Live!

This is amazing. I'm a fan of Fela Kuti but never knew this album existed, really great.

Amazing. Loved every second of this. 5 stars.

This is what I want from live albums! Absolutely spectacular

fearless and masterful

Having never heard his or his son's music before this project, I wasn't given the best order when it comes to their albums, given that only now, weeks after Femi Kuti's album, am I getting to know the OG. And now I understand why he's considered the more innovative musician, even though I really liked both of their records. This one is more challenging than Femi's self-titled, but it comes with its rewards.

I didn’t like this quite as much as Zombie, but still such a solid record.

WOW

Funkiest of the funky. What's not to love?

Short and sweet. Right up my alley in this moment. Really enjoyed this one

First time hearing this and first time this project that I’ve listened to something new three times in one day. Immediately one of my favorite records. Can’t wait to dive deep into this discography.

Terrific album! Big band African-Jazz fusion! Awesome … highly recommended!

I couldn’t find this album specifically, but love this artist and will listen to other albums.

Just some incredibly fun and well-done music here. I think the live aspect actually helps elevate the album in a certain way; the moments Kuti has with the audience help make the album feel more like a musical experience and reinforce the mood of the album. Let’s Start put a big grin on my face and that atmosphere just kept up throughout the entire album. Favorite Song: Egbe Mi O (Carry Me) Least Favorite Song: Ginger Baker & Tony Allen Drum Solo - Live at the Berlin Jazz Festival - 1978

Wuau! Un sonido histórico

Femma till denna med! Oemotståndligt svängigt!

Exakt samma motivering som förra, fast den här gången blir det en femma istället för att det var lite bättre!

Groovigt som ett helvete. Köper rakt av. Ok, bonusspåret med trumduellen var kanske lite långt även för mig. Men också pisscoolt.

Skönt att det där jävla trumsolot (som var bra för att vara ett sjukt långt trumsolo) inte verkar höra till originalskivan. Därför solklar femma. Liksom Let's start, oooooh när blåset kickar igång. Oooooh. Då känner jag det. Sean kuti är ju kanske bästa konserten jag varit på. Det här är ju ännu bättre

Disfrute mucho la variedad de sonidos e instrumentos utilizados en cada uno de los tracks. Cuando un artista comprende, integra y aplica la genialidad y la creatividad para crear piezas únicas, se nota.

This is the kind of music I like! I feel like I’d have been happy in that moment

This is the kind of repetition that actually builds into something larger. The grooves stretch out, mutate, and lock into a hypnotic flow that feels alive rather than static. Rhythmically, it’s on another level, constantly shifting in subtle ways that keep it engaging without breaking the trance. It’s not about individual moments, it’s about immersion over time, and that’s exactly where it excels.

Nice!

Amazing background for my book Playful and fun Good vibes all around

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Amazing, gonna recommend this one for people not participating

You know an albums good when you pretty much decide on the score within the first 15 seconds of the music starting. God damn! Afrobeats Jazz-funk mix is so up my alley that it is unreal. I was working out to this album and I was getting so into it. Its definitely got some Jam Band energy but it is also quite structured and always moving so it ignores a lot of the noodling criticism that can go on there. It also has the longest drum solo I've heard like, ever. My god he must've been so tired after all that. I listened through to this album twice and the only spot that got kinda old to me was the last track, but I know I'm definitely gonna add "let's start" to my personal playlist. Oh, also I read this guys wikipedia page and I've never been more conflicted in my life.

Sooo nice

J'écoute le podcast Fela Kuti: Fear No Man ces temps-ci et je recommande. La mère de Fela, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, était enseignante. Elle est passée d'une position circonstantielle de collaboratrice du régime colonial UK, faisant partie du système d'enseignement UK, à une militante acharnée de la levée du colonialisme et du droit des femmes. Je ne sais pas encore si c'est elle qui choisissait les slips de couleur de Fela par contre. Ça va peut-être en parler.

La section rythme kick des culs. Le saxophone est moins intéressant, il est comme un peu rudimentaire dans ses phrases, et faux par moments.

Magnifique cover. Ginger le blanc bec qui groove avec sa cigarette dans la main, Fela qui semble en transe. 5/5 Côté musique, beaucoup aimé aussi! Ça fait du bien des rythmes africains à l’occasion, forts en percussions. Fela Kuti, quel homme intéressant.

Funky energetic great sound stage replication So many layers of instruments that have individuality

Oh yesss!

pretty wild how ginger baker made an effort to play in africa more because he had no idea how to get heroin there. anyway despite being only the second best drummer fela played with, baker shreds here. and fela is fela. this isn't the africa 70's peak imo but it's a very strong date overall

fuck yeah this is what I’ve been looking for

I feel like your opinion of this comes down to how you feel about the closing track being a 16 minute drum jam. Personally, I loved it. A glorious. Combination of Fela's style with Ginger Baker's furoous grooves. On Tiday, search for Ginger Baker rather than Fela Kuti.

great album

Awesome

Man, it was literally just last month that I first dived into Fela Kuti's music. I was thoroughly impressed across multiple releases with his knack for composing call-and-response-oriented jams that inspired people to stand and unite. Of course, he's not the only creative mind on this record. After the disbandment of Cream and Blind Faith, drummer Ginger Baker traveled to Nigeria and set up a recording studio in Lagos to immerse himself in African music. Ginger and Fela became friends during this period, and the two recorded together on multiple occasions. For this first stint, Ginger convinced Fela and his band Africa '70 to fly over to EMI Studios in London for a live-in-studio session. The resulting record is a vibrant, upbeat series of funkish performances, complete with the dual baritone saxophones, chicken-scratching guitars, and Fela's powerful, charismatic voice. Tony Allen led the complex drums and congas before Ginger Baker joined in on "Ye Ye De Smell" and "Egbe Mi O (Carry Me I Want to Die)", further pushing the envelope with his jazz-inspired fast-paced syncopation. It is truly mesmerizing how these musicians from different backgrounds were able to sonically synchronize and be in tune with each other for such an eclectic jam for the ages, and it sounded like the in-studio audience was really into the performance. If I had to nitpick, it's that I do miss the political edge of Fela's later releases. To be fair, there is a certain degree of highlighting the struggles of the Nigerian people on a track like "Black Man's Cry", plus there's spiritual empowerment through dancing and engagement with the music on "Let's Start" and "Egbe Mi O (Carry Me I Want to Die)". If anything, it does get rather humorous for the songs Ginger joins in on, as "Ye Ye De Smell" is a funny little anecdote about your girl's been cheating on you from the smell of the herbs they've been partaking in, while "Egbe Mi O (Carry Me I Want to Die)" is about dancing so hard that you break your body and have to get carried off the dancefloor. In that respect, even if I prefer the sharper political commentary to come, I found some enjoyment in these witty and joyful lyrics here. Overall, this was a fun meeting of the minds, as Fela Kuti and Ginger Baker, alongside the rest of Africa '70, had the musical chops to put on such a defiantly jovial Afrobeat performance.

19/20 Inventeur de l'afrobeat, j'ai eu la chance de voir son héritage en concert à travers son fils et petit fils : Femi Kuti et Mádé Kuti. Le concert m'ayant profondément marqué, j'avais chercher à retrouver cette musique dans le répertoire de Fela, sans trop de succès. Par la découverte de cet album, c'est chose faite. J'ai retrouve ce que j'avais aimé ce jour là, et c'est un délice pour les oreilles ! Si je devais mettre un bémol, c'est peut être que le solo de perçu qui constitue le dernier morceau rend l'album un peu moins accessible

Amazing album. I was really blown away. Impossible to describe besides saying it's just some of the best music you've ever heard. A soundtrack to life. I think "Black Man's Cry" was the favorite track this time.

Fela my beloved

Immaculate vibes. What a fun listen!

Albúm que no conocia, con muy pocas canciones, pero un sonido potente. Mezcla jazz, reggae, afrobeats. Me llamó mucho la atención el último tema del disco, es solo bateria, y es excelente! Mi puntaje es un 9 🫰🏼✨

What a groove! Listened to it 5 times through without even noticing it had repeated.

What can Ginger Baker not do on drums in that period. Phenomenal. Fela Kuti has always been a musician I respected rather than liked. Maybe it was the relisten but it absolutely clicked this time.

Ok this is great. I love Ginger Baker’s work on Cream and honestly know nothing else. I think k I heard the name Fela Kuti but couldn’t tell you anything about him. This is some super energetic and funky jazz with African rhythms and super fun dynamics. Great listen even for folks like myself who don’t particularly care for jazz.

Any reason to listen to fela my top is still zombie

Iconic. Complicated. Grateful for an excuse to spend the time to know his story better. Epic listen

this is an amazing album. Still to this day,

Protest music to get the party started.

These is one of the best love albums I've ever heard

Ah, Fela...you cant go wrong with Fela Kuti. This was one of the albums I originally looked into myself when I got the book many years ago, and this was the first Fela Kuti album I got. This isn't even his best album, and it's still an absolute banger. 4.5/5.

First listen Saved 4/5

love fela. his approach is pretty formulaic, but it works. hook, horns, jam it out, bring it down, back in for the finale. big fan. have his boxset something like ~50 albums.

Having only ever heard singles, this live record really encapsulates the artist, his dynamism and range. Fun peak into the new styles and influences emerging in the 70’s

i've heard this one. it rips

Свято життя

Fela Kuti! How did I forget about you? I listened to a couple of albums years ago and then... lost in my memory. What a pleasure to listen to this. We need more Afrobeat in the world.

PUTO AMO FELA!!!

Nigerian Icon! I grew up listening to Fela with my family so this is a pleasant surprise. It was a very enjoyable listen to hear all of these songs live from the long intros, to Fela’s adlibs and the help of Afrika 70 and Ginger Baker with the drumming and instruments. All of the songs in this album were great from the opener ‘Let’s Start’ which could still be viewed as an anthem today, to Black Man’s Cry’, ‘Ye Ye De Smell’, ‘Egbe Mi O’ and the ‘Ginger Baker and Tony Allen Drum Solo’. It melded a vivacious blend of highlife and jazz that I’ve grown up to love in a Nigerian family. This album is also one of the easiest 5/5’s so far! - GEMV (21.01.2026)

This is my shit! Loved this album! The African jazz, and funk, and soul all mixed into one beautiful record is exactly the type of music I love!

Ginger Baker e Tony Allen na percussão, dupla de peso, Fela Kuti no vocal e a banda Africa 70 o acompanhando. Combinação explosiva, sem igual. A nata do Afro Jazz. Ritmos imparáveis e grooves impagáveis. Canções envolventes. Álbum impecável, repleto de performances explosivas, de fazer o chão tremer. Preciso o quanto antes comprar esse álbum, ele é uma adição inestimável para qualquer coleção. A banda toca de maneira precisa e afinada. Algumas seções de teclado, a percussão conjunta, as seções de brass, o baixo dançante, tudo trabalhando em conjunto em composições progressivamente vivas e agitadas. Disco companheiro para a labuta cotidiana de metrópoles imundas. Sinto isso, ao tocar esse número você de fato incorpora um ‘cool cat’, com um cigarrillo balançando na boca, óculos aviador, passos beatniks desenfreados. A faixa final no Streaming é, na realidade, uma faixa bônus, com um dueto de bateria brilhante entre Ginger e Allen. E apesar de ser apenas um bônus, é uma adição maravilhosa ao pacote, extremamente comovente. Nunca é avassalador. Sempre deixa um espacinho pra você respirar. Disco orgânico e vivo. O melhor tipo. 5/5

What a groovy fun afternoon this led to

I couldn’t find this actual album, but I did listen to his live album and it was fantastic. Great easy listening, hard listening background music, foreground music. Loved it.

No expensive shit on the list? Worldie nonetheless

I've got this album on vinyl. I adore Fela, fantastic record

Not the best fella. But still great

Definitely one of the best live albums I've listened to. Fel Kuti i have listened to from time to time, as well Cream. These type of collabs are often hit or miss, but this was certainly a hit. The flow, the rhythm, and clearly the pure joy of music expressed through different cultures.

Bangin'

Baker and Allen together, what a treat. Always for Fela and his hypnotic sound.

Vibin! 10/10

Such a powerhouse of an album. Also the live recording is stunning. So much fun!

💥💥💥💥💥

I think, when done right, there's something very special about a live album. It can't simply be a collection of hits that are played live, there has to be purpose to the recording, and I think that's exemplified here. Every song is elevated here, the energy they bring is otherworldly. It reminds me a lot of the Sam Cooke live record that's on here, it's just a really phenomenal experience.

Classic

I don't even have the words here. This exercise is loaded with inferior stuff that is Not Fela, when you could have just jam packed it with Fela and made me much happier. The music is a fusion of West African music, jazz, and funk called Afrobeat, a genre that Fela pioneered. This is music that could breathe life into a dead man, the kind that makes you want to get out of your goddamn seat. Fela's band The Africa '70 could tear it up, and Fela's voice is the ideal cherry on top. Raw, powerful, exuberant, thrilling. Oh yeah, Ginger Baker shows up, whatever. (I'm kidding, Baker's drum segments are pretty great, but when you've got Tony freaking Allen as the band's regular drummer, it's hard to get excited about anyone else in the chair. Tony would get mad at Fela over the dispersal of royalties for music that he had a very prominent hand in creating, and leave Fela, taking several band members with him.) If I have a complaint, it's the crowd. Why are they not losing their minds? Why is there only polite applause at the end? Maybe that's just not a thing that's done in Nigeria.

Whoa, that was awesome. Drum solo on the last song kinda went on and on.

Loved when I got the Zombie album, and this is sadly Fela Kuti's and the Africa '70's last album on this generator. This has crazy good energy even more than the albums, and Kuti's vocals sound so wild and ferocious ; I love it! I don't think any thing sounds AS rich as the arrangements by the Africa '70, those guys are just on another planet, they never fail the song. This one has a catch, that is it features Ginger Baker (the drummer guy from Cream,) specifically tracks 3-4; 5 if you have the bonus track version. I got Baker's former bandmate Eric Clapton as my previous album, it being the Layla album. So maybe we can complete the trifecta if Bruce Whatshislastnameicantremember is apart of the next album I get. Highlight Song/s: "Ye Ye De Smell" and "Egbe Mi O (Carry Me I Want To Die)"

aaaaaaaaaaaamazinggggg💗

The energy here is great. Even though it is a live album, it's a nearly perfect listen all the way through.

Was happy to see this pop up! Had a few Fela Kuti songs lurking around on my playlists but hasn't listened to this one, and enjoyed it! "Black Man's Cry" and "Let's Start" were faves on here.

I hear you, Fela Kuti... hot damn, this is a percussionist's dream. Sounded like everyone was having fun. Loved it.

Probably my favorite album I've discovered from this (so far)

I may like this live album even better than his Zombie album.

Fuck yeah

Vibrant, fun, with that classic keyboard sounds like the break in Water Got No Enemy. Great to take some time to hear the This album made me realize how much more American rock there is than anything else, which got me upset. Zamrock is right there! Afro beats alone is too vast to reduce to Fela, no matter how iconic. How many U2 albums are on this???? And what is there to show for all of Africa??? Not enough of the good shit!

Fan-freaking-tastic. I discovered Fela Kuti through Talking Heads and it was my doorway into the amazing world of West African music

Wiggling around listening to this. Wonderful energy throughout

Delightful.

One album. 5 tracks. Afro beat. Drums solos from Ginger. Glorious.

Usually albums with this high energy get on my nerves. But this one brightened up a gray rainy Saturday. Great rhythms. Only the drum solo they could have left out.

Cross cultural album one pf the best

Fela Kuti is legendary, and this album is as good as any other to drive that point home. The energy is infectious and it's impossible to not get immersed and lost in the sound. Fantastic stuff.

Incredible, would have never found this on my own.

Ginger Baker is great, let loose from the constraints of being in a power trio he can show off his jazz chops. Tony Allen is just an incredible. Africa '70 is such an incredible band, incredibly tight yet bursting with energy. And Mr. Kuti is sublime. I'd known about him for a long time but the direction he brings to the band and his organ playing are just *chef's kiss*. Some people may find it rambling but I love the juxtaposition between the long rambling solos, the call and responses, the timing of the various sections and the incredible energy brought to this recording.

This record features the father of Afrobeat performing live with Animal from The Muppets. I was a little surprised to see it here because, even though it's an awesome live recording of stellar performances, I've never considered this an "important" recording in Fela's catalog. It's cool that Ginger Baker is here, but, except for the bonus drum battle with Tony Allen, his presence is not highlighted. His playing is absorbed into the larger Africa '70 group, and that's for the better. The music is more important than the marketing on this recording. The drum solo/battle is cool to hear once or twice. I guess it was merely tacked on as a bonus track for CDs, maybe for marketing or preservation/completion. I'm glad it's the last track, because it would mess up the flow of the track list if placed anywhere else. I don't know how essential this recording is to understanding Fela's career (or Ginger Bakers', for that matter), but the music is smoking hot, and the recording is punchy and powerful. One more thing: If you can resist singing along to the hypnotic call-and-response sections of "Egbe Mi O," I don't think you and I are supposed to be friends. Five stars.

Funky and awesome! I want to play this at my next dinner party!

This is why we continue on this journey. The exact type of album that you wanted to listen to when you first started tracking this website, admit it. I love the combination of blues drumming and jazz on this album. Really cool extended jams and the African sound is so distinct and awesome. I bet this would sound really good while you are paroozing a record store in a city you have never been to. 9/10

Meer bongo meer beter

Fela Kuti is a legend for a reason. The only gripe I have with this album is that I wasn't alive to see this played live and now I'll have to carry that burden of knowing that for the rest of my life.

A genuine delight. 5 amazing tracks. A great album and the first album that I feel like I didn't know yet but did really enjoy discovering. Never expected to enjoy a 16 minute drum solo that much.

Superb. Love the energy, the music is great, the overall vibe is great. Honestly I really have no complaints this is a fantastic live album and I love the uber long drum solo at the end. I think I’ve talked myself into a 5 and I’m not mad about that.

This album is fantastic. From start to finish you are able to jam out.

Just an incredible listen. The jazz and afro elements in this thing intertwined so well. My only gripe is that the drum solo went on for fucking ages, but I don't know if it was supposed to be a part or this record nor is it going to deter me from a 5 star rating.

Fela Kuti is a silent giant in western music. He, and the wider genre of Afrobeat, have had an incalculable impact on pop, hip hop and rock. This doesn’t influence my final score but I think it’s important to note. I only discovered Fela Kuti a couple of months ago and this is not even his best album, I think it is only included on this list because Ginger Baker is on here. It’s a shame that this is his only album on this list, he is really an incredible artist. This is an end-to-end good time, no faults.

Finally some proper fucking music. Funky, jazzy, souly, I could listen all day

total jam, start to finish.

This was amazing. Loved the drum sounds throughout. Songs are a little on the longer side, but I don’t think it hurts the enjoyment of the record. Would’ve loved to experience the energy live.

Every song is a lengthy bop, even the drum solo at the end is noteworthy

After multiple days of (to me) mid-tier, forgettable records... finally, some good fucking food. What a supercharged live performance by Fela and Africa '70. I'm a drummer and admittedly had no idea that Fela released a live album alongside Ginger Baker, but damn did I enjoy this. "Ye Ye De Smell" has all the characteristics of Ginger's thunder, and his solo alongside Tony Allen on the final track is 16 glorious, bombastic minutes of pure drumming goodness. The singalong with the crowd on "Egbe Mi O" was so much fun as well... just a fun, electric album from front to back.

8.6

Really enjoyed this jazz

shockingly good. would recommend. Not sure why it was so addictive, but it was.

> the Beatles Very good

super fun and different. fantastic listen.

Loved it! Vivacious

The great Fela Kuti at his best

This album isn’t just live—it’s alive. It moves like blood through a city at night. Afrobeat in its purest, rawest state: rhythm as resistance, groove as gospel. Fela and his band don’t play the songs so much as summon them, brick by brick, horn by horn, until the whole room levitates. Every track stretches, breathes, argues with itself. You can hear the sweat, the laughter, the crowd caught in trance. This isn’t background music—it’s political, physical, and deeply spiritual all at once. Rating: 5/5 Short Review: Liberation through groove. Funk so tight it feels like a manifesto. Favorite Track: “Let’s Start” — it’s not a song, it’s an uprising with a horn section.

Man oh man- Fela and Ginger Baker live? Yes please. Fuck yes, loved it. Biggs, if it’s too Afro pop, you’re too white!

My kind of music. Funky, jamming rock and African rhythm, horns, and Ginger Baker on Drums! What more could you ask for?

Despite being a live album, the quality you find here is rare.

The king, killing the game that only he could play!

FELA KUTI IS ONE OF THE GREATEST MUSICIANS OF ALL TIME. My dad used to play "Zombie" on the family computer. He claimed he hated jazz, but for Kuti he could always make an exception. He'd reminisce on how he'd dance with his classmates to the lyrics - trying to do each move as fast as Kuti sang it. Jazz gets stereotyped as a stuffy pretentious genre sometimes but there is so much life within it. The controlled chaos it embodies challenges a listener, and creates a small section of participation from the audience.

Loved it A LOT. Listened while running and it made me feel like I was in a movie.

The man

Easily among the top live albums on this list. Super fun all the way through.

It’s the sort of music my grandad listens to and it just makes me feel so joyous and warm inside

I rated "Zombie" at three stars, and I was expecting a similar result for this live album. In the end, though, I just couldn't stop moving to the tunes, and I thought the drum duel with Ginger Baker was absolutely stellar, so it's getting five stars and going in my Tidal library for future enjoyment.

Cool jazz funk with afro beats. Just terrific! Favorite track: Let’s start Other picks: ye ye de smell, drum solo, egbe me

This is great. I don’t remember if we’ve already done a Fela Kuti album yet - everything’s running together - but we should do more. Excellent.

I enjoyed it very much, maybe it was just a good sunday

The birthplace of Afrobeat!

What's not to love?

2/1001 Quite different from what i usually listen to. I read a bit about the album before i listened to it. Fela Kuti had something to do with the Talking Heads album Remain in the light which I really like and I have recently been listening to Creams White Room. As a result I was interested to see what this album was about. I really liked it, from the opening bars that made me think of Oceans eleven to the 14 minute drum solo at the end - great stuff. This will be getting another listen in the future.

Absolutely excellent, whatever it requires of you to get into, it gives you back tenfold.

Endless funk and rythm

Listening to this album is like watching Jordon in the 90s. Every musician is in the zone and executing to perfection their craft and showing their soul.

Toe-tapping good

What an amazing album! Thank you for introducing me to this "language of energy and rhythm; I enjoyed every track and the drum solo was inspiring...who on earth can play like that! Fela does "what he came to do"; create a new fan. Loved this

This is an incredible album and had me moving and grooving to the beat the whole time. You can feel the jazz influence in this album because it is sort of an organized chaos at points before Fela Kuti reigns it back in. This will definitely be added to my rotation.

Have listened a few times and its got a real groove and energy to it. Enjoyed a lot.

Great music for a coffee getting ready for a long spicy day ahead

Likte den veldig godt! Jazz og funk i skjønn afrikansk harmoni.

Fela Kuti knows how to put on a show. Take notes people

So funky. I’ve heard a lot about Fela Kuti and I’m glad I made this discovery. This is top tier jazz fused with afrobeats.

A fenomenalno ko i uvik

Do you know how good you have to be to have Ginger Fucking Baker openly respect you? This album is an absolute banger that is in the discussion for greatest live release of all time.

A classic live album that introduced many Ginger Baker fans to the legend that is Fela.

Funky instrumental empowering and beautiful!

4.5 / 5 - I needed to hear this because I didn't think I could enjoy a 15 minute drum instrumental. This is the sort of album I'm here for. I have no idea of this is a good Fela Kuti live album or how much Ginger Baker is adding to the sound, but I listened all the way through twice, and to a couple tracks 3 times. Great groove. Would listen to more Fela Kuti. Rounding to 5 for the drums.

Great - even with the extended drum solo.

This album slipped by me unnoticed back in the day. This is an excellent live album with a great rhythm section. I really enjoyed listening to this LP and will be adding it to my collection.

Great afrobeat live album by the King.

Outstanding! There's at least two legends here doing their thing (Fela & Ginger). Liked Songs Added: Let's Start Black Man's Cry Ye Ye De Smell

I wasn't expecting to enjoy this as much as I did, but it was lively and interesting and new. Big fan! 4.5/5 stars.

I've rated too many albums 5 stars but i feel bad not to

I was going to give 4 stars until the big drum solo at the end. Can't give anything less than 5 for that.

fela!

Really captures the raw talent of Baker while Fela demonstrates all the positives of fusion music while completely missing any pitfalls of the genre. Others come off as boring and pretentious trying to pull this off but Kuti paves his own way. Masterful! Pure energy. It is somehow both an album you could have a dance party to or have on in the background while having a chill dinner party

DOPE

Really liked this. Sat on the back porch with Justin, smoking cigars and enjoying this album. Lots of jazz influences. Ginger Baker's drumming is excellent. Definitely worth another listen.

My joy of this was somewhat amplified by the stupidly hot heatwave in the UK currently. This made it feel like an opening sequence to a Far Cry game. The music here is interesting throughout, showing that sometimes (believe it or not), jazz can be pretty good. I’m pretty sure I’ve come across Ginger Baker before, but where this was escapes me presently. Fun album though!

Ken Chutney was originally going to appear on this. Despite being a far superior drummer to Ginger Baker, Fela Kuti was concerned no one would know him as a drummer! On the day he found out I remember Ken telling Ginger he was like the cat that got the cream! Ken was unbelievably witty. 4.6 4/5 Egbe Mi O (Carry Me)

Man this stuff is great, kinda highlife, kinda jazz, kinda James Brown, all awesome

Increíble album. Nunca había escuchado afrobeat asi que este album es como una introducción onda benchmark para mí. Me encanta la energía que tiene la instrumentación onda big band mezclada con los tambores y como se desarrolla cada cancion (porque son LARGAS pero tienen muchos solos y van como developing). Me encanta BLACK MANS CRY. Increíble tema. Hasta pegadizo. La voz de Fela Kuti es increíble, destaco mucho la batería en la instrumentación (y la batería de Ginger Baker obvio).

Buenísimo y sorprendente. Puro jazz y ritmos afrocaribeños que prenden desde la primera percusión. Todos los tracks son una joya, pero el último del disco, un solo de percusiones de 20 minutos, es para volverse loco. Genial.

It had a real great Ragea meets Jazz feel. I loved it

i LOVED how this was basically all instrumentals. it’s cool seeing jazz intersect with world music. there was a lot of passion in this album and it showed. 5/5.

Great stuff. Big energy throughout, lots of fun to listen to

Ugh! Drums! Beats! Rhythms! Unbelievable! Damn.. this album makes me feel like I can't see color in my own life. Like I've never even heard of a party. I'm just a tiny, slow, black and white snail. Sheesh. The context or rating something like this just makes me incredulous that even a fraction of the energy in that room could be bottled. It must have been transcendent. Did Ginger ever come back from that? Music is magic.

This music brings me joy.

This album was quite the discovery! I "knew of" Fela Kuti but never properly listened to an album. What a party! Super funky Afrobeat. James Brown with wits of jazz and loads of African charm. Only a 5 songs, all long (usually 10+ minutes) but they don't bore for a second. They almost brought a tear to my eye, I'm not sure why, but it's a good sign. Now I need to listen to MORE Fela Kuti (and check out his progeny too).

This album is great, moves and grooves, get on the train and go

Many of Fela's songs start slowly, with a funky rhythm that builds and builds, as horns, call and response vocals and organ make their respective appearances. This album starts off with a massive funk kick right from the beginning. As one of Fela's first albums, it's a great introduction. And by this point, all the elements that make Fela a unique explosion are there. A lot of people make a big deal of Ginger Baker's inclusion here. I don't hear it a lot. That's not to take away from his contribution, I just mean to say that this is a full big band experience, with everybody playing their parts. Plus, there is a lot of other percussion in here. Edit: At least I don't hear it until the bonus track, where Baker and Tony Allen go off. Solid collab. As a Fela fan, I'd say there are a lot of better albums out there. But I could see why this one is on the list. 4.5/5

Legendary drum solo between Tony Allen and Ginger Baker

This album is a party from start to finish, and a masterpiece to boot. I first heard about it on the Ginger Baker documentary where you find out he is absolutely batshit crazy, but also a virtuoso who pushed the boundaries and found Fela to work together AFTER he revolutionized rock and roll with Clapton. Still, the bass playing is the best part of the album.

Loved the funky groovy mood, the drums, and how danceable this album is.

Wow. Never would have picked this up on my own and so glad it’s on here. One of the best we’ve listened to

Ça commence assez raide, Fela qui introduit "Lets start" pis pouf! Fun fact :Baker travelled with Kuti into Africa in a Land Rover to learn about the continent's rhythms, as documented in Tony Palmer's film Ginger Baker in Africa (1971). Très centré sur le rhythme, il y a toujours au moins un element percussif qui reste et qui fait office de métronome. Côté forme, cest proche du jazz, des solos puis revient à des thèmes. Solos d'orgue par Fela, solos de drums/percs. Aussi, autre drummer sur l'album = Tony Allen, habitué de Fela Kuti, il y a un duel entre les deux drummers enregistré en 1978 comme Bonus track sur l'album

So much energy in his live performances, makes me wish I could have been there!

This was an spectacular album, a great hour of Afrobeat. Fela Kuti was a great talent, and he's in top form here, combining jazz and funk while also composing a record that feels original and authentic. All the performances are great, Baker's drumming is on point and Kuti's voice is super powerful. This album perfectly achieves what it aims to do, showing an excellent live version of Kuti and company, and the recording is so good it barely feels like a live album.

Wonderful. Another awesome and vibrant album from the combination of African and Western musical styles. Great for getting into the zone and bopping along, losing track of time. Must-listen #146

Ok, das holt mich total ab irgendwie 😄

What a fantastic album. If you don't like this, are you even alive?

I've been putting this one off for a while and I was missing out. This album is so excellent and groovy. I may not listen to an individual song from this again, but I would certainly through this on. I'm really impressed at how engaging this is and I don't understand any of the (sparse) lyrics on this thing. Light 5/5, totally needed to hear this

This was amazing I loved it

Fela Live! is absolutely explosive. Fela as a vocalist is so powerful and commanding. This is sort of my first proper exploration of afrobeat and the intensity and persistence of these grooves blew me away. Track after track, their phrases are simply as infectious as they are ferocious. The playing is incredibly tight and rhythmic as one would expect, but due to the way the drums specifically were recorded, it makes you feel like you're in the room with them. The drums are the star of the show in my eyes because of their meditative rhythmic properties. One does not have to know much about Nigerian music history to appreciate this album, for the energy is immediate and potent as soon as Let's Start kicks off. The instrumentation is just fantastic on every song, with bass and horn passages that mutate and grow or deform as the tracks go on, often time giving way to other instrumental passages and opening a track up to a different but equally intense groove. Fantastic album.

What an album! The energy and playfulness is off the charts, and the entire band is on point.

Hell yes! Second time getting a Fela Kuti album and second time I'm giving him 5 stars. Never heard of him before this but he's been nothing short of amazing so far. The drumming here in particual was great. 9/10

This man *explodes* into his music. I have serious band energy envy. Okay Fela is amazing but can anyone else hear how this clearly inspired "Chacarron" by El Chombo? Black Man's Cry is incredible. I am listening to this song while reading a news article about Trump relocating "persecuted" white South Africans to the US as "refugees" after denying refugee status to black and brown people. The persecution these White South Africans face is quite literally them having 20x the household wealth as the average Black South African family as well as 4x lower unemployment rate. Read that and re-listen to Kuti's cries. Ye Ye De Smell is a bop front to back. no notes. Egbe Mi O also stellar. Ginger v Allen is GOATED. Kuti is amongst the greatest musicians of all time. Finally - I like how the nice man talks to the audience between songs

This needs to be on some sort of short album list to throw on just whenever. It’s so easy to listen to!

Listening to this groovy album was the perfect way to start my week. This album has an infectious groove, you can't not move your body when listening to the first two tracks (or really, the whole album). Black Man's Cry was one of my favorites. Hearing the vocals combined with the perfectly timed instruments lights me up! The production on this album is so incredibly crisp. Each song flows beautifully, to the point where I didn't even notice how long some of the songs were. I could listen to this album nonstop, because it is one of those albums where you hear something new on each listen.

Let's Start What We Have Come Into The Room To Do 1001 Albums Generator 23 (05/05/2025) I was hoping I would get some Mexican music for Cinco De Mayo, but I guess Nigeria is the next closest thing. Mexico is an observer state in the African Union after all. Fela Kuti was a Nigerian musician who pioneered and popularized the genre Afrobeat in the 1970's. Recorded near the beginning of his 70's peak in the famous Abbey Road Studios, Live! was the sixth album released by Fela Kuti and his band Africa '70. In spite of the name, this is not a live album in the traditional sense, having been recorded "live in studio" as opposed to "live in concert". However, it certainly has the energy of a live album, with banter between songs and song introductions by the ever-entertaining Fela. Additionally, Ginger Baker, the drummer for Cream, was featured on this recording after appearing on Kuti's previous album, Black Men Dey Suffer. Baker had spent time exploring Africa alongside Kuti to familiarize himself with the music and rhythms of the continent. Before this album, I had only heard one album from Fela Kuti: 1975's Expensive Shit. The way that Fela mixes western jazz and funk elements with African rhythms and instrumentation on long jams on that album really intrigued me, so I was excited to hear more from him here. What better place to start than the man himself, Fela Kuti? As a Yoruba man from Nigeria growing up in the mid 1900's, Fela experienced a lot of chaos throughout his life. When Nigeria became independent of British rule in the 1950's, tensions between the different ethnic groups in the country (including the Yoruba) were extremely high. Then in the 1960's, Nigeria saw the secession of the Biafra state and the ensuing starvation of over a million of its people by the Nigerian government. This Civil War ended in 1970, one year before Fela recorded this album. Interestingly, this chaos is translated into music not as anger, but as rebellious joy. What made Fela such a unique character in the history of music (among other things) was that while he allowed his circumstances to fuel his music through the lyrics, album covers, and messaging (oftentimes his songs would feature lyrics describing the plight of his people), he did not allow these circumstances to negatively impact the energy of his art. He instead opted to take the disarray around him and focus it into unbridled vitality. And that vitality is infectious. One needs only listen to the nearly screamed vocals of Black Man's Cry or the Hey Jude-esque la la la's at the end of Egbe Mi O to hear this. The man could command a room like no other. In addition to his duties as frontman, Fela found himself behind the organ quite a lot, with my favorite solo of his on this album being on the aforementioned Black Man's Cry. Another key element of Fela's music, and one of the definitional aspects of Afrobeat in general, is the call-and-response between the vocals and the instruments. On this album, this idea can be seen most on the B side, with Ye Ye De Smell featuring Fela's wordless vocals sparring with the Africa '70's horn section. Let's talk about this Africa '70. Africa '70 was Fela Kuti's trusty band, with whom Fela released a huge portion of his extensive output throughout his career. The most notable members are Igo Chiko on the tenor sax and the incredible drummer Tony Allen, of whom Fela Kuti once said "without Tony Allen, there would be no Afrobeat". Additionally on side 2, we get a second drummer, the equally talented Ginger Baker, who, after travelling throughout Africa alongside Fela, fits right in with the rest of Africa '70. The double drumming, along with the percussionists and conga players, make this an extremely rhythmic album. My body was moving the whole time. This really is a nearly perfect album. It is exquisitely played and the mixing is really cool, especially on headphones. Fela's songwriting, while simple in theory, is masterful in execution. While I would lean towards encouraging Expensive Shit as a better introduction to Fela, Live! may very well be just as great. 4.5, rounded up to 5. Favs: Black Man's Cry Ye Ye De Smell Egbe Mi O (Carry Me) Least Fav: Let's Start

Very fun and groovy album. I had a very fun time listening, I think I would have liked it a little more if the songs were trimmed and they added more songs though. Low 5.

This is one of the few non-US/non-UK albums here on this list, which are really one of the albums you should hear "before you die". It doesn't really matter if you like it or not. If you are interested in music and interested in which musicians have had a big influence and changed music styles through the time, this is one of the albums you need to listen to. It is such a shame that this list of 1001 albums does not have more of important albums like this one but so many mediocre (US/UK) pop albums, which will be forgotten in a few years!

Damn! What a strong opening, great vibes so far. It's Jazz, it's world music, it's danceable.

peak

live music is so sick

Unbelievable. This album was so funky and infectious. I am so glad that i heard it and can't wait to add it to my collection.

I was hesitant at first because I usually don’t like live albums, and this album is only 5 songs and over an hour long. I ended up loving it. Super funky!

An enjoyable listen start to finish. I didn’t listen to the 16 minute bonus track of the Ginger Baker/Tony Allen drum solo, seemed like a bit much. Maybe I’d enjoy it if I were high? Nope being high didn’t help with listening to the drum solo. That’s a big ask of someone to set aside 16 minutes for a drum solo. Yeah better off skipping, I still like the album and already gave it another listen. This is the type of album I was hoping to start out with. Artists I was familiar with but not familiar with the album. I know there will be some rough days ahead. #1

Ginger Baker!! Yea. Done. Gimme all of it.

Flowing, funky, hypnotic. Fela Kuti is the afro beat king. Having Ginger Baker on drums is 5 star icing on an already award winning, 5 star cake. Play this one loud. You'll feel like you're sitting in the room with them

Vyborny, Fela Kuti je moje, predtim jsme to neslysel rad si poslechl.

Immediate love! I had heard Fela Kuti before, but not really listened ( which, like??). Fantastic.

Ginger Baker may not smell, but that last track drum duo was stanky. I will definitely be returning to Fela Kuti and the Africa 70

SO COOL! I understand why I needed to hear this before I died.

Great to dance while grocery shopping, very upbeat melodies

I love that last song on there. Banger

Amazing! Fantastic album really love all the little ad libs from it being a live album, and the percussion is fantastic

great live album. Filled with captivating drums and solid grooves.

Simplesmente fantástico, ginger baker e fela kuti alinhamento cósmico, meteoritos sonoros.

Love it.

own

this freaking rules!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

talented, brilliant, incredible, amazing, show stopping, spectacular, never the same, totally unique, completely not ever been done before, unafraid to reference or not reference, put it in a blender, shit on it, vomit on it, eat it, give birth to it.

Fun joyous music.

Fuck yes. James brown era funk, jazz improvisation, African rhythms, impeccable drumming from Ginger Baker, Fela giving a once in a lifetime wailing performance and an unstoppable horn section. Fuck. Yes.

вайбово, понравилось. подойдет для летней пляжной вечеринки с мясом.

I have listened to some of his work, and it is incredible. I had no idea Ginger Baker worked with him. It must have been an interesting transition from Clapton's racism. Okay- listened all day- maybe the first album I have listened to multiple times in a while.

Fett! Her er det ekstremt mye å like. Høres sykt kult ut på litt høyt volum. Perfekt album. Den 13 minutter lange trommesoloen på slutten har nok ikke så høy replay Value men siden det er siste spor kan den lett hoppes over.

10/10.

95% Best: All Tracks Must-Hear? Dude. Hell Yes.

Amazing album

16 minute long drum solo HELL yeah

I knew I was gonna love this from the first note

Not available on iTunes. Amazing album.

Excellent instrumentation.

n my perspective, Live! by Fela Kuti is an electrifying experience that perfectly captures the raw, unbridled energy of an Afrobeat pioneer in full flow. The album delivers a relentless, groove-driven performance that manages to be both politically charged and musically mesmerizing—a live snapshot of Fela at his absolute best. What really blows me away about this record is the groove. The rhythm section is utterly hypnotic, with tight percussion and basslines that keep you locked in from start to finish. The horn arrangements are brilliant, bursting through the mix with an intensity that injects each track with an unmistakable vibrancy. Fela’s vocals is raw, unfiltered, and full of passion demanding your attention as he belts out his message with an unwavering intensity that’s hard to ignore. The production on this live album is lush for a raw recording. It’s impressive how well the mix captures the atmosphere of the performance, balancing the intricate instrumental layers while still letting Fela’s commanding vocals shine through. Every instrument has its space, yet together they create a cohesive, exhilarating soundscape that feels both spontaneous and meticulously crafted. That being said, it's not all flawless. Some of the extended tracks can feel a bit overlong, especially if you're not in the mood for a marathon of Afrobeat grooves. There are moments when the repetitiveness might leave you thinking, "Alright, mate, enough already," even though I appreciate the hypnotic quality of the repetition. Also, the live setting means there's a bit of roughness in the sound, it's raw and unpolished, which adds to the charm for some, but can be a tad off-putting if you're after a cleaner mix. In the end, Live! by Fela Kuti is an absolute banger that transports you right into the midst of his legendary live shows. The vibrant energy, killer percussion, and soulful horns create a lush, immersive experience that I genuinely dig. Despite a few minor quibbles with its length and raw sound quality, it’s a must-listen for anyone who appreciates authentic, hard-hitting music. For me, it scores a solid 4.8/5 stars – a rousing, unforgettable ride into the heart of Afrobeat.

Within seconds after the needle dropped, I lifted it back up and said, "This is a 5*" I was right

He changed his name to Anikulapo (meaning "He who carries death in his pouch", with the interpretation: "I will be the master of my own destiny and will decide when it is time for death to take me").

9/10 Stellar, one of the most exhilarating and groovy live recordings you should listen to, Fela Kuti and his band the Africa 70 bring together a spiritual adrenaline through Jazz, Funk, and West African music on 4 extensive grooves. Kuti’s vocals guide these songs all the way through with anthemic words, hypnotic rhythms and passion. The strong backbone on this album is the percussion section, mainly Tony Allen and collaboration with Ginger Baker of Cream, it’s indulgent, intricate, and addictive, these uniting forces make for an absolutely killer live performance. It’s a stepping stone to the band’s more essential and politically charged work, but it amounts to a near perfect collaboration at the same time. https://youtu.be/M8fz9_SZrEs?si=dLV3DsHLN5afGkZN&t=180

Simply an awesome album. 5 great tracks, the last being a quarter-hour long drum solo, with great musicianship and an infectious energy throughout.

Hell yeah! Fela is a great performer and Ginger is a great drummer. What an awesome live show

Jazz, Afro-centric, World music all flowing through Fela's music. And to close out his percussion heavy album with a 16+ minute drum solo with Ginger Baker??? Perfection. 5/5

classic

A really cheery set of tunes. Sounds like a bunch of guys having fun making music

YUUUUUUUUP

This album is an absolute banger. From start to finish it was a pleasure to listen to.

Blast of some live afrorock. Always love me some fela.

Funky, energetic, meditative and fun! I am often less of a fan when it comes to live albums, but in this case it totally makes sense.

This is the 21st album I’m rating. What is this? I am going into this completely blind. This better not be a live double album like Space Ritual. Let’s Start - Adding to my Playlist. Is that Ginger Baker from Cream? This song is fantastic. Black Man’s Cry - Adding to my Playlist. This is a fantastic album so far. Ye Ye De Smell - Adding to my Playlist. I think this is the only Afrobeat I’ve listened to in my life and it’s great. Egbe Mi O (Carry Me I Want to Die) - Adding to my Playlist. A really fun album all around. Although it might be sad if I could understand him but I can’t hear the words in English too well. All in all I liked 4/4 songs. Great album and one of my top 20 albums. I haven’t heard anything from this genre and it was really interesting.

Vrh. Obožavam ga. Totalno me uvuče u glazbu i svijet koji stvara. Kao ovo je afrobeat funk, ali meni je ovo dosta jazzy. Ritam sekcije kidaju, melodije su catchy, njegov glas mi je super, sviđa mi se što je dosta politički orijentiran iako se ne kuži uvijek na prvu. Njega si rado pustim za aktivno ili background slušanje

Hell yeah, obviously

YAY

I can tell this is the progenitor + blend of multiple genres I enjoy to this day. So delightful!

I really like this one. Afro fusion rhythms

Just so much fun. The grooves are immaculate.

yes. all of this.

Extremely my shit!!!!!!

Easiest five star of my life. It always happens with jazz man, I can’t control it- I just started grooving along, stopped what I was doing and danced. Take me away, Fela Kuti!

10/10. Over the course of only five tracks, and a little over an hour, Fela Kuti, The Afrika '70, and Ginger Baker put on a spellbinding performance. The drummer of the legendary 1960's psychedelic rock super-group Cream joined forces with the man who single-handedly invented Afrobeat to create a stunning live album full of energy. When I first learned about the existence of this album, I got really excited, and got a strong desire to listen to the album (for some reason, I didn't actually get around to listening to it for the first time until several months later). I LOVE mental drumming and funky saxophone-playing, and this album has just that. I love it when people from different parts of the world join forces in the name of music, and produce an epic masterpiece like this! After Fela Kuti introduces its first track, Let's Start, the crew just bursts into some really cool music. It reminded me of Latin jazz. I love Latin jazz. Of course, we're talking about Afrobeat, and not Latin jazz, but still. Gosh, how many instruments were involved in this? There is such a broad sound in this! Black Man's Cry does feel a little bit too long at some points, but the music is epic. I'm not a Black man, so I don't know how well that track represents a Black man's cry, but it's a great and jazzy track!!! :) Ye Ye De Smell is an incredibly energetic track. The drumming, though. Oh, the drumming!!! It's awesome!!! :) Egbe Mi O is another really dope track which features a lot of cool jamming!!! :) The album ends with an epic drumming solo! This is somewhat unrelated, but on my 17th birthday, I decided to play the Ginger Baker and Tony Allen drum solo track on the loudspeakers, and my Mama asked me to turn it off, but I didn't. I still find it funny.

the amount of energy everyone has on this album is insane

Banging vibes

* Fela Kuti's vocals are stellar * Absolute incredible production and mixing, everything sounds crisp * Percussion goes so ridiculously hard * Life affirming, honestly

One of my favorite albums (aside from the 12 min drum duet). Can't really explain why I enjoy it as much as I do. I think part of it is the same reason I didn't enjoy Leonard Cohen as much as others. Some of the best song writers are story tellers and if one of the primary features of a song/album is the story then I might get sick of it after X# listens. With this style of music I can just listen and enjoy.

For a live, jazz album, I dont know if it gets any better. Ive listened to some Fela before, but I think this is going to be my official launch point. I gave this album nearly my full attention and didnt find myself bored until the drum solo song (and even that was in the back quarter) Egbe Mi O (carry me) was my favorite track. Also, the recording/mixing here is fucking ridiculously good.

Yeahhhh good shit. Groovy like no other. I love you fela kuti Fav Songs: Black Man's Cry, Ye Ye De Smell, Egbe Mio

Love the big band energy. A fun and unique blend of afro-beat and jazz

afrobeats, groovy jams

Fela Kuti, figura esencial de la música africana, creador del Afrobeat (fusión de Jazz-Funk-música africana) que tuvo enorme influencia en bandas de Jazz o grupos como Talking Heads entre otros muchos. Hay que escuchar al menos un disco de Kuti en la via, y este puede ser perfectamente uno de ellos (otro podría ser Zombie). Aquí Toca el Cream Ginger baker, pero el protagonismo es la ensalada de vientos, ritmos, voces, coros y sobre todo energía que desprende el combo. Siempre se ha comparado a Kuti con James Brown, y salvando las diferencias de estilo, es un acierto, así que este directo es un disco muy disfrutable. Otros discos del 71: Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin IV, Marvin Gaye - What's Going On? David Bowie - Hunky Dory, The Rolling Stones - Sticky Fingers, The Who - Who's Next, Don Mclean- American Pie, John Lennon – Imagine, T. Rex - Electric Warrior, Sly and the Family Stone - There's a Riot Goin' On, The Allman Brothers Band - At Fillmore East, Nick Drake - Bryter Layter, Can - Tago Mago, Black Sabbath - Master of Reality, Rod Stewart - Every Picture Tells a Story, Carole King - Tapestry, Leonard Cohen - Songs of Love and Hate, Paul and Linda McCartney - Ram, Funkadelic - Maggot Brain Flamin' Groovies - Teenage Head, Faces - A Nod Is As Good As a Wink... to a Blind Horse, The Doors - L.A. Woman, The Beach Boys - Surf's Up RORY GALLAGHER - Deuce, NINA SIMONE - Here comes the sun, IKE & TINA TURNER - Workin' together, BADFINGER - Straight up ,Jethro Tull - Aqualung, Janis Joplin - Pearl, David Crosby - If I Could Only Remember My Name, Pete Dello and Friends - Into your ears, Santana - Santana III Gene Clark - Gene Clark/White Light, Van Morrison - Tupelo Honey Joni Mitchell- Blue, Nilsson - Nilsson Schmilsson, Elton John - Madman Across the Water, Al Green-Al Green Gets Next to You, Kevin Ayers – Whatevershebringswesing, Sixto Rodriguez - Coming From Reality...

I’ll admit upfront: I’m sceptical of live albums making “best of” lists. Too often, they either fail to capture the energy of the moment or rely so heavily on overdubs that the live element feels redundant. Combine that with my rudimentary knowledge of Afrobeat and a lifetime of drummer jokes (enough to fill an encyclopedia), and I assumed 'Fela With Ginger Baker Live!' wouldn’t be for me. I couldn’t have been more wrong. From the opening moments, it’s clear this is no ordinary live recording. The shortest track clocks in at nearly 8 minutes, and the album closes with a jaw-dropping 16-minute drum duel between Ginger Baker and the legendary Tony Allen. Yet every note, every rhythm, and every hit feels utterly compelling. This is a masterclass in live performance, capturing a raw, collaborative energy that feels both immediate and transcendent. The interplay between the musicians is the album’s heartbeat, with each track evolving organically as the performers push and pull one another into uncharted territory. Even the audience joins the action through call-and-response vocals, their energy woven seamlessly into the fabric of the music. Every member of Africa ’70 gets their moment to shine, but it’s Tony Allen who steals the show, his grooves anchoring the chaos with precision and flair. As for Ginger Baker? His name on the marquee feels like a marketing move. He appears on only two tracks, one of which is the aforementioned drum solo. While his contribution is notable, it’s Allen’s rhythmic mastery that defines the album. Ultimately, Fela With Ginger Baker Live! serves up a vibrant mix of cultural dialogue, unrelenting rhythm, and spontaneous artistry that pulls you into its groove and doesn’t let go. Did/Do I own this release? No Does this release belong on the list? Yes Would this release make my personal list? I need to explore more of Fela Kuti’s catalogue, but this album has my attention. Will I be listening to it again? Absolutely.

Ahh Fela, man. What a guy. Amazing that this collab happened at all. 100 fuck the Nigerian army's off 10. I usually get mad about artists being over-represented but there should be 10 Fela albums on this list. Watch the Finding Fela documentary. Listening on the wax, shame the Tony Allen drum solo isn't on there, goes hard as heck. Double tease when Fela introduces the drummers at the end.

yeah, this album is really funky and great. really fun and groovy, and there's never a dull moment. i love the improvisation on here. fela kuti strikes again!

Fun music. Enjoyed it very much. Wished I was the concert, but I definitely felt like I was there while listening to these groovy tunes.

Great album - energetic

What a way to start Monday! I loved this album.

I'm not one for live albums however this was recorded at Abbey Road and only in front of a few hundred people so is allowed to be an exception to my rulings! Imagine being there!? Frantic, vibrant, explosive, jazzy, groovy that smashes along at an incredible pace. Bass line constantly hammering along like an engine room driving an incredible assembly of such talented musicians. One of the finest pieces of drumming if not the finest by the legendary Tony Allen,? I trying to work that one out. Some of the rifts felt a little like the JB's too, only a lot more raw (but in a good way) I'm sorry, but if you were not moving along to this then you have no soul. FIVE!

Play this LOUD! Phenomenal piece of music. Tony's drums are hypnotising and it all works together so well. What a joy to have this one b2b with Nina Simone. It ALMOST looks like this list is quite diverse!

Primera vez que escucharé a este artista.

A complete surprise, just amazing musicians blasting it out

Ginger Baker played drums with one of the greatest trios ever created. His talents shine here as well. Really fun album.

Fun

Man.

I didn’t realize I was such a big fan of Fela Kuti. What an absolute legend. He jams so hard I feel like I was thrown out a window and later succumbed to my injuries. This is real skull cracking music. Listen to it.

Amazing. This is why I go through this list... to find albums like this. This is simply amazing

let's not pull any punches – the most important drummer on this album is Tony Allen. his drumming embodies all the finest parts of a myriad of traditions from Nigeria, America, England and elsewhere, and it sets up the entirety of The Africa '70 up for great success on both sides of this thrilling live-in-studio session (recorded at Abbey Road!), both with and without Ginger Baker. Fela Kuti's songs and Tony Allen's drums pretty much ARE the sound of Afrobeat to me at this point. that's no disrespect to Baker, who does remarkably well here! Baker was well-known for being kind of an asshole, but he definitely doesn't play like one here, injecting just the right amount of vitality into side B without stomping on Allen's (or anyone else's) toes. part of what draws me so strongly to the few Afrobeat albums I've listened to is the presence of so many engaging layers of rhythm, especially compared to Western funk music which I find, despite its superficial similarities to Afrobeat, is much more minimal in comparison. on this album, even with two drummers, a sizeable percussion section, rhythm guitar, horns and some unflinchingly repetitive basslines, there's a precision at play in every moment here that's difficult to ignore. yes, this is basically a jam session recording where a band plays four chords for around 8 to 13 minutes apiece, which I imagine is some listeners' idea of hell. if that's you, though, I would implore you to turn your attention away from pitch content! light 9/10.

Every so often you listen to an album that is a pure pleasure. Brilliant fusion of African rhythm, fund with rock overtones An absolute classic and I feel better for having heard it. Shut up and take my 5

Awesome

fela kuti - famous Nigerian musician fusing west african musical styles with funk & jazz. ginger baker - drummer for cream (mostly unfamiliar). apparently credited as "the first superstar rock drummer" and "pioneering jazz fusion/world music" (source: the drummer: 100 years of rhythmic power and invention). "live in-studio" (recording of a live performance with the goal of a highly polished sound with careful mic placement). rhythm section is certainly tight with fun buoyant energy, maybe just a tad slower than I'd really like, but the musicianship is obviously on point here. includes track introductions, presumably from kuti. solid drum solo. pretty sure i heard a keyboard in the final track, though no keyboardist is credited. verdict: a delightful jam

This is an album that I have more specific takes on than most. I love Fela Kuti, one of the true GOATs if there ever was one. Ginger Baker was truly a maniac on the drums. The one thing I notice immediately is how stark the difference in drumming is when it transitions from tracks 1 and 2 to tracks 3 and 4 with Ginger Baker on drums. It's not afro-beat drumming, and I'm not sure I appreciate the collaboration all the way through as much as I would just the straight afro-beat. This is one of the rare albums where I also listened to the bonus non-album tracks that are included on streaming. The 16 minute "Ginger Baker & Tony Allen Drum Solo" taken from a live performance that has nothing to do with Fela Kuti or this album, a strange inclusion for sure. That track is wild, and reminds me so much of Glenn Kotche's 2003 composition "Monkey Chant." I'd be curious to know what if any inspiration Kotche took from this performance. A cursory search of the internet doesn't turn up much.

That was an awesome album that I had never heard of before. Not even heard of the artist before. Listen to it while I was writing to work on my bike and again riding home from work on my bike. I had people that adjusted the pace of their riding so that they could stay close to me bop their head and compliment me on my music both there and back.

It's just a phenomonal listen.

How I got to my 40s without hearing Fela Kuti I’ll never understand. The energy and rhythms just make it impossible to not groove along.

!!!

This is insane. The quality of the recording? I often forgot this was live!

What an absolute banger of an album. Two legendary drummers and one legendary band leader. What else do you want?

Fantastic record really captures the energy of a Fela Kuti show! Ginger Baker is an asshole but he sure can rip a drum solo! I absolutely love this record

I'm curious! This was great, actually.

Infectious afro rhythms, really enjoyed it 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

i was gonna write a review complaining about the 16 minute drum solo song but that's a bonus track so it doesn't count and the album is still 5 stars.

Gorgeous vibe, beats in 3D and fantastic energy from the whole crew.

The sound of the littest party you could ever be invited to

At first I didn't think a 5+ minute drum solo would be for me but if it's not for me, then who is it for?

i will pay you $100 dollars on Paypal if you can find me one bad Fela Kuti song. i'm not kidding. not a weak one, not a "oh it's alright" one, one that is actually bad in a way that is clearly identifiable. Fela and Afrika 70 are the most consistent artists to ever live and the fact that Ginger Baker could slot in with them so perfectly on side b is a miracle. seriously, how do you go from drumming on this to ending up on Band on the Run? you must feel as if you got a peek at the Grail before being struck blind. the Grail, in this case, is Tony Allen.

Great album, Fela should get way more love on this list. So much great music, even if this isn't my favorite of his. Still a 9/10

If this just gave us Fela every day I'd be a very happy man

Funky soul gorgeous horns

I had never heard of Fela Kuti before and I was surprised to really enjoy the album. Which I suppose is the point of all this. It brought the funk.

One of the greatest, most energetic live albums of all time