Zombie stood out, so I did some research. I feel like this is the type of music that has so much more impact with background - or using it as a way to educate. You can hear so many things that influenced so much music. I enjoyed this one :-)
Tykkäsin listalla aiemmin olleesta Fela Kutin levystä ja ei tämäkään huono ollut. Sopivalla tempolla soitettua jatsia, ei liian vikkelää. Se jokin erityisyys tästä kuitenkin jäi puuttumaan, joten joutuu arpomaan kolmosen ja nelosen välillä. Pyöristetään vaihteeksi ylöspäin!
Interesting listen, not usually the type of music I listen to, but it kept my attention all the way through. I especially like the instrumentals and the Afro-beats are so infectious and energetic, it brought warmth to my otherwise chilly day! Nice!
Not a genre I would have likely discovered on my own. I really like this album. Good arrangements with powerful significance behind the songs.
Super chill funky stuff considering the subject matter and controversy. Pretty good background music.
Enjoyable funky Jazz which at times was reminiscent of the New Orleans vibe. Was great to listen to preparing dinner but not sure I would sit down and listen to it. Original vinyl was just two long tracks so I'm glad that there was a couple of bonus tracks.
Stvarno zanimljiva i strašna pozadina što se događala tijekom i poslije snimanja ovog albuma. I opet '77 godina, pa ta godina je premoćna za albume bila, a ovaj album upada sada u moje favorite te godine.
jako mi se svida to sto krene pjevat nakon desetak minuta pa svaki put bude iznenađenje. Jako dobar album.
So, all I know about this guy is that he gets nominated for the Hall of Fame a lot. Did he ever get in? Somehow I had assumed he was more of a roots/reggae style. This is not what I was expecting. This album got him jailed, his mother murdered, and his entire town destroyed. That's terrible, but gottdamm, that's rock n roll.
The version differences here are slightly mysterious. Solid hour of music on the four-track version on streaming (I gather this is the European CD release, or maybe just a CD release in general). The music's all groove. The melody instruments do a good job, though they are rather few, or lack the density certain jazz bands can produce for fifteen minutes. The vocal sections are the most dynamic, and far too rare.
Pretty groovy. It was an interesting delve into Afrobeat, which I don't have much experience with. 3.5
Ya escuché otro disco de Fela Kuti gracias a esta lista. Interesante ese momento del africanismo a finales de los 70. Musicalmente me parece una buena mezcla de jazz y coros. Recomendable para gente con paciencia. Son 4 canciones de más de 12 minutos todas.
Ich hab ein leicht schlechtes Gewissen. Weil ich im Wikipedia-Artikel über die Umstände dieser Platte gelesen habe, und wie "ein bisschen Ärger dafür bekommen" die Untertreibung des Jahrhunderts ist. Mir gibt sie trotzdem nicht so viel wie ich jetzt denke dass sie sollte. Manchmal zündet Afrobeat bei mir, manchmal auch nicht. Runde auf auf 2,5 für's gute Gewissen, ok?
I'd heard of Fela Kuti but never listened to his stuff. Sounds really cool I thought and not what I'd normally have on, might go back to it
"Go and kill! (Joro, jaro, joro) Go and die! (Joro, jaro, joro) Go and quench! (Joro, jaro, joro) Put am for reverse! (Joro, jaro, joro)" (Zombie) Cómo que canciones de 15 minutos para un lunes por la mañana, me voy a tirar por la ventana.
I need to make a playlist of great jazz albums to listen to while I work. Ill call it "getting jazzed to show up to work". these are solid gold puns.
Easy listening World Music that’s well suited for happier sunny days. Not particularly mind blown by it but overall a decent album.
Never heard of Fela Kuti before. Very short album but quite good as background music in a bar.
Enjoyed the initial jolt of energy but those positive feelings soon wore off. Too many flashbacks to the neighbours all night parties.
Sehr groovy, hätte meinetwegen auch nur instrumental sein können. Kann man sicher auch gut nebenbei hören
Way too long. Only four songs and 50 minutes long like what the hell. The Wikipedia page for the album was pretty wild though
Initial reaction: oh it’s just the 4 songs? *looks at runtime* /oh/. very nice start. It’s nice music. I think it doesn’t do much for me but then I find that i dont want to skip the songs. observation no crime was my fave song.
Love his story of protesting the Nigerian government. Calling the soldiers “zombies” although he paid for it his music can’t be hushed. Not really my stay but the jazzy,funk,world music is full of talent.
I like this tbh. Makes it cooler what he had going on at the time. Putting up a fight with afrobeat and Jazz. It's pretty rad Tbh and I think I would probably recommend this to most people just for the experience of it.
Musically and compositionally very good. As a matter of preference, I think the songs run too long, meaning I like the tracks less at the end than at the halfway point.
Long rambling afro jazz with sporadic interjections by Fela and backup singers in call and response. Fun and funky but probably background music on most occasions rather than active listening
Not my favorite record, but there are definitely some interesting and exciting tracks on this thing! The problem with longer tracks (all of these tracks are 12+ mins) is that there are definitely parts of each song that I really enjoy, but then those parts are almost spoiled by other parts that I don’t like nearly as much FAV TRACKS: Zombie, Mr. Follow Follow LEAST FAV TRACKS: Observation No Crime
Nota: 3/5 És un àlbum de 4 pistes i 53 minuts de duració. Pistes extremadament llaegues i repetirives pel meu gust Fusió de música africana amb jazz. Correcte per sonar fluixet, de fins. A mi, no m'ha convençut, però li reconec el mèrit tant musocal com social. .
Están interesantes los ritmos africanos fusionados con Jazz, pero eso no le quita que sea un poco repetitivo y que en definitiva prefiero otros formatos.
Fuera de sus pedos mentales y su intento de tomar poder político de Nigeria era un instrumentista muy bueno, crear el afrobeat y mezclar tan bien en este disco al menos el jazz (que así si lo puedo degustar) y el funk fue genial. La letra no es de mi agrado pero la música sin duda alguna es buena aunque sean canciones muy largas, que pueden estar muy bien de fondo mientras trabajo
No tenía expectativa alguna de este disco porque realmente no suponía que encontraría. Un inicio cercano al jazz, ritmos africanos (obviamente) y un buen manejo de sonidos hacen a este disco bastante agradable. No hizo que redefiniera mis gustos ni prioridades, pero funcionó muy bien de ruido ambiental. Sí pondría de nuevo este disco sin mucho problema.
3.5 | Nunca había puesto atención a algo como este Afrobeat, me parece una combinación bastante bien hecha y agradable. Los sonidos de jazz que hay en base con algo de funk y obviamente todo el polirítmico africano hacen una mezcla muy particular. Me dió gracia que de inmediato me remitió a un LP que había en mi casa de los Talking Heads en el que usan ritmos casi iguales, quizá evidencia de la influencia que alguien así pudo tener aun cuando en el nivel comercial primero no hubiera pegado tanto. La historia del disco y de la vida de Fela Kuti impresionante, una mezcla de fascinación, admiración y repulsión por este personaje mezcla de músico brillante, activista social y líder de culto. Quitando ese lado y juzgando solo por su música es muy buena y creo el avance y creación de sonidos que no existían son evidentes.
Punchy, lively and quite addictive. Given the subject of the album there is only so much railing that can be effective, hence the short running time.
Funky African Jazz. Not sure I'd revisit as I don't listen to much jazz but I did enjoy this.
Afrobeat, but predominently jazz. It's good and I enjoyed it, but it didn't change my life.
Pretty interesting to hear for me. Lots of influences from musical cultures and styles I'm unfamiliar with. But not something I'd particularly enjoy listening to more often.
1st November 2021 Listened throughout the day while working before douggie came to crash for the evening. Really enjoyed this, what I wanted to find from the project. Funky, jazzy, cool!
Enjoyed listening as background while I was getting some work done, just like the last few jazz albums, a 54 minute run time with only 4 songs. I certainly didn't mind it, but it felt like there were brief moments of really good mixed in with a lot of just regular afro-beat music. Again, no real complaints, always happy to listen to African music but nothing that stood out to me to make it on this list.
Ok look....it's an interesting listen...once. As much as I hate electronic, edm, drum n bass....whatever the fuck it is....Jam bands (I know it's afrobeat) are a close second. What is the point. I don't have the time or fortitude to listen to these long ass songs. I'm giving a 3 because I can see how this was influential but for the love of unicorns don't make me listen to this again.
I listened to his grandsons album in my 100 albums from 2021, so I have heard of Fela Kuti but never listened before. Cool afrobeat vibes.
Nice instrumentals and vocals (however rare) but the song length was a bit too much imo. Great for background sound. 5/10.
Exciting music, but every time the chants start I start looking at how long the song has left.
Like most of the world music: interesting and nice to have heard it once but that's it
Loving the afro beat grooves, but not too crazy about the song melodies and the solo work. I have heard better from Fela Kuti.
Leppoisaa afrikkasoundia, joka toimii taustamusiikkina töitä tehdessä vähintäänkin kohtuullisesti. Toisaalta en kyllä oikein kuuntelemalla jaksa tällaista musiikkia kuunnella. Omassa genressään kyllä ihan mukava tuttavuus (ei ärsytä). Palkitaan kuitenkin listan tähän mennessä paras afrikkalevy kolmosella.
This is some original Afrobeat - I like what they're doing but I don't think I'd seek it out too often
So far I am viiibing with this. I can't quite tell when I would listen to it again because it is such a distinct sound. I feel like maybe when cooking, or if I were like an uber driver
This was definitely interesting. I am glad I read the wikipedia article to get some context on the album.
Great rhythm!! Horn and drum sections are wonderful!! Words are hard to understand because this is a protest song in Nigeria.
A nije loše za chill iako kad pročitaš malo po wikipediji, baš i nije neki chill haha. Al dobar jazz
ne mogu točno istaknit šta mi ne paše kod ovakve glazbe, možda bi mi u nekoj drugoj situaciji/okruženju bolje sila ali trenutno je ovakvo stanje
Mr Jumbles, my 3rd grade teacher, once told me to dance like I've never been sexually assaulted by a teacher in the supply closet. This music really brings that spirit to the fore. I feel alive. Thank you Mr Jumbles, you inspired me to be me.
Decent grooves if a bit too repetitive. Can see its influence on acid jazz the following decade.
As for his influence on Western pop music, there are a handful of people in the world music genre who have probably ripped this man off from here to Lagos, Nigeria. Certainly a brilliant musician. (6/10) FT: Zombie
Really enjoyed this however 14 mins seems a bit long for a song. They seemed to have a 6 minute warm up then some vocals and then a jam. It was funky and groovy and probably really good to dance to. Probably wouldn't listen again though.
This was quite fun I guess, it didn't do much for me. But was verging on the level of jazz I can actually stomach
Bit of fun, jazzy record, don't know enough about jazz or African music to tell if its any good
Si bien en el álbum hace una buena mezcla de sonido jazz y música tribal, su escucha se vuelve pesada y repetitiva conforme avanzan los temas, lo que convierte al disco en una escucha aburrida. Entiendo el trasfondo de la creación de este disco, por lo que le ocurrió a la familia del autor y a él mismo, pero, en cuanto a la música, no tiene demasiado interés
Too repetitive for me. Felt like a random jam session with no real sense of direction. Best track: Zombie
Being disconnected from the political situation that inspired the album and not having the technical knowledge to judge the instruments' execution, the album feels repetitive at times to me.
Jazz. Ik ben er niet zo'n grote fan van. Toch snap ik dit album wel. Er wordt een bepaalde sfeer neergezet met diverse instrumenten. **
Goes on a bit, liked the second track better than the first, but don't think I'll revisit it.
Not his best record and a little bit long for me. African rhythms plus jazz are a good combination. Cover art: 4/5
"Fela Kuti, da ist noch richtig was los!“ sagen Deichkind und diese Aussage ist unrichtig. Vielmehr ist diese Platte unglaublich klischeehaft langweilig.
“The album infuriated the government, setting off a vicious attack against the Kalakuta Republic (a commune that Fela had established in Nigeria), during which one thousand soldiers attacked the commune. Kuti was severely beaten, and his elderly mother was thrown from a window, causing fatal injuries.”
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Steely Dan is an ok artist with about 3 decent songs. His album with reeling in the years on it was acceptable. This is just pushing it. It’s alright but there is nothing that says to me ‘this is in the top 1001 albums ever written’
African jazz