Zombie

energetic afronigerian jazz music. the original lp only has two big tracks, only leaving around 25 minutes in length. it's probably the shortest album i've listened to so far. despite its length i thought it was pretty nice. kuti was unafraid to speak his mind about the nigerian military, his mainstay track "zombie" literally refers to soldiers as such, mindlessly doing whatever they're told. of course a song like this sparked outrage, with many of kuti's friends and family being attacked. he may have had to pay a price for his critiques, but he wasn't going to let his message fall on deaf ears. it's catchy music that could radicalize.

I really liked this!

Powerful, fun, excellent.

Great sounding album from an artist I like.

A great introduction to Afrobeat.

Chill Afro-Jazz, nice horns

Wikipedia’d the album before listening as I had never heard of him and was impressed with the background of the album, and then gave it a listen. Loved it. Both the opening tracks are amazing, but through and through a great first introduction to this genre of music.

Epic

Afrobeats meet jazz

Great music, easy listening. Wonderful rhythms.

This album was a fun ride. I was really surprised that there was only 4 songs, but I got so much out of those 4 songs that by the end of them I was craving for more.

The album that made the Nigerian government so mad that the Nigerian army invaded and destroyed Fela’s commune and murdered his mother?!? Whatttttt????

I absolutely love Fela and the genre he pioneered, Afrobeat. This album is an excellent choice—it not only highlights the vibrant music but also delivers his powerful sociopolitical messages. It's both deeply moving and incredibly impactful.

Phenomenal. I saw Seun Kuti perform this year and it was just as fabulous.

Honestly a fantastic album, much better than I anticipated going into it

liked it,

Perfect. A true genius and an album of defiance.

Yeah! Nice! I never had listen or heard about afrobeat before, but that was a pleasent surprise! Another good discovery from the 70s! 5 stars today!

"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." Puts records like Keane's Hopes and Fears into context.

Fav song: Zombie I was initially very apprehensive after seeing the length of the songs on this album but was SUPER surprised by it. I just wish there was more!! So much respect for waiting 8 minutes before the vocals start. Great fun to listen to from start to finish.

man the horns on this album grabbed me. seeing 4 tracks at a total of 53 minutes made me a bit worried, but man does it fly by. Had a great time with this, not a moment was I bored.

Now that’s some afrobeat!

get their ass Fela!!!

Very cool and much different than nearly everything else on this list. The music in a vacuum is great, but with the tragic context, this is very cool shit.

loved this

Fela is always great. Zombie is a classic track and I have always enjoyed this record. Listened to the extended version with the bonus tracks on streaming. Great record.

I was introduced to Femi Kuti earlier in this list, so was excited to see what his dad had to offer. The African - jazz fusion is great, but reading the story about this album is the cherry on the cake.

right up my street this, need to dive deeper into fela's stuff best song: mistake worst song: n/a

This guy's lore is so fucking fire. Man was a political activist against the corrupt government (who after his repeated criticisms raided his commune, destroyed his shit, beat his ass close to death, killed his mom, and after all that bullshit still kept making music for the people), had over 20 wives, and made some amazing politically charged music that inspired a nation. This album being the main reason why he was raided and attacked by government also resulting in the death of his mother. Absolute legend among men. Top 3 Favorites: Zombie, Mistake, and Mr. Follow Follow It's all gas 4.75/5

It is a very unique experience, and the length of the songs only contributes to the build-up of so many different layers of sound.

I like this album's vibe sooo much. It is jazzy and makes me happy. I even danced in some songs while I was listening. I wanna listen this album again.

Zombie çoh iyi. Şarkılar uzun ama anlamıyorsun 15 dk olduğunu; değişiyo dönüşüyo, hojdır.

One of the best and most surprising discoveries on this list to date. Who would have thought that Nigerian Funk-Soul-World-Jazz would go so hard? Only four tracks, each one distinct and while "Zombie" is the clear highlight to me, each one of them is enjoyable and fun. Perfect for cooking. The Afrobeat influences make the whole thing weirdly danceable and catchy. The long jazzy instrumental passages in the first half of the songs are varied, exciting and groovy in themselves and then vocals also come into play. Apparently, the album criticized the Nigerian government; and is believed to have led to the murder of Kuti's mother and the destruction of his commune by the military, which is sad but also Metal as fuck.

Damn, Fela. I was unfamiliar with your game. This shit slaps

Zombie on Halloween!!!

Loved this album. Great African jazz and I wish this list had more of this kind of thing. I know it's not for everyone, but the musicianship, energy, and passion in this album is undeniable. 5/5

The energy and effect of the title track alone warrants a listen - and repeated listens - to this album. A song that is truly larger than music. Even when he pulls the tempo down the energy is mesmerizing.

Straight banger

Probably the best first listen I've had so far. I don't know how often I'm going to listen to 12-minute Afro-Beat songs but I'll enjoy it when I do. 9/10

Muito foda o contexto social e político envolvido por trás. Não só isso, musicalmente falando o álbum é um espetáculo. Conhecer o gênero Afrobeat foi magnífico, além de expandir meu gosto para o jazz, que eu comecei a apreciar recentemente.

Perfect for overthrowing dictatorships AND Saturday evenings at a cocktail bar

Already heard it, easy 5/5

Great music. Love it.

unstoppable joy 10/10

Fela is a genius and a political revolutionary. This is an awesome album with jazz, afrobeat, and politics all mixed into one package. I'm wondering if they will not have "Water Got No Enemy" since it is technically a single. This may be the only Fela entry in 1001. So, while I wasn't familiar with Zombie before this listening and I dig it a lot, it is not as good as "Water Got No Enemy" so I'm going to bump this one up to 5-star by including "Water Got No Enemy" into this rating. Otherwise, Zombie is added to the rotation and earns a 4-star rating. Cheating, I know but I had to get my love for that song in.

This was surprisingly great!

Rating: 9.5/10 Rated original LP. Amazing combination of jazz and African rhythms, the vocals accentuate the music so much as well.

Brilliant.

A revolutionary message set to jazz, funk and afrobeat - what's not to like?

A surprisingly fun listen given the context. If you weren't paying attention to the lyrics you'd think it was just a lot of warm, brassy afro-beat jazz.

Fedt fedt fed

Fela delivers two 12-minute funky afrobeat anti-militaristic juggernauts which prompted 1000 soldiers to be sent out to crush him, tragically killing his mother. Obvious five.

Amazing from start to finish!! Will defo be delving into the back catalogue

Groovy As Fuck

Hard funk with some hard truth.

New to me and just beautiful. Four songs, and I favorited three of them. Easily the highest batting average of any album.

Increíble

An outstanding introduction to Afrobeat that has timeless melodies.

This is a great album! I've never heard of it and I'm loving it.

Fela. 5

Bar one dud so far, albums between #31-40 have been absolutely stellar. I didn't know what to expect when this one popped up, but one thing I certainly wasn't expecting was a killer jazz/funk LP leading us into the simple, yet effective messaging each song contains. Every track is around 12-14 minutes and they all follow the same formula: about 7-8 minutes of fantastic loose jazz instrumentation that is both funky and smooth as hell, crescendoing with reggae flavoured vocals and a return to the instrumentation to finish things out. A quick read of the fallout this album caused is also very interesting, tragic, and really paints a picture of just how much of a controversial figure Fela Kuti was. It has given me that rabbit hole itch to dive deeper into this man's life; and his music to accompany it of course. Much like 'Black Monk Time', which I got on this list about two weeks ago, this is one of those albums I would never have listened to or found out about unless it popped up here. So I'll repeat what I said in that review: discovering records like this is one of the big reasons I started this whole thing. It just completely opens your mind up, and turns your music tastes inside out in the best way possible. 'Zombie' is a phenomenal album that carries some heavy weight with it, and it should be listened to by anyone who likes to jump into protest anthems; because even in that realm it is a somewhat unique and powerful entry.

I love this - so much energy. Zombie is one of his best tracks

Man...I'm sorry I missed this album last year! Glad I realized I skipped it. And even more glad that I listened to it. This album was LIT. Phenomenal beat, funky as hell, energetic and politically charged. Awesome album.

I first heard of Fela Kuti from a friend who just bought the "Live!" album with Ginger Baker. We listened to it and--like every other song I've heard from Fela since--were instantly immersed in a funky, jazzy, and extended hypnotic groove. I eventually made a Fela Kuti station on Pandora, added Budos Band (thanks for the recommendation, Joel!) and few thumbs up to some tracks, and let the it do its thing; it's one of my favorite stations. Zombie follows suit in engaging rhythms and jazzy improvisation, which doesn't seem limited to solo instruments. I imagine like a great Southern Baptist choir, the backup singers have their phrases pre-loaded and ready to go whenever Fela gives the signal, either visually or with his own vocal cue. On the surface, the music holds it own as a skilled and groovy jam, but when you consider what he's saying and the push back he's giving to the authority of the land, this rebel music carries real weight and gravitas. Though I've heard much of his music, I haven't heard a full album aside from the aforementioned live album. Paying full price for an album with 4 extended jam songs is a tough pill to swallow, but as an online radio or elongated playlist, his music shines for hours. I haven't heard a song from Fela that I did not like.

Amazing!

An incredible album with some of the best, most addictive instrumentals and lyrics that are so strong considering they are standing up to the Nigerian government. Definitely an album everyone needs to hear.

4.5/5, original version. Zombie - 4.5/5 Follow Follow - 4.5/5

Happy Halloween 🧟‍♂️

Interesting, was aware of Fela Kuti because I knew Prince was a massive fan but hadn’t ever given an album the time of day, enjoyed it

Awesome

This album is amazing. The opening track “Zombie” grabs me right away. This whole album is great. I need more by this guy.

What I wouldn't give to see Fela Kuti live-- Ok scratch that. Just read more about what happened at some of his live events. Unreal. Makes me grateful to even be able to hear this music. Giving it a rating feels absurd. Wouldn't know it by looking at the surface but after reading more, easily the heaviest album so far.

Uno de los mejores discos que he escuchado en esta lista. Tanto como una postura política en contra del régimen totalitario nigeriano de Olusegun Obasanjo, como una postura sonora que brilla como el principal foco de la masificación del afrobeat en la música popular, este trabajo se siente como una pieza sumamente influyente para todo el panorama musical alternativo de la época. Sumamente recomendable y disfrutable; realmente un indispensable.

Man oh man. What an album. The title track is incredible. The military did not take kindly to its message and killed Kuti's mother in a village raid. I love the super long intros, they sort of lull you and you almost forget about Kuti's words until he jumps at you out of nowhere

Title track is on that has so permeated the musical ether that I knew this song without ever having really listened. Fela's energy on live recordings is unmatched, but even the studio recordings are all timers.

saving this to my library immediately

4 songs 53 minutes. actually goated. this is what i was looking for when starting this project

This is my 2nd Fela album on this list. I had never heard him before and so far, he's my favorite new discovery from the generator. I thoroughly enjoyed this album. I had it on repeat most of the day.

CLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSIC

Love when he shouts 'ordeeeerrr!'

Man I loved this. I'm realising it makes a big difference what I'm doing while I listen to an album. I listened to this while I was doing something creative and energetic, and it was a perfect match.

Perhaps his best work. It’s politically charged, yet upbeat and incredibly groovy.

Day 33 - July 4th, 2024 What better way to celebrate the 4th with an album so anti establishment! 5/5.

Nice album!

Funk masterpiece

Stellar! Unreal instrumentation that you just get lost in before the sublime vocals come in on each track!

All-timer grooves. Could listen to this forever.

So... this should come as no shock - but I am a bit mentally ill. and one of the ways in which that manifests is that I am obsessive with musician discographies... that being said I have listened to 43 Fela Kuti albums in the past two years and Zombie is by my measure one of the three best albums he ever recorded (Expensive Shit & Gentleman being the other two). What makes Fela's 70s so damn good is his band, Africa '70 and specifically Tony Allen, his percussionist who is really the driving force behind the success of this era, which is by my count the most successful and consistent era of any musician in recorded history. Afrobeat is a genre with a lot of variation but what I really appreciate about Fela's music is how consistent it is. You can listen to any of the Fela & Africa 70 albums that came out in the 70s and have a rough idea of the music you are about to hear. He created a sound that is absolutely timeless, unparalleled in its consistency and good as hell every damn time.

It’s a 5. It’s a little weird to give a 2-track album a 5, but I think it’s definitely a 5. Those were 2 really good fucking tracks; Zombie has one of the catchiest choruses I’ve ever heard out of this genre (or others like it), and while Mr. Follow Follow wasn’t as good, it was still pretty damn good. Obviously, the politically charged undertones and the aftermath of this album’s release play a big part in its mythology and its impact, but the songs by themselves are both excellent to me. Sometimes, it’s just as simple as going “the music is really good,” and I think the music is just REALLY good. I’m fine with a 5.

Make no Mistake, this album is waking Zombies.

Fantastic short blast of Afro beats with great brass.

Most white critics missed the point of this. It was not about freedom, but oppression. It’s good actually. An album you should hear.

Jazz with an African voice that somehow feels like it is the right Meter, and makes me question jazz. I feel I need to read up to be qualified to understand what I am listening to but I like it and it's completely new to me.

Fela Kuti is an original and always superb. Zombie is no different. 5 stars.

Really funky with a reggae twist

esse dai quem não escutou ta vacilando. grandes pedradas da música do mundo. Faz estadunidense chorar

I don’t have anything clever to say, this is just great

Insanely important politically, but also a brilliant recording. A heartbreaking testament to the power of music for underrepresented voices.

Super-inventive jazz, great rhythms.

I enjoyed this thoroughly! The rhythms put me into a trance-like state. I was doing some repetitive work; this was the perfect music to relax and do homework for the evening. I will listen to this again and pay more attention to the lyrics. I believe I heard some important lyrics during "Mistake."

Thankful I got to hear this album and learn some about its history. A brave and beautiful work of art.

NIGERIA GOT THE SAUCE days like this are my favourite being able to find more world music that i wouldn't have before is what i do this shit for man. 4.5/5

Fela brings some great energy on that trumpet. I feel like all these songs bring a great energy and are enjoyable to listen to. If I gave Miles a 5 I feel like Fela is on par.

I loved it

This is soooooooo good! I love the structure of Fela Kuti songs. Get into a funky groove for about 7 minutes, with lots of improvised solos backed by lots of percussion, then add some meaningful call and response lyrics. Some might think it's repetitive, but I think it works! I hadn't heard Zombie before, but I've heard other Fela albums before. I'm now a fan of this one too. Liked songs added: - Mr. Follow Follow - Mistake

Ja erg fan van fela de laatste tijd, goed dat er iets uit een ander continent in staat ook wel

ja helemala leuk, top album, anders nooit geluisterd

Ken deze artiest niet Net zn hele backstory gelezen, echt ziek verhaal Lekkere afro jazz Heerlijk album, dit is de 1001 albums voor je het voor doet

Endlessly repeatable. Great great afrobeat album.

Monster.

You can hear so many modern bands that have been influenced by this album.

1001 Zombie by Fela Kuti. I just read his bio. He was fascinating man a Nigerian activist and musician who is credited with being the father of the afro beat . This album is superb the trumpet and sax playing is off the charts . I'm going to dive deep into his catalog. Definitely added to my library

I see Fela, i give 5 Kutis

Outstanding, funky and jazzy with a message . Not often that i feel an album is too short, but i could happily have another discs worth.

The combination of funky, syncopated rhythms, amazing musicianship and powerful political messages hits the sweet spot for me.

beautiful album.

Fela is truly one of the greatest artists to ever live and mixes the two greatest aspects of music which are political rage and grooving hard as you can. If you don't move when any of his songs come on I think you might actually be a bad guy. Like a real piece of shit. What kind of asshole doesn't dance to this? What do you have no soul? You're the scum of the earth you know that? Fuck you.

Excellent 😀

You can't go wrong with any form of jazz. Whether it be avant-garde, cool, jazz-funk, jazz-fusion, afrobeat is no different. This is the very first time I'm hearing of Fela Kuti and afrobeat, actually. When the first song finished, I knew this would be a special listen. Zombie is the epitome of those albums that click with you on the first listen. Simply flawless.

This was great. An artist I hadn’t heard before and I spent the rest of the day listening to. African beats, jazz hooks and funk. I really dug this.

I know I am less than 10% of the way through the project at this point, but I am confident enough to commit to writing that this album will end up being a top 10 find for me when this is all said and done. Minus points for Duck Rock after hearing this. Couldn't help but bop around through the entire hour even after I realized what it was about.

This album just did it for me! Vibing it in the summer and just feeling great! Mr Follow Follow felt a touch too long but I really loved the whole album. Can see myself putting this on while BBQing surrounded by great company, great food and great beer.

Perfekte Musik zum Tanzen. Cool

This is fun!! 5/5

Exactly what I'm looking for here. An artist that is new to me playing music that immediately grabs me. The title track Zombie is so funky and pulled me right into the music. I was so absorbed I didn't even realize 14 minutes had passed, it just sounded so good. Inventive sounds, good singing, great instrumentals.

I'm not a big jazz fan, but I have to make an exception for this album. Without a doubt one of the most unique and interesting albums I have ever listened to. Every song was incredibly written, and the sparse use of vocals made the lyrics hit harder whenever they showed up. Without a doubt a masterpiece.

Amazing

Fela is a musical hero of mine. Discovered him relatively recently, I quickly absorbed his entire discography. He essentially created the Afro-beat genre – unpretentious and danceable jazz – usually comprising of one 15-ish minute track per side, first half instrumental and second half with vocals kicking in. Most songs are heavily politicized protest songs against the then-ruling Nigerian government and military. (Soldiers later raided his compound, resulting in the death of his mother and his near assassination. Possibly a retaliation against this album's incendiary lyrics). He later died from AIDS in the 90s. 5/5

Jammin'

I've always been meaning to listen to Fela Kuti properly. Really cool. Not as jazzy and more afrobeaty than other stuff I've heard.

Love love love

This album was interesting. I enjoyed learning about the artist

10/10. I listened to this album in a different head space and setting a few years ago and think I graded it like 7/10. Listening to it alone in my current head space gave me a different perspective on it. It’s fantastic if you take the time to truly digest it all. Zombie and Mistake made the 5 ⭐️ song list for me.

Perfection

Finally I have the opportunity to speak about Fela Kuti again. That first live album I heard nearly 200 days ago still remains one of the most explosive and energizing pieces of live music I’ve ever heard. Zombie does nothing to soil Fela’s image. I really had no doubts though. From the period of 1971 to 1977, this man and his band were creating nothing but straight bangers. And this album really acts as the culmination of those years, and a farewell to that band. I picked up pretty quickly that Fela plays far less of a role vocally on these songs compared to what I have heard of him in the past. But when he does have his moments, they are critical and absolutely excellent. This album acts as a scathing and meaningful critique of the Nigerian government, and the brutal dictatorship that was happening at the time. That alone makes this an incredibly important piece of Nigerian history, but the result of Fela’s words are tragic. Possibly leading the death of his mother and the destruction of his studio and commune by the Nigerian military, this record meant something. And none of that even speaks on the music itself. Which of course, is amazing. Fela really made me fall in love with a genre I never imagined I would have any connection to. And the way his band plays on this is pure love and life. I’ve said it many times, and I’ll say it again, I fucking love brass instruments. And when the brass sounds as punchy and snappy as it does on this record, it just fills my heart with joy. Fela Kuti is a wildly impactful artist in the musical and political history of Nigeria. And he helped tremendously with bridging the gap between the West and the East through his music. Imagine the Miles Davis of afrobeat. Breaks my heart that this is the last chance I will have to talk about him. And it saddens me that artists like Madonna have more of a presence on this list than he does. Rating: 9/10

after hearing the name fela kuti for years, i finally have the opportunity to listen to him, and man this album is fucking cool. great grooves, great vibes. super cool stuff, i would love to hear more from him!!

If your political album is so effective that the government comes to your house and kills your mother because of it, I think it's safe to say you deserve 5 ⭐

Let's get annoyingly technical. When I've listened to this album in the past, I've just listened to the first two songs since that's what appeared on the original LP version. Easy 5. This time I listened to all 4 songs on Spotify which were on the CD reissue. To be honest, I thought about deducting a point for how long the sax solo on "Observation No Crime" dragged out, but then "Mistake" came on and it's now 5. So, mathematically, where does that leave us? Well, I'm not taking points off of perfection just because a guy played a saxophone just a few seconds too long for my taste.

funky, soulful, aggressive. I love afrobeat. Fela's sax is good but Tony Allen is the heart here.

Wowwww!!!

Großartige Platte!

A brilliant slice of jazzy funky Afro beat.

Fela Kuti can do no wrong for me.

I feel crass for wanting to talk about his influence on Talking Heads after learning that this was a big deal protest album that resulted in serious violence being done to him. Then I kept reading the wikipedia article, which itself felt the need to bring up: "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." Like I dunno wiki editors, I feel like maybe musical impact and influences are maybe more relevant to the article about the album itself, and some of this other stuff belongs in the **Personal Life** section on the musician page.

Loved the funky jazz with the international flavor. Favorite song was Mistake.

I mean. Zombies look for braaaaaains but they'll find none here, because this is a no-brained five star review. Afrobeat par excellence, genre defining artist and exceptional talent. Fela Kuti is just brilliant, taking influences from West African music and East Coast jazz to make something lovely and wonderful.

Classic funky jazzy afro

This is amazing. So funky and smooth. What a great album. It’s such a refreshing and different vibe to my usual listening

Fela Kuti is the man. Great album.

Made me feel hostile for some reason. But not in a bad way.

The sound is so beautiful and unique. Makes you wanna move. Makes you want to protest.

Vital!

Funny. I was just listening to this earlier today. Fucking LOVE Fela! This is genius.

Epic. Very much Tank! vibe. Loved this albulm.

Favorite entry so far. All of the tracks were super hype and a great listen. Could easily revisit this. Favorite songs: all of them

Damn, I like this! So so good - I thought at first it was just regular jazz but I've learned since then that this is the birth of Afrobeat!

Quintessential Afro-Beat. I listened to the extended addition with "Observation No Crime" and a live version of "Mistake"

Perfect

I love these Afrobeat jams!

Groovy beats and luscious horns. Super fun!

Another Fela Kuti album - and apparently this one got people killed! Crazy what music can make despots do. This was very enjoyable. Really cool stuff!

A Funk-Fueled attack on the Nigerian Military, Afrobeat as protest weapon, political sermon wrapped in a trance-like groove. All middle fingers from his Kalakuta Republic (until they burned that mother down).

4.5 rounded up how could anyone dislike this

Digger det her. Et mini album av afrikanske grooves. Digge rytmiske gitarvamps, fengende kor, vokal som kommer inn bare når det trengs, jazzy trompet og brakende støt-blås. Rytmeseksjonen ligger herlig bakpå så det rykker i alle dansemuskler. I dig it. Hver låt er nesten et kvarter med bare jamming, og jeg vil være med på jammen. Det albumet her vil jeg eie på vinyl. Endelig noe internasjonalt.

54 minute album, 4 songs - gotta love it. Strong, strong horn section. I never would have listened to this on my own and am so glad I did listen and will listen again.

This right here is why I started doing the 1001 albums project. This is fucking great, and I would never EVER have heard of Fela Kuti in my usual music circles.

"Music is supposed to have an effect. If you're playing music and people don't feel something, you're not doing shit." - Fela Kuti I felt something listening to this. Wish I listened to more jazz, all genres. What an album to make that hit home.

Influential beyond words to so much music

Day22 - there’s a good podcast from “who cares about the rock hall” about fela kuti from 2021 when he was nominated. he was an interesting guy and this album is great

Really great stuff. It was such a fun easy listen... And then I did a little reading. How can something so funky have such dark undertones. Loved it.

A fun surprise! Funky jazzy jammy Latin reggae. I’ve recommended to others.

Afro pop gold

👍🏻

I like the genre. Did some research: seems to be an influential artist in his genre. never heard of him! „Mr. Follow Follow“ is GREAT!!!

love me some afro-beat. fucking great jazz album

Good music. Very nice to listen to.

Some seriously tasty shit. Afro-beat with hints of souka (sp?). Fela is always pretty great, but this album is exceptional and very accessible for anyone dabbling with Jazz/Afro-beat

Not my favorite Fela Kuti album, but damn good!

Overwhelmingly impressed with this album! I've heard the track Zombie, unsure if I've ever heard the lp until this morning. If I did, I was in a fog because this is fricking awesome

Wow!

Such a great album! Listened while taking the train to meet a good friend for all you can eat sushi.

Felt Kuti has influenced a lot of my favorite music, and yet I've never listened to this - very excited today! Also, the wikipedia for this album is BONKERS. On repeat all afternoon, hell yes.

Song: Zombie This is exactly what I was hoping to discover through this project. I never would have encountered this artist or this song in my day-to-day life, but this was just incredible. I love jazz, and the musicianship on display here was amazing. The beginning of the song just felt like a group of musicians just together to have a good time—the sax & trumpet solos and shout choruses over the drum & guitar worked so well. However, the song really shines after a few minutes, when the vocals begin. Fela Kuti came to make a strong statement with this album, and he does, combined with excellent rhythms and vocal arrangements. I love when music gets political, when the statement is done right, and this is done right. The last sax solo is also excellent (and it ends with a little bit that sounded like Taps, which is such a good parting shot) I truly really enjoyed this song, and I want to hear so much more like this.

Great beats! I will listen to more by this artist

Really good

Great vibes specially after the first track

Groovy!

Super!! Nigerianischer polit. JAZZ

This is the kind of record I was hoping for from this app. I've never heard of Fela Kuti, so I'm very excited to dig in. It's such a groovy record. It's a mix of jazz, funk, and I assume some western African folk music. A quick Google says Kuti called this sound "Afrobeat," and given other records I've listened to from African artists I now see where their sounds come from. In reading the background about the record, I can see why this is such an important record. It was a political statement about the Nigerian government and the military. The lyrics (scant as they are) speak directly to these issues. But the music is such a unique blend of soulful grooves and motifs that you could easily enjoy the music even without the statements.

Commanding grooves, as one expects from Fela - just irrisistable. Not to mention the story around this album is mind bending. Since the album criticized the Nigerian military and became a massive hit, it naturally pissed the government off. They responded by going to his commune, beating him to near death, and throwing his mother from a window, injuries from which tragically resulted in her death. You would think an experience like this might silence a person. Of course we know, for Fela, it did anything but.

One of Fela's most significant tracks. They're all jams of course, but this one caused such an uproar that the government raided and destroyed his home/commune, beat him within an inch of his life, and killed his mother. Did this stop him? No, he kept right on at it without missing a beat, making even more pointed songs directed at the very same government/soldiers responsible for those heinous acts. And this was simply the boiling point after years of being harassed, abused, and intimidated. He wasn't making this stuff inside the safety of freedom of speech and artistic expression. He was making truly daring and powerful music that mattered. It had consequences, and he knew it. Fela was absolutely fearless in his music and his life.

This Fela groove start so strong. Reminds me if Headhunters in that the first two tracks are excellent and memorable. Second two are kind of boring. Still a great record

Fela Kuti is a name I'm familiar with but whose body of work I hadn't actually explored until today, but I loved what I heard. I had known he was a major influence on the Talking Heads, but not being able to speak the language and knowing so much of it was about being critical of the regime in Nigeria, I hadn't made time for it. These polyrhythms make the momentum of each track unstoppable and the band's energy is just kinetic, talk about a pocket. Seeing them live, if the last track is any indication, would probably have been incredible. This feels like one perfect set, to me. Eminently listenable. Kuti is the definition a complicated figure - a genuine hero of the poor in his home country, he was an outspoken critic of the junta, for which he was constantly harassed, jailed and nearly killed - this album alone resulted in 1000 members of the military raiding his compound, cracking his skull, and tossing his mother out the window to her eventual death. Unfortunately he was also deeply, wildly sexist in his views towards women. But back to the music, this is very much my shit and I don't see any reason to not award it the full 5.

Wow! I know he’s not Columbian but what a soundtrack to listen to while driving through the country. Yes the songs were long, but I don’t feel like they dragged on. Instead, Fela Kuti and his band slowly develop and grow the groove for as long as they need to. I did some reading and learned how political and controversial this album was in his home country of Nigeria which is pretty cool. Also, the horns in “Zombie” sounded familiar to me, and it turns out that’s the sample in Beyonce and Jay Z’s “Deja Vu”.

Love this album, such energy

This was fun to listen to, a good relaxing background music album. I want to hear more.

Political Funk Jazz, absolutely loved it

Such a positive, lively album. I don't know if I've ever sat down and listen to Afrobeat but I'm certainly intrigued.

Was surprised. But the four songs was produced so long even though they where so long

Ruddy Banger!

Incredible front to back. That's all that needs to be said.

SENSATIONAL. IT MADE ME DANCE. FUNKORAMIC.

protest afrojazz

I absolutely loved this.

I've heard Fela Kuti before, but not this full album. This was great! Really enjoyed the solos

4 canciones preciosas. cowboy bepop vibes. apreciando el jazz improvisado

What a great album. A light jazz with a touch of funk and African harmonies. Love this. Going on my favourites list.

I've never heard of Fela Kuti and I'm glad that I did!

This album was a major surprise. Expectations were low, but what a fantastic record of afrobeats and jazz. Maybe some of the best jazz we’ve ever heard. And the title track “Zombie” was definitely a song we’ve heard before, but couldn’t place where so it was a nice revisit to something trapped inside our heads. This album moves and flows, bobs and weaves, and with a tight runtime and 4 songs it’s just really masterful at letting the music evoke an emotion and a story. And the backstory to it, as a scathing rebuke of the Nigerian government and the consequences that led to, just heighten the mystique and appeal. What a great, unique piece of music.

Zombie

This was beautiful

Jazz, some vocals - first couple songs reminded me of my world music CDs from when I was a kid.

Absolute banger

What timing! Went to a west African restaurant last night and was digging Water (No Get Enemy) and thinking about how it had been a while since I had listened to some Afro beat. It’s impossible not to tap my toes or bob my head when listening to Fela Kuti.

🤙🏼

I just love Fela Kuti. Very happy with this album suggestion

Funky jazz

Immaculate vibes

Not like anything else I've listened to. Adrobeat +politics + I'm not sure what.

a bona fide classic from one of my all time favorites. joyful and powerful and what music should be

Really dig the instrumentation on this...particularly the saxophone. "Zombie" especially sticks out to me — it's a 12-minute insult!

I was very excited to see this album come up. There are not many 12+minute songs I can stand to sit through let alone enjoy every second of but Zombie has me grooving through four of them! (Atleast on the reissue version I heard). There’s something so magnetic about Zombie. Learning of the aftermath is heartbreaking and makes this such an important album to absorb.

Great album

Fantastic

Loved this

smash

I listened to the extended version with 4 tracks on it. When I first saw it was just 4 long tracks, I was already excited because I really like these kinds of long jammy songs because you get to really appreciate the musicianship of all those that play on it. Overall enjoyed this one very much.

Wow this is just some of the most intricate uses of jazz and funk I've heard in a long time. Most of the tracks are led by 2 baritone saxes which is kind of unheard of for this era of jazz but it works extremely well. The king of Afrobeat drops an enjoyable listening experience from front to back and this will 100% be going into my playlists for when I want to relax and chill out. 9/10

Highly recommend a read of the Wiki if you haven’t checked it out. All time favorite of mine, fascinating record. Incredible sound, loose and groovy, I was so excited to see this come up. I could go on and on, but it’s a privilege to get to listen again.

Maybe a 4, but I’m vibing with it this weekend. Gives me big William Onyeabor energy, plus the history really elevates this album

I was introduced to Fela in college by my boss and have had him in my regular rotation ever since. 5/5

I love the propulsive energy of the title track. Relentless, maximal jazz-funk! Fantastic horns too. “Mr. Follow Follow” has a more laidback strut but the rhythm section is still strong enough to carry this song through 13 minutes. These are long songs but they flow easily and I would still jam out to them if they were even longer. "Observation is No Crime" keeps the tempo nice and easy. Again, these horns are great. And the live track "Mistake" is a nice bonus. The band has some real swagger!

Already hitting a gem on day 2, lucky me

~ = good + = very good * = already knew the song Zombie = + Mr. Follow Follow = + Observation No Crime = + Mistake = +

This and Expensive Shit are soooooo good

One of my favorite albums. An amazing anti-war record made under a military state regime, who's release would lead to that same regime killing Fela's mother and almost killing him. Extremely powerful music that despite all of this darkness is still some of the most interesting and raucous afrobeat music ever made.

One of the things I love about this site is sometimes it gives you something crazy off the wall that is just AMAZING, and this album is exactly that.

I love me a good political album, especially with heavy jazz elements. Good shit all around

Fela Kuti is probably the best place to start listening to Afrobeat and you could do little better than to start with this incredible album.

Fela Kuti fucking rules man. Favorite track: Zombie

The drumming on this album might be the best I've ever heard on any studio album. Tony Allen is a master behind the kit. It doesn't sound possible with only 2 arms!

After getting two Fela Kuti albums out of my four and loving them both, feels like I'm going to need to do a deep dive on their discography. 4.5/5

Seemed like a powerful anti-military message. “You will lose your soul”. Effective and very beautiful. The horns felt like singing in the rhythms were so groovy.

Solid. Steady, no groove outliers. Trumpet solos give it more of a jazzy feel. 4.5

What is there to say? One of the great masters. A trailblazer. His music is like a fire making its way through a lush forest. Important. Not much more can be said than... This is Fela Kuti. Period.

Incredible stuff.

I fw this

Not much to say other than Kuti kicks unbelievable ass. A

Shit is fucking fire!

Joyful and just excellent. What a breath of fresh air.

Groovy!

Are you joking me? This SLAPS.

What a refreshing and brilliant Jazz-funk album.

Excellent jazz from a really interesting person

9/10. Really great album, especially if you just limit it to the original LP. Plus, I'd feel bad giving an album less than 5 stars when his mom was fatally defenestrated because of it.

Great record. I love Fela Kutis music.

Super energetic, cant stop moving listening to this.

interesting its only 4 songs, but the songs are pretty long! OOOOO i really like the sound rn, and its only the beginning :( just read that his mother was killed ooo is this all instrumental? or maybe just the first piece? it sounds amazing i'm favoriting this album for sure ooo ok now theres vocals! cant wait to read the lyrics for this one i really like this type of music, i'm actually going to have to search more like this hes apparently the pioneer of afrobeat i wish i had more notes but im vibing too hard

Stella gostou bastante tambem

Criminally underexplored on my part is Fela, given how much I love what afrobeat I have heard. Another example here of why that was not clever of me. Absolutely stunning stuff. Tony Allen, too. 18 albums, what? In one year? You maniac.

I love everything about this.

LP

There's really nothing that sounds like Afrobeat. And this is the quintessential album of that genre. Obviously it belongs on the list, and I happen to love it already. Easy 5.

Fela is amazing, Zombie is that one

Fela Kuti belongs in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame!

This is awesome. I don’t know a lot about jazz, world music or the Nigerian politics that went into this album, but that didn’t affect my listening experience. This just rules.

Powerful politically charged music, Kuti as his most essential.

A classic. Zombie alone would give that all 5 for me.

funky funky funky

Fun and colorful

My second Fela Kuti album and this one is another masterpiece, I love how a protest album can have such a great vibe to it. Mental to think how brave it must of been to release this album and the consequences he then faced due to speaking out. The least I can do is give him the full 5 stars.

Funky album. Nice and fun

Groove

Very cool in or out of context.

Great album, cheered up Tuesday

Klasični fela

Great jazzy record. Couldn't spend enough time to listen to it properly but what I heard was great.

Loved. Influenced Talking Heads and later hip hop. Brave warriors.

oh goody

very cool

No one man should have all that power. Fela Kuti's commitment to dismantling the corrupt system within Nigeria was and is a testament to his ever-reaching legacy that enlightens and influences many who come across his path. With Zombie, an album released in a most tumultuous year of his life 1977, he and his Afrika 70 display with all their mighty power many of the Afro-centric musical stylings that would soon characterize the genre that would be best known as Afrobeat. That's not to mention Fela's incendiary commentary on the militaristic goons that occupied his country and its government and it was those people who would later inflict the most soul destroying act upon an artist of Fela's stature. Without that commentary, the music would still be great but would lack that necessary punch. But what a punch it is, when all is said and done. No wonder we continue to look to Fela as an inspiration for our defiance of authority and Zombie is one of the many iconic works to gravitate to.

Well, I'm no expert about Fela but I did know this album already, and it is nothing short of transcendent. Such an infectious energy here. I felt a nonplussed by that one review complaining about the "call-and-response" at the end of the title-track. Well, that's part of that infectious energy I was just talking about, is it not? "Zombie" seemed like a good place to start exploring Fela Kuti's discography. It's now high time I digged further. Thanks to all the reviewers who left suggestions about other albums here. Number of albums left to review: 641 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 181 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 84 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more essential to me): 101

Revolution has never been so danceable

Not just an amazing album but a very culturally significant one. Fela kuti was an insane person. music to get thrown out of a window to.

Awesome album

To me Fela Kuti is one of the greatest artists of all time so I went at this with high expectations, even though I’ve heard one of the songs before it still surpassed them. I love afrobeat/jazz/funk, it’s arguably my favourite genre. Some of the best djs I know drop these tracks in the middle of a house set and it’s incredible. I’m gonna listen to this album another 4 times this week at least

4 songs and 53 minutes long? Thought I was going to really enjoy this or really not and thankfully it was the former of the two Ended up listening to twice as I enjoyed it so much. Never heard of the guy but definitely going to listen more in the future. In fact I hadn’t listened to this genre for a few years so it was quite refreshing.

Loved it. Jazz. Great message.

loved it

Back to back funky & fresh, killer jazz music supporting a tight theme/ strong antiwar message throughout. Zombie, Mr. Follow follow, mistake (just realized that’s 3/4 tracks!) 4.5

great

This was my introduction to Fela and it's a great place to start. Never has political activism been so booty shaking. An important album for the man, his country, and music in general.

Awesome. Exactly the kind of thing I was hoping to find with this.

Probably the definitive Afrobeat album - politically charged and incredibly groovy, it's such an important record and also just so darn good to listen to

Absolute fucking legend. Move your ass, and your mind will follow.

This music is fantastic, and the story behind the album is tragic and horrifying. We are absolutely enriched by artists like Fela Kuti, not just for the art they create but for their courage and strength.

I don't use the word 'iconic' lightly. The opening guitar riff on here, then the saxophone line and of course Fela himself are all the epitomy of iconic. And countless iconic moments abound. This is easily one of my most frequently played albums. The two bonus live tracks on the deluxe edition are not to be missed. Rate it 5/5 soldiers, knowing not what or who they fight for, knowing not they're already as good as dead. 🧟‍♂️🧟‍♂️🧟‍♂️🧟‍♂️🧟‍♂️

Top tier Fela, though my personal favorite remains Everything Scatter.

Ooooooojeahhh!!!!! Timangia! En oo kaikkii Felan levyjä kuullut mutta niistä mitä oon on tää yks parhaista paketeista! Diggailen. Teksi mieli antaa febonen. Hitto annan mä febosen! 5/5

Excellent album. Wonderful jazzy afro funk. Brilliant long build ups to great long groovy tracks. Fela's charisma shines through but isn't overpowering. Iconic