Live!

That was something. Big long jam tracks. Pretty good.

If there is such a thing as pan-African funk ... well ... here it is. Great groove throughout.

Fantastic, my first 5 star album. Just an amazing 1hr set with incredible instrumentals, feeling, and vocals. Absolutely banging performance.

This is one of those artists I always hear so much about but I had not really listened to enough. The live performance really captures the grooves and his charismatic energy in the playing. I think live records can be a mixed bag but the grooves just feel very alive in this record

Production is great for a live album. Tons of energy.

Gran álbum. Sorprendida por fela kuti y su rol en la música nigeriana y africana. Me permite expandir mi conocimiento y darme cuenta de que mi ego es bien egocentrico

so good, i had heard some of it before and have always heard lore of it, nice to listen to the whole thing

Serious groove. Blissfully blasting this on a walk after work — bobbing my head, mouthing the bass lines, feeling euphoric.

Best album recommended in a while. Just a good groove.

Really not my thing. Last half of the final song had some good drumming solos going on.

Fun

Wow, never heard this gem before until now and it's s-s-s-s-mokin.

Niet te lang album met een enorme drum-solo als afsluiter. Fijn plaatje voor op de achtergrond

вот это моя музычка очень фанково, весело отличный пример афробита

Это что за феерия здесь вообще случилась?? Какой же он крутой - этот ваш афробит Добавил, сохранил, облайкал, послушал несколько раз. Это добавляет тепла в холодные дни, это даёт настрой потанцевать после тяжёлого рабочего дня.

ЛА-ЛА-ЛА-ЛА-ЛА, ЛА-ЛА-ЛА-ЛА, ЛА-ЛАААААА, 3+, но только потому что, себе ничего, кроме опыта, не заберу, а опыт оч положительный

Fela's the goat no question. Ginger Bakers drums did more for me on this than I expected, they worked well. Fela's band has always been killer tight but the production for the time was really really good for a live album, a lot of shitty sounding ones going round those days

Really enjoyed the energy in this, couple of the songs went on a little too long but enjoyed the big drum solo at the end

Decent funky, afro-beat album. Would listen to more, but not blown away

Listened while drawing a mushroom man. Fun album.

Banger

This starts out super exciting with the horns and the drums and the chanting. I got a little lost in all the drum solos though. This is a fantastic soundtrack for walking around NYC in the fall during rush hour, people walking everywhere, taxis wizzing by, me dodging bicycle riders. The music has an intense urgency to it. It definitely makes me want to explore more of Fela’s music as I hadn’t really dug into his albums before. Also love the side commentary between the songs, he’s got a great sense of humor and stage presence, which helps maintain an overall playful vibe.

Funky! Great rhythm and felas personality is untouchable

Wow, the blending of American Jazz/African rhythms is out of this world. A one of a kind group. Killer stuff.

Great vibes. Would be lovely at a party. Pretty jam-sesh feeling and not really something that goes anywhere.

A lot of drums. I enjoyed dancing to some of it. Such a long album for only 5 songs but happy.

This is the first album I’ve reviewed in a while in this app. Coincidentally, I got this record in vinyl a month ago and have listened to it multiple times. I also had a conversation with a Nigerian Uber driver about Fela and his influence on Nigerian people. He recommended chief commander ebenezer obey. This album is great, the instrumentation is upbeat, and the collab with Chet Baker is unique. The drums are 💯

Good but 3 quarters of the way through the 15 minute drum solo I lost some interest. Slightly repetitive.

I enjoyed the improvisational style - solo drum - like jazz only a different flavor. I wouldn’t have listened to this whole album were it not for the purposes of this project. I’m glad I did and I would put it on for background music in the future

This does seem awesome live. Unfortunately this was a album

Overall some very nice afro-inspired jazz tunes. Very interesting to hear that Fela Kuti’s sound is what would eventually inspire afrobeat. I feel like jazz is the kinda music that best encapsulates the spirit of human connection, based on its emphasis on improvisation and live collaboration, it’s use of polyrhythms to illustrate conversations between the instruments. A lot of these elements come from African music which also influences the music of my family’s home country, so I’m grateful I’ve received this encouragement to finally check it out and honor these roots. Fav tracks: Let’s Start, Ye Ye De Smell

Nr. 13/1001 Let's Start 4/5 Black Man's Cry 4/5 Ye Ye De Smell 2/5 Egbe Mi O 2/5 Drum Solo 2/5 Average: 2,8 The first two songs are super groovy, funky and soulfoul

Wow! great album

5. My God, this is some amazing stuff. This is the first I've heard of them, but I'll definitely have to look into more of their music.

Ehh. Muzika koju bi Tronki pustio i bio kao brate ovo je do jaja. Ne mari. Slabije od Beach Samba tho al nije 2

Just incredible. Two massively influential musicians at their best.

Funky! Never heard of them before but great sound!

Love some Fela Kuti!

Me encantó. Comprar !

Super funky and a joy to listen to!

Some good grooves

The gracious generator has already served me Zombie so I knew I was going to love this. And it sure did not disappoint!

Brani Preferiti: - Da ascoltare tutto Note: Neanche il tempo di iniziare e subito sono stato investito da un'ondata di funk che mi ha fatto muovere come una latina durante il carnevale braziliano. Probabilmente come una delle 27 mogli che ha avuto... che chad.

Wow, another Fela Kuti album. Think that has been the artist so far with most albums generated, very unexpected. I have to say this live album actually added something; Fela's energy was really rubbing off! The first 3 songs were really strong, then it dipped a bit. The absolute low point was the 16 minutes drum solo. I really try to be open minded about drum solos, but they have never really worked for me.

This is a good album and I think, contrary to many other live albums, the fact that it is live elevates it. However this is the second Fela Kuti album in a week and we also had one by his son within the last month so I really need a break from this style of music. Still it is very swingy and danceable with lots of nice improv parts if that is your jam. Will get a very strong 3 from me, might be a 4 if it wasn't for afrobeat-burnout (probably my favourite of the Kuti-albums).

Really fun, active album. That said, jazz/jazz fusion really isn't my thing. It was a neat listen once, not something I'm going to return to.

nice, sweet jazz, I have never likes a 16 minute drum solo that much

Good vibes, great drums

Really good afrobeats. Was expecting a bit more jazz and melody, then again, it does do proper justice to the genre. The drum solo song was a nice touch.

- not my style, definitely better heard live - jazzy afrobeats - interesting drum solo at the end

EVery song was unique and different

Drums zijn zeer ok op dit album. Lekker primair aanwezig. Verder niet een plaat die ik zou opzetten: wereld muziek is wel ok, maar gaat vrij snel vervelen vind ik.

Cool stuff! Not my style tho

Excellent

Prefiro o Zombie

Not too interested.

This is a really amazing album. You can feel the energy in the room and the production is incredible, especially for a live in-studio album. The vibe that Fela Kuti develops with his band is unmatched and it's cool to hear Ginger Baker playing with them. This is an easy 5/5. Standout Tracks: Let's Start, Black Man's Cry, Ye Ye De Smell, Egbe Mi O (Carry Me)

Bursting with energy from a group of supremely talented musicians. Fela Kuti’s life is well worth reading up on.

Funky jazzy grooves. Long songs.

I enjoyed this album and the instrumentation makes you want to dance. I would probably never listen to this album again, but I'm glad that I heard this album, even if Ginger Baker is a renowned asshole.

I really enjoyed the full sounding drums and percussion throughout the live album. The songs were full sounding and driving. You could feel the energy from 1971 pulverizing my speakers. Great live album.

Funky, fun in the right conditions. Not really my thing.

Sublime afrobeat - as classic as it sounds to me. Being an Africa immigrant this also invokes a huge nostalgia for me. The last two tracks are my favourite. I would happily listen to Fela-Kuti waffle on the mic endlessly haha.

9/10

I do like some of Fela's work, but this one is so not my thing. I was going to give it 3 stars because everything and everyone on this record is actually good, I just don't don't care about it, but the 15+ minutes drum solo at the end, for fuck sake.

Wel leuk niet helemaal mijn ding. Beetje jazz???

long

Very fun and very funky. I love the drumming and style on this. Some of the songs drag on a bit but overall I enjoyed it a lot. Favorite(s): Let's Start, Ye Ye De Smell Least favorite(s): there's only four tracks but maybe Black Man's Cry if I had to pick?

October 5 2023 Good - loved the energy

This album was fantastic and sonically engaging from beginning to end. You could feel the energy through the recording as if you were attending the live show!

"Live!" Is a live in-studio album by Nigerian musician, bandleader and composer Fela Kuti and his band Africa '70 along with English band Cream's drummer Ginger Baker. The album is four songs mixing African and funk rhythms. It was recordered at Abbey Road in London. Along with Fela Kuti on vocals, the Hammond organ and percussion, the Africa '70 included two trumpets, two saxophones, guitar, bass, drums, sticks, skewered and three congas. Ginger Baker played percussion on two of the four songs. Fela Kuti gives a vocal introduction to the first song "Let's Start." He actually does this for all four songs. Right away, it's funky with horns and sounds right out of New Orleans. Congas and percussion come in with a more African beat. There's solo and multiple horns. The keyboard in the lead. One thing that's constant is the beat. Minimal vocals. Horns start "Black Man's Cry." Again, a New Orleans feel. Very busy percussion and very hypnotic. Trumpet and organ jams. More jazzy and more vocals. Fela introduces Ginger Baker on "Ye Ye Smell." This is the funkiest song yet and has the best dance beat. It's polyrhythmic. So much so, I have no idea what Ginger Baker is doing. Subtle organ and horns lay the jam. "Egbe MI O (Carry Me I Want to Die)" has a clearly heard bass and is organ dominated. They're chanting la-la la-la. This album was easy to get into; long jams with hypnotic rhythms. A good fusion of African beats, jazz and somewhat soul...I heard New Orleans as previously mentioned. I don't know the use of Ginger Baker besides a marketing ploy. This band is not missing percussion expertise; their main drummer Tony Allen was a great and established drummer. Anyway, I know this band has other highly regarded albums which I need to check out. This one is pretty good and worth a listen.

be honest, do you really like fela kuti or are you just pretending to so that people think you are cool

Great album, but the title gave it away unfortunately. A live one. The worst part is the wiki says that Rolling Stone has a top 50 live albums list that this is on. Why are there any live albums on this list when a live album list exists?? Either way, this was an enjoyable album since it wasn't your basic rehash live album. One of the better live ones we have seen.

Wow, number two from Fela Kuti and it's another great one. Is this the best live album we've had on the list? It might be. Just a great jam session recording, only five tracks but I'm keeping three of them. Absolutely loved the drum solo track to close it out. Though I'm always opposed to live albums in general, this one's solid. I can't exactly condone the inclusion, but I understand. Favorite tracks: Drum Solo, Let's Start, Egbe Mi O. Album art: Just a party shot of the band on stage or whatever. Very forgettable, font is decent though. Who's the white boy on the right? Not curious enough to look it up but he looks to be quirked up, little bit of swag, busting it down sexual style. Perhaps he's even goated with the sauce. 4/5

A very cool recording I otherwise probably would never had known about.

WOW. I didn't know what I was getting myself into, but this is truly spectacular music. Super groovy, and you just want to keep listening. Way too short!

Just not my type of music

I’m glad this was the first album sent to me! Looking forward to the next ones now. Being a drummer, I liked the different percussions. Get up and dance!

3.1

Festive

Very solid. 4.7

Really cool mood. Ginger Baker I knew from Cream and other projects, but I'd never heard Kuti. Much funkier and jazzier than I was expecting. Being jam music, every song was 2-3 times longer than I would have liked, but that's par for the course in this genre. Impressive musicianship all around, but not something I'd see myself choosing to put on. It gets tedious quickly. Definitely the best album so far on the 1001 journey, but that's not saying a lot.

You can probably skip the bonus track (16 minute long drum duet, I kinda dug it but I'm weird that way), the rest is 🔥 though.

What I wouldn’t give to see this live. 4/5

Interesting, but guessing by the first song, it will not be for me. It sounds kind of jazz-y, not really my thing.

Fairly repetitive but I have never listened to music like this. The tracks with Ginger Baker sound different from the others in a good way. Possibly my first experience with music from the early 70's and was probably a banger back then. Very long songs almost like a jam band style. Losing interest around the 30 minute mark. I really lost interest but did manage to finish. Just not an album I would play ever again. Will give this a 2.

This was immediately fun and funky. I enjoyed the soul and vibe

Good musicians, just not for me

Blocked

Nice

Great record!

delicia

Some really great songs with electric performances. It can still be a chore to listen to, though.

Very fela kuti. I was definitely thinking of Ginger Rogers though

great beats

This is the first live album I've had to review for the 1001 albums. And my god, am I glad it was this one. There is only one song on this album under 10 minutes long, and I'm not mad in the slightest, because this is some grade A shit right here. I didn't know this about myself until today, but I love Nigerian Afrobeat music. And Fela is the master at it, and one of the big reasons why the genre is known internationally today. I wasn't familiar with who Ginger Baker was up until hearing this, but I knew of Cream, so to learn one of the first real drumming legends met with a West African musician to create music that is most definitely not something you would hear Western audiences listening to is absolutely beautiful. And Ginger does a fantastic job on his songs, alongside Tony Allen. I also have this deep love for brass sections in jazz influenced music. Line a bunch of horns up and play them like they are played in this recording, and it will sound good every time. They are sharp and bright, and give a serious punch to the album. It is just pleasant to my ears, and I want more of it. I think the only complaint someone could make towards this album would be that the songs are slightly repetitive in some places, but the pacing is balanced well enough so that whenever you feel like you are getting tired of a certain rhythm or chord progression, it switches it up and moves to the next. Every song on this is incredible, but the song I have the least love for is probably "Black Man's Cry", just because it tries the least number of interesting things. But that isn't saying very much, considering this album is well above average compared to most live performances. Like the last couple of minutes in "Egbe Mi O" is probably the best on the entire album. Fela's incredibly lively personality allows him to get the entire audience to sing along, and that kind of crowd interaction is so wonderful. Another beautiful artist taken away from us far too soon. Truly was a pioneer of his own genre, and to see two musicians who are hugely popular in their own spaces, but otherwise unknown to each other, come together and create art like this, inspires me to do the same.

Good afrobeat. However, I’ve heard some of Kuti’s studio material as well (though not his other album on this list, Zombie) and it’s just better. Still a good album, but I wouldn’t mind substituting it for, say, Expensive Shit.

Taustamusiikki matskua. Ihan mielenkiintoista jazzmaista musiikkia

Pretty funky and fun, but definitely begins to drag after a while.

Awesome album

I always struggle with live albums. I find them a little distracting. Did not enjoy this as much as the Fela Kuti studio record I heard earlier in the experience

Noted psychopath Ginger Baker’s appearance on this album doesn’t really mean anything. It’s just as good, or not good, as any other African jazz/jam project. Most of these tracks could’ve had any drummer playing on them and sounded just the same. That said, it’s pretty par for the course in this genre. I felt the musicians on stage had a good time, and that’s fun. Not the most mind expanding thing you could listen to. This is the 3rd of 4th live album I’ve run into from this list, and I’m starting to question each one that’s been here. I have no problem with live albums, but with the quantity of good music out there, are these the records that we need to hear before we die?

Fela Kuti is a commanding harbor in the tempest of primal rhythms swirling around him.

This album is a lot of fun!

A fun jam album! The singer showed lots of charisma.

That was some proper performance. I dig it. They got me.

Pretty good. I don't like live albums

Man's got the beat

decent

Album 151 of 1001 Fela Kuti - Live with Ginger Baker Rating : 4 / 5 Great listen. Two days in a row I get a little funk. While no big hits or catchy tunes are present, the listener is given some great music in a live setting. Ginger Baker, joining on two tracks (including a 16 minute drum "duet"), is icing on the cake.

Wonderful vibe! First time even hearing about them and I had a great time listening to it. All sorts of groovy.

Amazing groves, fun vibes. This is really an album one should listen to in life!

Listened to casually while riding my bike around a huge neighborhood yard sale. It was super fun and an interesting background soundtrack to my exploring. I would like to relisten actively!

Oh yes

Funky and really made me want to dance. The man's a legend, apparently, and this was my first exposure. Good stuff.

That was quite short and a fun listen.

I never have much to say about afrobeat albums, but I have liked all of them that I've gotten on this list. This is a really great live album, which is the opposite of what I normally write about live albums. 4/5

I just don't understand the music. Great musicians but lots of repetition and it's really had to engage throughout the whole album.

Goosebumps

Nope. Too repetitive

I remember listening to John Peel back in the 80's and he had a thing about Afrobeats, couldn't work why back then, but now, about to turn 52 - yeah! Really enjoyed the groove and repetition of the exceptionally long songs.The drumming with the blasts of brass is hypnotic! Apparently Fela Kuti invented Afrobeats near enough singlehandedly, reminded me of 1970's blaxspoitation film soudtracks. Will definitely be checking out some of his back catalogue. A very high 3 could go either way, up or down a point if I do listen again (This album is only let down by the bonus track as far as I'm concerned - which wasn't on the original release, so doesn't count and would have dragged the score down. I like Ginger Baker's drumming but not for 15 minutes or so!)

It's always a shame that I'm only hearing about this because of the intervention of a white European.

Good groove but long winded and repetitive.

Eh, I wasn't super impressed with this album. It had a lot of repetition, without being super interesting. I wasn't a big fan of the vocals. For me the best thing on this was the recording quality, which is pretty good. All in all probably wouldn't listen to this again.

I'm giving it a five in spite of the Ginger Baker distraction. Kuti is even better without it.

Supremely groovy. Thoroughly enjoyed this one!

Jotenki meni ohi ku kuunteli kiirellä

Endless tyckiting.

not my style

Pretty solid Afrobeat album, though the production seems a bit flat to me.

I enjoyed this way more than expected, always a good sign.

liian lyhyihin paloihin pätkitty tämä. hyvä gruuvvi päällä niin antaa sen jatkua... ihan seuraavaan konserttiin vaan ohjetta, voi sitten seuraavassa konsertissa, kun pistetään seuraavaa konserttia pystyyn niin sinneppäin ohjeita vaan...muuten hyvä.... egbe mi o

interesting rhythms, but not everyday listenable

Awesome, could use some more of this...

Absolutely killer. Never listened to this before. I wish someone would've shown me this 30 years ago. I'll be investing some time in Fela's catalog.

Perfect jamming music

Crazy coincidence that I discovered this album on the 2nd of august, not only my birthday, but also the day that marks the death of this outstanding performer. I've never given any afrobeat a chance before, but I'm so glad I did. Words can not describe how much I would've loved to be alive to listen to this performance. So vibrant, so lush, such intense energy and precision. I've already listened to it twice in one day and it's getting better every listen. Praise be to ya, Fela.

I don't think I was in the mood for this one. It's definitely funky and upbeat but I just wasn't vibing with it.

Definitely deserves inclusion - it seems like an excellent example of afrobeat. I think what elevates it for me is the energy that is pervasive throughout the recording. Long jams over excellent grooves - I plan on putting this on frequently just to zone out and work.

Just not for me

This was pretty awesome, I appreciated it

My dad introduced me to Fela when I was younger and so I’ve always had a soft spot for his funky and insanely groovy Afro music, so knowing he collaborated with a Rock legend in Ginger Baker on five tracks which are great is comforting and a wonderful surprise. 5/5

Class. So good. Up there with some of the best live albums

Kuti is King.

One of the most tight performances ever recorded. Fela Kuti and his band’s consistency and sheer talent along with Ginger Baker's ability to blend in with the band by easily learning the afrobeat style makes this a hell of a live performance!

Liked it.

This was fine and fairly interesting world music

amazing afro-beat

Don’t mind if I do!

I'd never listened to this before. Although I generally enjoy most West African music I guess I rarely venture into Nigeria. The inclusion of Baker is interesting, although I'm not entirely sure whether it's necessary, what with Tony Allen being a genius and everything. When European heritage musicians get too involved it's always a question mark, but I enjoyed everything on here and I'd certainly listen to this again. A lovely mix of styles and tracks where you don't notice the length. Usually drum solos are red flags. This is the third album in 96 that's had one. The other two were gratuitous and, frankly, sucked a bit. This one, recorded way after the album was, actually worked. I imagine it's the duelling drummers thing. This is probably 4.5 stars, but it's a rare African record on the list so that pushes it to 5.

wasn't really for me 27 wives 2/5

its good music

I really wanted to like it cuz the guy is so cool, he has like 27 wives and found a genre and etc but i just couldnt like it thaat much. The last song and the drum solo was very enjoyable tho. 5,5/10

Piola, para dejar de fondo en una comilona. Pero escuchándolo con mas atención no se si tiene tanto jugo

A little hard to enjoy fully but the musicians in this live album played so good

Funky, jazzy and vibrant. 16 min live drum solo has to be the highlight. Not an album I would put in my daily rotation, but worth a listen. The better of the two Fela Kuti albums I've had so far.

This isn't my favourite album that I've rated, but this might be my favourite example of a good reason to undertake this project. Truly unique and unforgettable.

Such an excellent album. Really cannot believe I've never listened to Fela Kuti before this experience. Favorite track: Ye Ye De Smell

In a striking fusion to rival Heinz’s curried baked beans, Fela Kuti and his band Africa ‘70 welcomed Cream’s infamous Ginger Baker behind the drum set, playing a set of incendiary live gigs. This record, just four songs long, captures lightning in a bottle between this ensemble of musicians at the top of their game. “Let’s Start” and “Ye Ye De Smell” are my favourites of the four songs: dynamic, rhythmic, the perfect balance between jaw-dropping technique and powerful feeling. They’re also the more jittery and uptempo numbers of the set, which certainly helps. The other two tracks are still great, but ultimately feel a bit saggy round the middle, having surely been best experienced live. That said, the audience-participation choir ending “Egbe Mi O (Carry Me)” is astounding: Afrobeat’s “Hey Jude”? Saxophone, clavinet, organ and drums all take turns to solo across each track, each having extended time in the spotlight. Repetition is key, and once a groove is established it liberally soaks itself in. Listen to Maurice Ekpo’s bass on any of these tracks: it’s usually restricted to two or three notes, but what fantastic grooves it holds down, knowing exactly where to leave space for the rest of the band. And Ginger Baker fits in well, contributing on the last two tracks without dominating. All drum solos are mercifully relegated to the bonus tracks, though he does have a showstopping moment towards the end of “Ye Ye De Smell”. As for Fela Kuti himself, I’ve always seen him as the ultimate master of ceremonies, leading his band with barked commands and frenetic performance. I’ve never given him much credit as a vocalist, but he’s on fire here. Right from the off with “Let’s Start”, he roars with palpable passion and enthusiasm. His charisma radiates from every single note (vocals, organ and whatever percussion he’s playing) as the sweat drips from the speakers. Much easier to lose oneself in than it is to dissect or fault; this album is a triumph of live music.

What a rumpshaker! Ginger Baker sitting in alongside Tony Allen means you're in for 45 mins of rhythmic heaven on this album. The grooves are crazy. Fela is an Afrobeat legend and this album proves why. So much fun!

Listened Before? No Pretty interesting that their debut album is a Live album. Album opens on a funky tear with Let's Start. I was bobbing the whole way through. Black Man's Cry is a jazzy jam piece. Loving the way that the piano is weaving in and out of the drums through the extended mid section; I can groove with this. I can't see the frontman, but just from his delivery you can tell that he brings life to this live act. More high quality jamming and energy on Ye Ye De Smell. This had to be a fun set to be at in person. You know, I don't usually go in for drum solos. Much less when they are over 16 minutes long; however, the closing track was perfect background music to the mind-numbing work that I have been doing. This is like the Woodstock solo from Santana's set on steroids, and it is a pretty impressive display. That said, where the Woodstock solo had one of the best re-entries to the song from a drum solo I have ever heard, this stands alone and therefore packs less punch. Still the guys playing can hit the cans well. This was a really cool live album and I will definitely come back. I didn't know what to expect coming in and was pleasantly surprised to hear a very well-mixed and mic'd live album full of jazzy jams with a charismatic frontman and funky elements. This is a solid 4 for me. Added to Library? Yes Songs Added to Playlists:

I enjoyed previous Fela Kuti releases, but this one is just for real drum lovers. It's nice to have a so specific kind of album in the 1001 list, but it's not for me.

Interesting to hear Fela Kuti interact with the crowd. The first 4 songs are enjoyable, nots of jazz with a terrific rhythm section backing them up. Ginger Baker drum solo on the final track drags, I seen many drum solo's in my time and never have I wanted a drum solo to not end.

I think this is my second FK album and I may have given the last one a 3. This one is just brilliant. It's also live (duh!) and the recording is ace. Intoxicating rhythms Quality Afrobeat. 4

When an album is an hour long, has only 5 tracks, and one of those tracks is literally called "drum solo," you know you're in for a treat.

Not my favourite Kuti record. It’s good and there are some top notch grooves but he has some much more interesting material

I don't hate it, which is a lot for me to say about anything that can be described as jazz. I can imagine if you're into this that it's very exciting to listen to, and it's definitely lively... It does seem to drift off from time to time and forget what it's doing. Alright as a general rhythm in the background though.

Good jazz with Africa flavor.

What fun! Great sound, love the African Jazz

Love this, just love it.

Great record. 7/10

Very different music, never heard this style. Jazz with incoherent shouting. Great rythm but I didn’t like the vocal noises

Recorded in 1971 at the infamous Afrodisia club in Lagos, Nigeria, this live album serves as a testament to Fela's unrivaled artistry and his role in pioneering the Afrobeat genre. Fela Kuti's huge presence is felt throughout the entire performance, as his vocals, infectious saxophone solos, and powerful piano playing take center stage. Backed by Africa 70, a group of talented musicians, Fela blends elements of jazz, funk, highlife, and traditional Nigerian music into a distinct sound. The sound quality of the recording is surprisingly good, considering its age and the live setting. The dynamic range and clarity of the instruments are preserved remarkably well, allowing you to fully appreciate the intricate interplay between the musicians. The album's energy and authenticity make it feel like you're right there in the crowd, witnessing Fela Kuti's performance firsthand. His music became a powerful weapon against oppression, and Live! captures the essence of Fela's activism politially in the form of a classic performance of African art.

Actually quite good.

Rare instance of a Ginger with a soul

Goat ledge in the summer vibe Wouldn't choose to listen again

It was nice to put on in the background while I was working

I did not really enjoy the first album by Fela Kuti if I remember this correctly, but I think this one is fun to hear to. I appreciate a good live performance very much. or maybe my music taste and appreciation had improved a bit. 3.2/5

What a delight. I had no idea what to expect. It’s summer and hot and I was listening to a Bob Dylan Album and just not feeling it. I decided to give this one a shot since it was next in the queue and I listened to it a couple more times over the course of the weekend. Something very different and blew my mind in a way I wasn’t expecting.

I've heard Ginger Baker was a bit of a grump. But it's hard to believe it's true when Fela Kuti says his name with such emphasis: GINGER BAKER!!!

pretty cool, not sure it deserved to be on this list. highlight was definitely the 16 minute drum solo

This was a rad listen

Honestly this type of music has never been my favourite- very long songs, short number of them, etc. However, this particular album seemed to stand out a little in a way where I didn’t get bored and was actually somewhat into it.

ayy this is cool; I used to think I didn't like live albums but I just don't like many live rock albums. This one kinda puts you right into the space of the band. Nice and clean, I still can never get over how good some of these old recordings sound. As for the music itself - Afrobeat? I don't know enough of the genre but it's a good mix of jazzy r&b with dashes of funk and an occasional rock bent - and very little in the way of (English) vocals. nice. n.b. I'm excluding the online 5th bonus track, an interminable drum solo. If it's not Neil Peart yeahnothankyou. 8/10, 4 stars.

This is very cool if you like drumming, Fela Kuti, and afrobeat. It's also cool if you don't like drumming, because Fela Kuti was the man. Maybe the most important figure in bringing non-western music into the Western hemisphere? Anyways, this live album is a completely enjoyable ride through and through.

The father of afrobeat puts on a phenomenal show accompanied by one of the greatest drummers of all time! Ginger Baker also appears later on.

This was fun. Very upbeat and enjoyable to listen to. Seeing this live was probably an amazing experience.

Fela is the man and influenced so much world music, yet most people don't realize it. Check out the music from when Ginger Baker traveled across the desert to find him and make music with him. Polyrhythms for days.

Right off the bat, this album cover makes me feel like I'm about to listen to people have a lot of fun jamming out for an hour. OH boy was I right; you should judge a book by its cover. Got some cool American Jazz fused with some African beats. Just some dudes jamming out big time. What's not to love?

Super cool jazzy sound with the African singer is a great combo. This would have been such an awesome thing to see live at the time

This shit is bangin! and by bangin I mean Ginger Baker is really bangin on them drums! Really love all the African jungle sounds. Funky.

basically my introduction to afrobeats and I really enjoyed it. Because I'm a big fan of prog rock I'm not only familiar with longer songs, I enjoy them more then 3 or 4 minute ones. The album has 4 tracks that span across 40 minutes of playtime. Every one of them is really fun although I wasn't the biggest fan of the closing track Egbe Mi O. Fav. track: Black Man's Cry 7/10 (3/5)

Great great sounds and swing and soul. L

I've never heard of Fela Kuti before, and I'm not terribly familiar with this type of music (is William Onyeabor considered similar? I've listened to one of his albums), but I enjoyed this album. The music was very different than what I typically listen to, but I thought the instrumentation was fantastic, and it was cool to hear Ginger Baker working outside of Cream. I wish I had something profound to mention here, but all I can say is that I enjoyed listening to this.

Definitely dug this!

Really dig afrobeat, and Kuti is afrobeat incarnate. Not a big fan of live albums typically, but this is the kind of music that almost needs to be listened to in that setting. Would gladly spin this if the mood ever arose.

Livealbum van de Nigeriaanse muzikant Fela Kuti, met drumwerk van Cream's Ginger Baker. De tracklist bestaat uit een handjevol lange, jazzachtige nummers en is meertalig. Hoewel erg muzikaal duren de nummers te lang om gewoon naar te luisteren. leukste nummer: Black Man's Cry Ginger Baker trok begin jaren '70 door Afrika met Kuti om de lokale ritmes te ontdekken. De rit, gemaakt in een jeep, is gedocumenteerd in de film Ginger Baker in Africa.

18 min track, unexpected Mesmerizing drums, all drums, but that’s all it needs. Fantastic, must listen

hat gegroove'd, Vocals waren mitunter relativ anstrengend, Flow der Instrumente, Rhythmus waren sehr eingängig. Weniger anstrengend als "klassischer" Jazz, da Elemente aus nativer Musik eine Erfrischung brachten. 7/10

Ginger Baker was a great drummer. If you could ask him, he'd tell you he was the best! But listening to an hour long album that seemed to focus on repetitive drum beats finished with a 16 minute drum solo that just wouldn't end was not a way to enjoy his skills.

I like this. Love the energy and the beats. Still feels fresh. 4/5

Not huge on jazz, but was a very pleasant listen.

HO-LY-SHIT! I knew about this performance is the documentary Beware Ginger Baker. Which is a must watch by the way. But I had no idea it was this superb. I gotta find this on vinyl now.

Fantastic

I liked this album. Ginger Baker's drumming blended in pretty seamlessly with the rest of the percussion, and Fela's voice is just great. I liked all of the energy this has from being a live album, but it's till super tight performance wise.

I enjoyed this one. Pretty fun and bouncy. 3.5/5

Second album in a row that’s new to me, but I ended up loving. Really cool, eclectic jazz! B+

Very repetitive, I'm sure this would have been a great experience live. Not for me.

I believe Fela Kuti is classified as "afrobeat", this was some rambly jazz stuff with some drum solos

awesome music, great chill & funky vibe

7/10

Mahtava! Ihan mahtava! 5/5

Taattua odotetun kovaa laatua, ei tähän muuta tarvi sanoa.

Fela Kuti on legenda ja toimii livenäkin! 4/5

Chanting and drumming. The base for so much good music. A primal need. Even my two year old sung along with the Fela and the audience on the last track. At the same time that the music speaks to me on a bodily level with its repetition, chanting and jamming it is utterly complex and exciting music that tickles my mind. Fela Kutis music always feel like it’s live. No surprise that this proper live album is great.

Was worth it for the 2 drummer, drum duo/solo on ye ye de smell.

-1 for the 16 minute drum solo. Behave!

Well, I thought this was a winner. I love a bit of jazz drumming, and these two pros did not disappoint. It didn't write make it to be a 5 star album because I couldn't imagine myself listening to the whole album over and over.

More like Fela Awesome-Kuti! 4.5

Еще среди их компании был маленький мальчик лет 15 по имени Крив. Крив - нелепый толстячок с носом картошкой, вечной ухмылкой и лысой, блестящей от пота головой - терпеть не мог ебаться. Но он пытался походить всем на Евгея и Матгея: копировал их вкусы музыкальные, стиль мышления, манеры. Сам он из-за своего плохого характера почти не показывался на людях. Кроме того, он с детства страдал от энуреза. Евгей, несмотря на то что Крива мало интересовали его сексуальные извращения, мог сколько угодно унижать и оскорблять маленького мальчика, щипать его за интимные места и подолгу насиловать, заставляя вопить от ярости и боли. И вот однажды, когда Крив делал уроки у себя в комнате, в дверь его комнаты тихонько постучали. Это были Евгей и Матгей. Не говоря ни слова, они схватили Крива за руки и поволокли в ванную. Матгей включил трип хоп группу Ulver, которая играла что-то заунывное на мрачной арабской ноте. Через пару секунд Криву стало нехорошо. Его охватил страх. Теперь, застигнутый врасплох, мальчик не смог оказать ни малейшего сопротивления - его вытащили из кресла, стянули джинсы и трусы, после чего повалили на пол. Такого унижения он еще не испытывал. Унылейшие джазовые вставки песен группы Ulver сопровождали каждое действие Евгея. Матгей же был серьезным и невозмутимым - он внимательно следил за выражением лица мальчика. Когда тот обмяк, все двоя сбросили с него джинсы, трусы и футболку, скомкав их в комок. Мальчик остался обнаженным. По его обнаженному телу, толстому, безволосому и мягкому, прошелся сначала Матгей, а потом Евгей. Они перед этим минут десять разминали мальчика горячими травяными мазями, пропитанными уксусом. Песни группы Ulver сменились ритмичной африканской мелодией. Мальчика долго били по его пяткам и ягодицам с чувством. Старый извращенец Евгей решил изнасиловать его с жесточайшим остервенением, используя все свое чудовищное мастерство. Его член вошел в тонкие стенки ануса Крива с особым неистовством. Матгей же вставил свой член ему в рот целиком, с силой. Обессиленный, Крив расслабил мышцы сфинктера и закричал. Евгей же, почувствовав, что уже на вершине наслаждения, поднял Крива за ягодицы, поставил на четвереньки и стал методично наяривать его, вонзая один инструмент все глубже и глубже в анальное отверстие мальчика, до тех пор, пока тот не потерял сознание. Фимозный член Матгея кончил по самую глотку Криву.

Beautiful album, full of life. I like this kind of jazz. Amazing!

Likeable. All tracks basically the same: a short repeated, almost hypnotic (though strident) motif, with sort of shouted vocal over the top. In short doses, it's great but I couldn't listen to more than a fer in a row, it wears you down.

Some nice Afrobeat! I think I preferred Zombie but this is still good

Wow. This was great. It’s way outside of my usual listening and I’ve always given this genre a wide north but I know Fela is a legend so I wasn’t too surprised when I enjoyed the listen as much as I did.

Didn’t have Live! so I listened to a ton of tracks. It’s good. I like Jazz but it is hard to work and listen to Jazz when you have ADHD 😵‍💫

I kind of liked this in a bouncy fun kind of way. Not something I'll put on my re-spin list but interesting enough.

poum poum poum poum

bon j'ai faim de musique plaisante

Very fun album to listen to. I'm always a fan of a heavy drum element and it's nice to hear music from a wider variety of places than just the US and UK.

an easy 4 or 5. It was cooking from the first track "lets get started what we came into the room to do". a whole new artist for me. Ginga Bekaaar. I was transported easily to another time and place. grooving background bop, made me think of shuffling around while cooking, and its pure gentle propulsion. Irrisistable drum music from africa, with synthesizer, standard drumkit, and a bunch of stuff, even horns... the audio quality for a live recording in 1970 is very good. not a boring moment either, despite the improv bits. SO I went on the net to read that it is "The album is on Rolling Stone's list of the 50 greatest live albums of all time. " yeah I see that. so which one is the Ginger and do he Smeeell? :-)

Yeah ok, interesting at a number of levels. The rhythms are great, he's bowerbirded a range of influences to very good effect, including listening to a lot of JB. It's sounds like a great night out, if a bit samey. I didn't get to listen to the Ginger 16 minute drum solo bonus track, but I can just imagine... It was worth a listen.

I bought this vinyl at Ashwoods in the early 70’s for $1. I’d never heard of Fela Kuti but I was a big Cream fan so Ginger Baker’s name sealed the deal. About 20 years later I mentioned the fact that I had it to a punter at a record fair & he made me an offer for it that I couldn’t refuse. Big pity, because having listened to it this morning for the first time in 30 years, I’m reminded of what a wonderful live album it is. And it’s a lot more to do with Fela Kuti than it is to do with Ginger. The music is joyous, to say the least. Do yourself a favour & watch the doco Finding Fela (2015) - it’s on youtube. And this album is one of the great live discs.

This album has been on my want-list for quite a while. it's far more Fela than Ginger (probably to its strength). I love the funky intensity of this album; it's perfect for a sweaty night of dancing. Love it.

Enjoyed this. Again something I would have chosen myself.

It's upbeat. It's fun. It's long.

Definitely appreciated that it was mix of styles, african drums, a bit of a jazzy flair and even some R&B vibe. The 16 drum solo was pretty unnecessary, but clearly there was a push to put Ginger Baker all over this.

— Track Ratings: 1) Let’s Start: Easily one of the best song openers I’ve heard in a while! I loved it very much. (4.8/5) 2) Black Man’s Cry: Very good. Not much to say about this one but it was good! (4.5/10) 3) Ye Ye De Smell: This was so freaking good. I know all I’m saying is the songs are good but TRULY…. Woah. (4.6/10) 4) Egbe Mi O (Carry Me): This is possibly the BEST song on the album for sure! Love it. (4.8/10) 5) Ginger Baker and Tony Allen Drum Solo: Amazing. This last minute had me with my mouth open. (4.5/10) Overall: This album proved to me how every Live album I’ve heard has not been bad at all. One thing about me, i love me a good live album. And maybe one day I will come across a bad live album but that’s not today!

Super lekker album, af en toe wat langdradig.

What to say about this? Dynamic, groovy, impassioned, sprawling ... all adds up to Afrobeat excellence (plus so much more).

This is one of those albums where I have to decide whether to rate it based off the instrumentation and concept of the album or how much I liked listening to the album. You’d think they’d go hand in hand but for this project anyways I can say that the sound and live performance is fantastic, a great range of instruments that sound so clear you wouldn’t even believe it was a live performance if not for the audience and the conversation breaks in between songs. This album provides a whole host of jazz and funk sounds with some standout moments such as the saxophonist in ‘Ye Ye De Smell’ and Fela Kuti’s vocal performance on ‘Black Man’s Cry’. That being said as an album I found this quite tedious, particularly the last 2 songs which dragged on way too long for me. I can appreciate Ginger Baker’s drum solo on the final track but it’s not something I’d ever throw on to listen to it’s really more of an experience track that would be great to hear live. ‘Egbe Mi O (Carry Me)’ on the other hand I just found to be instrumental quite flat until the last few minutes where the vocals are projected to the front and the pace picks up a bit. It is a bit disappointing to be honest as the opening track gets you excited and ready for the rest of the album but these longer songs really ruin the pace for me when I think this style probably would suit 5-7 minute songs at most. Lastly I wish I could’ve heard Fela’s vocals a bit more throughout as there was definitely enough room for him to have more vocals but they were left empty, it’s a shame especially since he has such passion in his voice. Overall this isn’t a bad album I just think it’s more suited for a live performance more than anything, it was probably just made into an album so people could hear it all over the world and I don’t blame them but as an album it’s not something that I will be returning to.

I like endless, directionless, bouncy improvisation, so this is for me. Ginger Baker’s fogged form on the front is a curio from the days when supergroups stalked the earth. He fits in, to his credit.

can there be *too much* drumming, despite the quality of said percussion? the evidence presented here points to a solid "yes". another stingy 2*

Fela's a big fella, large even. This album goes way harder than it should. Probably one of the funkiest albums of all time and that's not an exaggeration - there's just something about Afrobeat/African jazz that makes me want to hit up some Johnny Bravo poses and smile for the camera. That's also probably why "Remain in Light" is the only Talking Heads album I can tolerate. Strong 4/5. Now I'm off to listen to "Zombie" again.

It can appear to be a bit of a vanity project but it ends up being some uptempo fun

Sorry, really not my thing.

Fantastic record, really enjoyed the vibe from the live recording. Amazing instrumentation throughout. Would never have come across this album without this project…

One of the greats

Didn’t understand the language

Zombie was the 8th album that I got from this project and I have touted Fela Kuti to anybody since that has expressed interest in anything similar to Afrobeat. Here at #257 I still enjoy the style a lot. I normally don't enjoy live albums, but this is recorded quite well and makes it worth listening to. It was a good album and I want to keep listening to more from Fela Kuti.

Great afrobeat album, 4.5 stars.

3 stars + .5 for the audience particapation part + .5 for the 15 minute dueling drum solos

A jam album with a fun groove. Would be way more enjoyable as a live experience but good background music

Funky

Phenomenal Drumming by Ginger Baker, and I can’t imagine how this helped expand his drumming for future projects, it’s a good introduction to African rooted music, and the last track on the album was by far the best. (16 min Drum Duet)

Beautiful percussion! 3/5

A really fun album! 45 minutes of great beats, groovy instruments and in a later part a mix of modern drums with more of the same African sound. It's a nice and unique break in the sea of more standard western-like rock music. I don't think it will be my alltime favourite, or if this even has any repeatability value for me, but for this one listening session it made a good impression. It actually might be one of the best live albums there is!

Not far off elevator music. I guess it’d be ok in the background.

Some fun jams but ultimately nothing more than background music

Bit jazz for my liking, but an easy enough listen.

Wel aardig. Als je dit op straat per ongeluk tegen komt is het wel gaaf. Het album is net afgelopen en ik herinner me vooral de drumsolo van een uurtje of 3 a 4.

If you don’t start dancing and swaying when listening to this album, you just don’t get it. What an amazing performance, wish I could see a video of this show

I did not expect to want a Fela Kuti album on the day it showed up, but I was wrong. This live set with Ginger Baker is stellar.

A

Really enjoyed this one. 4.5/5

Score: 80 Album art: 70 Music I didn't read the Wikipedia article but I'm not sure in what sense this is a live show. The recording is immaculate and when he asks the crowd to sing on the last song it sounds like they know what they are doing, so props for that. I think if an alien came to earth and requested to hear human music for the first time this would be a good option. Extremely pleasant and fun to listen to. Even with the song lengths they go by very fast. Every song is good

Usually not a fan of recorded live music, but this really sounded great. It's kind of one long free form jam session so I don't know how much you would want to repeatedly listen to it. I do like the sounds of the instrumentals, especially the horns, just not so much the drum solos. The production was really nice, you can tell this is created by great musicians. Reading the comments I would like to hear Fela Kuti's other music at it seems even more interesting than this.

Fela always on point

Fun as always.

Enjoyed this. Unbelievably tight. Preferred the less funky parts, but when they edge more towards jazz / Afrobeat it really stood out. Will definitely check out more by Fela Kuti, it’s a new name for me but from what I’ve read he’s unbelievably influential.

Had to listen through YouTube as the version on Amazon music was two drum solos that I guessed wouldn't have made the 1001 album cut. Glad I did, it was great! Loved the African jazz sound, drumming was great, more Fela Kuti please.

Not my kind of thing. Cool that Ginger Baker makes an appearance a few times, and the wikipedia article about the album is pretty good, but I just didn't enjoy it.

Enjoyed the jazzy African funk sound of it all. It's something I never would have listened to but I'm glad I have now. It's definitely not boring background music like some other albums in this list but this does work nicely in the background.

This was pretty funky, quite enjoyed it. Not sure I'd listen again though. Also not sure I need a 15 minute drum solo track.

unreal, worthy member of this list. could probably cut this list down to 100 albums and this would still easily hold its place. expansive, funky, energetic bliss. musically, very addictive.

Sorry to say I wasn't feeling this one.

Certified banger

African beats, cool but wouldn’t play for others.

One of the best live performances of all time, true pioneer

Strong 4.

Afrobeats. Jamband-ish. 7/10

Lovely grooves

Great music! Wasn’t necessarily much like anything I normally listen to but I thought it was good. Had my foot tapping to the beat almost the whole time. Will be spending more time listening to this genre.

African progressive rock basically. I love the singing and the combination of western and African instruments, plus the drum solo track went hard

4.25

The Production is amazing and clear for a live album and the audience participation part on the shout chorus sounds like a chamber choir in a recording studio. The sound is amazing. I am a fan of Fela Kuti and Ginger Baker so I always knew I would enjoy listening to it but had never taken the time until know. All of the songs are complete jams that could be endlessly enjoyable and what make well played afro-pop so enjoyable to listen to when the greats are involved and this album has it all in that regard. From front to back it is an amazing listen that feels like your own personal concert at times that I would agree is a must listen for anybody with a healthy appreciation for Afro-pop, Jazz, World, or music in general.

Enjoyed

Bouncy

Pretty exciting at times. Drum solo is a bit random but neat as we don't hear those much anymore but in theme with the rest of the album/performance, it's less exciting. It feels a bit... indulgent. This is someone who loves the Grateful Dead too...

It wasca goodie

Very good

Fela Kuti always brings such energy to his performances, it's interesting to hear a live recording from so early on in his international career.Even before some of his biggest albums, he was always Fela, one of the main players in defining the Afrobeat genre.

a groove

I don’t really like this kinda music but I can appreciate it 3/5

Fela Kuti has quickly become one of my favorite artists I've discovered in this exercise. Once again, strong, swinging jazz from his group. Very strong Mingus vibes. Favorite track: Black Man's Cry

Big up this fella Fela

great example of soul singing big band black blues music loved it use as inspo for my future fusion projetcs

In your face funk

Day 4 Right off the bat, I have to admit that I'm really not a fan of Live performances as an album. Let it be known that this will very likely affect my score on this. Let's Start - 6 Black Man's Cry -7 Ye Ye De Smell - 8 - the keyboard in the background gives this song a unique feel Egbe Mi O - 7 Overall: I think it's a really cool sound. I think all the songs are absolutely way too long but I also recognize that it's a lice show and that's totally acceptable in live shows. 28/40 or 70%

Gute polyrhythmische vibes

I like