Live!

Leuk! Ik merk dat ik live albums vaak erg tof vind. De manier hoe de band op inspeelt op elkaar. Gister wilde ik vrolijke dansmuziek opzetten tijdens mijn verjaardag en ik dacht; waarom niet het album van t weekend? Het is erg dansbaar en de improvisaties zijn heel vet, voor de live feel vind ik het ook leuk dat sommige nummers worden geïntroduceerd. Drumsolos heb ik echter nooit echt begrepen ik denk 95% van de mensheid niet, maar dat mag de pret niet drukken.

didnt finish it but so far the album was very lovely and authentic!

Amazing Afrobeat artist from Nigeria … despite its small duration a descent live album . Not my taste though .

So here’s the thing: this fucking rocks

Love this. Just fantastic.

Really good Afrobeat/Funk album, great to listen to either as ambient, or as a normal listen.

Really enjoyed this! A nice 5-track 62-minute record to put on and get lost in. Felas band and Ginger really work together well and every track is like an adventure.

Afrobeat, Ginger exploring africa

fun

I never heard off him, but he is REALLY GOOD, i like the vibes off the álbum and de language, i dont think i heard a african álbum. 4,5/5 its not the type off music that i listen all the time, but on summer or when a happy mood comes, thats what im looking for.

I absolutely loved this, I was playing these songs in my head for the rest of the day. Great melodies, great jazz

This is some good shit right here and an album that justifies its longer than an hour run time. Normally, I don't listen to any bonus tracks that weren't on the original release. But not this time. I wanted to spend as much time with this thing as I could and will come back to it.

The more I hear from Fela, the more I like him. And you can't go wrong with a 15 minute drum solo to end the album.

I feel pretty much the same as I did with the last Fela Kuti album we had on the list. The only part I really didn't like is that this was recorded live in a studio! The only real "live" song is a 16 minute bonus track, which is the fantastic drum duel with Ginger Baker.

Nah

Very good but too long

Amazing rhythms on this album. A drummers delight.

Great album. First time listening to Fela.

I love live in studio albums. Fela was an enthralling performer but so prolific. It’s hard to know if this is one of his best, but like many live albums on the generator it is an amazing document of his talent.

OK, bit jazzy for me

Very energetic, but not that much substance.

felt like a mix of preaching and music, not so much singing. It's not a bad thing though, it has character. "Underground spiritual" rhythms from the 70's - fun stuff. The African bits of the music make it even more so charming, it's been great to learn more about Yoruba music and Afrobeat through this album! Not quite a 4 for me tho, I'd say 3.5, leaning more towards 3

6/10 The kind of music I was hoping to listen to when I started this project. Early 70s African drum fusion (with the drummer of Cream, as well as various guitars, pianos, and what might be synths or their predecessor), it's a nice diversion from the endless new-wave and psychedelic rock bands that make up this list. That being said, I don't think I'd willingly listen to this album of my own volition. I do appreciate what they're trying to do, and I think it's great atmospheric music, but it's just not for me.

One of those where I can recognise the craft, but wouldn’t choose to stick on. Not bad Afrobeat tunes, each track a bit too long though. The best ones are 3 & 4 with Ginger Baker on drums.

Vibey.

It feels…. almost incorrect to give this a 3 because it is Fela Kuti AND Ginger Baker BUT: this is a live album, and a very meandering one. This would have been 5 stars in the room, only 3 recorded.

Live! es un documento histórico volcánico y una obra de arte atemporal que captura el nacimiento formal del Afrobeat en su máxima expresión, demostrando por qué ha envejecido bien como una de las grabaciones en vivo más potentes de la música global. Desde una perspectiva de diseño de ensamble, el álbum es una proeza arquitectónica; a pesar de la inmensa cantidad de elementos en escena, los ritmos, metales y voces están bien entretejidas, creando un tapiz polirrítmico denso pero de una claridad y cohesión asombrosas que sumergen al oyente en un trance hipnótico. El motor conceptual de la obra descansa en la figura de Fela Kuti, quien despliega un liderazgo energético descomunal, comandando a Africa '70 y a Ginger Baker con una fuerza y autoridad superior que se siente en cada interacción con el órgano y los vientos. Las extensas composiciones no dan tregua, sosteniéndose sobre una constante fluidez súper bailable que incita al movimiento liberador y al desborde corporal, funcionando al mismo tiempo como un llamado a la conciencia social y política. Un trabajo conmovedor, crudo y real cuya inmensa vibración analógica lo vuelve idóneo para múltiples usos dinámicos: el ejercicio de alta intensidad, el manejo en carretera o el trabajo creativo enérgico.

8 / 10

I mean the title says it all, it's Fela and Ginger, playing live with the Africa '70. If I had to add anything, it would be that: Rhythm is gonna get ya/ Rhythm is gonna get you/ Rhythm is gonna get you/ The rhythm is gonna get you tonight

Funk from Nigeria with GInger Baker. A tad exhausting for my taste, not a big fan of the vocals.

There's no bad Fela. His drummers don't need Baker but sure, why not.

Listened Before? N In the immortal words of the Beasties... Oh my god, thats the funky shit! This was funky and wild and I dug everything about it except the length of the songs. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Let's Start

Outstanding album

No idea going in… Didn’t realize Ginger Baker was the drummer for Cream. Didn’t dig the Cream offering… except for the drums, if I recall. So… what can I say? This was way better than Cream? The 17 minute drum duet was definitely my favorite part. That shit got saved and will keep me coming back. The rest is… good. Not mind blowing. But good. This is a solid 4 Boolean: yes, absolutely, why I am engaged in this exercise, so I can hear all this that I would have missed before I die.

This guy's Wikipedia page was a FASCINATING read. Music was good too!

Epitome of afro-beat music; the rhythm and beats are great; you feel the intensity of their live performance; you can let this album play without skipping

Fun! I love hearing live music and people being passionate!

It was okay, but I still don't like live albums. This one was better because it was live in studio instead of live on stage.

Good stuff! 4/5

So I do have multiple of these going. This is the second time this has come up in the last few days. I think it still gets a 4. Ginger Baker is way better without Cream Boolean: yes

Some amazing musicianship and a good album overall There were points that it faded into the background, but it was good

The most impressive thing about this record is that it repeatedly leaves me unable to explain how it got from one place to another. The grooves don’t develop in the way rock music develops. There are no obvious signposts, no dramatic transitions, no moments where the band collectively announces that a new section has begun. Yet twenty minutes later you’re somewhere completely different. More than once I found my attention wandering for a few seconds and returned to discover that the music had quietly transformed itself. Not through sudden change, but through accumulation. A horn figure here, an adjustment in emphasis there, a subtle shift in the rhythm section. The process is so gradual that you only notice it in retrospect. The title suggests a summit meeting between Fela Kuti and Ginger Baker. In reality, this is Fela’s world. Baker’s contribution is not to dominate but to integrate. His drumming is wonderfully responsive throughout, finding its place within a much larger machine rather than attempting to sit on top of it. I was also repeatedly drawn to the electric piano. Small repeated figures drift in and out of focus, quietly binding huge stretches of music together. Some of the album’s most important work is being done by parts that initially seem almost incidental. For a live album, it’s a remarkably disorienting experience. Most live records constantly remind you of the room. Here, the room gradually disappears. What remains is the sensation of being inside a process - a system in motion. The Tony Allen and Ginger Baker drum duet only reinforced what I’d been hearing throughout. This music has more in common with the conversational qualities of hard bop than with the grandstanding often associated with rock drumming. The groove isn’t a platform for performance. It’s the thing being explored. Above all, this is a record that trusts duration. It believes that staying with a groove long enough will reveal things that shorter forms simply cannot. And the infuriating thing is that it turns out to be right.

Lovely bit of afrobeat and the drum battle is amazing. Think there will be better Fela Kuti to come though

So I have a number of these projects going. Sorry, 1 album a day ain’t doing it for me. I’m a month in and there has been surprisingly little overlap. But here we have one, back to back. Today I listened a second time. I gave this a 4 yesterday. It’s still a 4 today. Drum duet is still the highlight. Still think Ginger Baker is way more awesome drumming with this ensemble than with Cream. Eric Clapton ain’t nothing special as far as I can tell from solo and collaborative works I’ve sat through. So 4. Boolean:yes

Interesting. I like the jazz and the African rythms. Although there were parts a bit monotonous.3,5/5.

Love Fela Kuti.

Didn't know what to expect and surprisingly enjoyed this one! The drums are definitely the start of the show here, super energetic and complex which kept me engaged the whole way through. Even though this is something I'd probably only go back to if I'm looking for this very specific sound (and since these are all 10min tracks which is a lot to commit to) I still really liked it and thought it was a cool new sound to get exposed to. 4/5

Undoubtedly would have been 6/5 live, but listening this at home doesn't quite reach the same heights. Irresistible grooving and good stuff anyway!

#404 / 1089 Heard before? ❌ Revisit? ✅ I remember reading that Ginger Baker fukt off to Africa and did some awesome things, but I didn't remember him doing those things with Fela Kuti! Awesome stuff tho, kinda kraut, lots of Africa vibes, lots of jamming. Really enjoyed this one! Strong 5/5

Solid Fav track: Ye Ye De Smell

Wasn't bad

Some cool grooves but they tended to go on too long and became repetitive to the point that everything started sounding the same. I enjoyed the experience of hearing this but I doubt I'd ever come back to it.

Jazz + Funk + Afrika

Not a fan

I love Fela but this isn't his best recording and I'm not a big fan of what Baker brings to it.

Groovy

Ese sonido africano es ncreible. Se entiende muchisimo los sonidos latinos al escuchar esta música.

parece um rock clássico ou blues... Sinto que não vou curtir muito mas vou ver UHUUl musica africana amo lacrou divo pioneiro do afrobeat

let's go to the funky town, love the sax vibe

Oh hell yes! This is a spicy morsel after UB40's white bread and milky lukewarm tea.

Ok

Not my cup of tea but good performer

Nigerialainen Fela Kuti ja Cream-yhtyeen rumpalinakin tunnettu Ginger Baker yhdistävät voimansa ja tuloksena syntyi melko vauhdikasta musisointia.

Album 42/1001. Listened 6/22/2026. It has some really catchy killer beats and melodies. Not really my favorite genre, but I could listen to it again.

Wow. Just wow.

This music moved me; literally. It's impossible to sit still while the percussion pulses through your ears and the rest of your body. It's easy to see why this album was rated one of the greatest of all times.

Fela Kuti, the creator of Afrobeat and a man of difficult circumstances, is just beginning his experiments on this record; the music here sounds more jazzy and funky and less authentic. This is unsurprising, as the album was recorded, firstly, in London, secondly, at Abbey Road Studios (its title is misleading; although it was recorded live, it was still a studio work), and thirdly, with the participation of one of the most masterful English drummers of the era, Ginger Baker of Cream. Baker had been obsessed with African music for several years by then (which makes sense, considering that it's 90% percussion), so he felt right at home here. Four lengthy jams, mixing everything at hand: Afro drums, organ, trumpet solo. It's thrown together on the fly, but weaves together very organically. A nice album for a Saturday morning!

Pretty epic, man. Cannot help but groove. I almost think I prefer this to Zombie, but maybe I need to relisten. Either way, this guy only puts out bangers. "Black Man's Cry" is insanely stellar, and this Kuti/Baker collab is the one we never knew we needed. What a fucking drum solo to cap off the album. Yes, it meanders, but for the most part I do not care.

Rate: 9/10.

Pretty cool, but not anything I would necessarily return to.

Boring, every song sounded the same

Best album recommended in the short so far. Wonderful Jazz, and I’m sure more to digest from the African point of view. Jazz on steroids. A great album to dance to. Makes me want to listen to more Cream as well. I loved this. Will listen more.

Divertido

I liked Zombie but this was a step up. A real gem of an album.

Live audio is subjectively an inferior product, but this sounds pretty decent. Pity for all the good he said, this guy was an pathetic misogynist.

Technically proficient is one thing, but as a listening experience it's just too much for someone with no prior knowledge of the players or their backgrounds.

A favorite!

This was almost a 5 star for me because it was so groovy, but honestly the tracks were a little long for my taste. 4.5/5.

This album was awesome. Idek what to say, it was just a great jazzy piece of art

Ginger Baker and Fela Kuti. What else could you ask for? Favorite track: Ye Ye De Smell

It's kind of cool, it's also not quite my thing. 3.

I love live music. I particularly love live music when you can tell that the musician loves what they do. This was a great album. I wish I could have been there to enjoy it in person. Everything had movement and life--not all live albums do, but this one held up. (Hope this isn't a spoiler, but the drums at the end were RADDDDD.)

This was a great funky, jazzy album. I particularly enjoyed the drums, and even though the songs were 12 minutes long, they flew by. Definitely something I could put on again and again. Listening to Fela Kuti and Ali Farka Touré recently have really gotten me into Afrobeats, or whatever this genre is called.

Pre Listen: Another group I haven't heard of, not even in passing. I can't tell what genre this might even be based on the album cover. Going in completely blind. Notable Tracks: N/A - I'm putting N/A as the whole album is a live recording of what's essentially a jam/jazz session. Songs mesh and flow from one to the next, with only 5 breaks or so. If I had to choose a "favorite" part, Egbe Mi O (Carry Me) was pretty nice. I like the melody he had everyone singing. It was nice. "Black Man's Cry" was my least favorite, it felt a bit tacky...? I don't really know how to describe it. Post Listen: Certainly the most free-form album I've been given to on here to date. I feel somewhat conflicted about how to even go about rating it. It's music, but it's unlike anything I've heard on here yet, seeing as how it was a live recording of free-form Afro-Jazz and rhythm. It's like judging free-form expressionist dance at an olympic sporting event, where does one even start? The beats, guitar, keyboard, occasional brass were all well played, consistently. I felt like the vocals fit well sometimes, but felt as though they were out of place othertimes. I appreciate the artists and feel more cultured after listening to this, but I don't see myself coming back, nor adding anything to my playlist. 3/5.

idk man can i have a beatles album alread

A live album you say? 👀 This was solid. Vocal works was good but relatively brief. I was immensely impressed by the drum work which particularly shined in the final track. All the more impressive that this was a live album. Very very high 3.

I didn't know Fela Kuti. Must have been fantastic to hear this music live in 1970. Apparently this is Afrobeat and seems to fuse jazz, funk and other great sounds to create a genre and apparently Fela Kuti was the original Afrobeat creator. No doubt very influential musically as well as making for a life affirming and energetic sound.

I’m a fan of Ginger Baker, but I've never come across this album or anything else by Fela Kuti. This was great though, groovy beats, tight musicianship, and an infectious energy throughout.

If there was a sound that encapsulated the 1970s it was this. Hypnotic, irresistible & incredibly powerfully alive. All plus a >16 minute drum track - wtf!

3.5

Fela and the band are just so well rehearsed and tight. The drums and guitar create this ever steady groove that the horn section explodes onto at the right times. They are truly one of the great performing acts in modern music history. 5/5 Will definitely listen again

To be honest it blurred together quite a bit. Most of the tracks were rather repetitive - which isn’t to say they’re bad. I liked the beats and it sounded cool but nothing really stood out in particular so it isn’t really grabbing me to want to put it in my rotation.

Not an album I’d usually listen to, but in the car with the windows down it’s great.

What a fun concert recording, wrapped up with an epic drum solo!

Cool vibes, but not discernably great to me? IDK

This is really a great groove album, but I'm not sure how essential it is.

I had never heard this before, but it was great! I am giving it 4/5, but I almost went 5/5 based on the drum solo track alone.

songs were very long and i bet they’d be awesome actually live. fela kuti is a crazy guy

Amazing!! Lively and dynamic. I want this on vinyl.

A great vibe

My second Fela album. He is unreal. Zombie was one of my favourite albums on the list so far (and I'm nearly halfway through it). I also stand by the fact that the live albums on this list are absolutely brilliant every time.

Lively but not sure I fully embraced this one.

My brother-in-law really loves Fela Kuti so I’ve heard bits and pieces over the years but never really dug into anything. This is great though. Jazzy and funky and some really killer drumming. Afrobeat isn’t something I’m overly familiar with but it’s definitely something I’m keen on looking into. I’ve already been listening to a bit of Jazz Fusion lately and I feel like this is a good complement to that.

Enjoyable

Love a good 15 minute drum solo.

Pretty enjoyable, but idk about that fifteen minute drum solo.

perfect summer

Good fun. Great sounds.

smooth as hell. kept me swaying my head side to side throughout the entire duration. great flow, great horns, great drumming. overall a good time to be had. 9/10 FAVOURITE SONGS: LET'S START, YE YE DE SMELL

I've never listened to afro beats before, but this was pretty groovy and catchy. Fela Kuti was quite engaging with the audience, as well. It was easy to get lost in the beats and bouts of repetition. The drum solo at the end was pretty fun, too.

Good set of Afro-beat but could do without the drum solo, personally. 3

I thought this was quite entertaining and unlike many of the world music entries, it was something I'd listen to again for sure.

All things I like

This is one of the best albums in the entire list. Two of the greatest drummers ever, nee alive in the mid 20th century in Ginger Baker (Cream) and Tony Allen. This is the summit or peak of this list y'all.

It's kind of a basic Fela Kuti album. As such, it's really great. The energy, the power, the brass goes crazy. I really love Fela's keyboards here (I usually love then) The inclusion of Ginger Baker for most of the album adds depth to the percussion, but not in an extremely crucial way... Tony Allen is such a beast of a player himself. I think I'll give it a high three and I guess I'll go back to it at some point (although It's not my favorite Fela album) This musician was a blessing to us all.

Hard to argue with the groovy afrobeat. Hopefully this isn’t the only Fela Kuti album in the list

Worst album ever. I can’t believe this horse shit is considered music.

hoooly shit ending your set with a fourteen minute drum solo is brave. good shit though, very fun

buenisimo

Wonderful. This is the kind of unexpected joy I hope to find on this list.

Larguísimas es poco

Incredibly energetic start to finish, this is just a tremendously fun listen. Funky grooves you can’t help but tap your foot to and killer solos. And despite maybe being somewhat repetitive in places, it manages to stay continuously interesting. I guess the only thing holding it back from being a 5 is that, whilst a very fun listening experience, it doesn’t really leave you with anything or stay with you. I don’t even know if that makes sense but that’s how I felt.

Purely a vibe album, def background music.

8/10 This is an interesting record in that it’s an early one from an intensely prolific artist. Releasing over 50 albums in 22 years, this is only his fourth record and was put together with his friend Ginger Baker in an attempt to help bring afrobeat to a western audience. Despite the prominence of his name on the cover, Ginger only actually appears on the second side of the record, so this is really a Fela joint with a guest drummer playing alongside Africa ’70 drummer Tony Allen. As with most of Fela’s work, we get to enjoy a small number of long tracks on this album, with fluctuating, pulsating backing grooves pulling variable nuance and flow out of what would initially appear to be relatively simple, though full and layered, compositions. It would be easy to dismiss this as repetitive, but by sinking into the groove, you can feel the rhythms breathe, push and pull in a brilliantly organic way. While I feel like Fela would further refine this style later in his career, this is still an excellent record and illustrates how much can be done with layering and arrangement to extract a huge amount of value out of some individually simple, but structurally complex arrangements of musical and rhythmic layers. Fela’s vocal sections are intermittent, but when he gets on the mic, you can feel the charisma and control he has of both his band and his audience. The rest of the band are just excellent, with so much feel and deftness to the playing and some excellent soloing that captures the soul of the groove and adds punch and dynamism to the sound. I do feel like there is the odd moment on the second half where the dual drummers clash a tiny bit, and the final track doesn’t quite have the drive of the first three, but this is still an exciting and engaging record and well worth spending your time with. Let's Start - Great grooves, and Fela has got the band firing. The solos are great and it all smashes along at an enticing clip. He does a really good job of pushing and pulling the ferocity of the playing but always maintaining a shuffling, body-moving groove. There’s more individual flair to this than some of his later work, but you can see the signs of the hypnotic, rolling repetition that he would build into from the rhythm section. His vocal parts are sparing, but he’s got such charismatic delivery that it’s no surprise the man could incite revolution. The horns are a particular delight, but this is made by the ebb and flow of the layering. Once every player is in, the rhythmic blend has so much going on, but it all serves the vibe and pull of the groove. Great stuff. Black Man's Cry - Similarly to the first track, there are some great funk/jazz solos here to keep things fresh and varied, with the drop outs and build ups giving a really organic feel to the underlying groove. It’s an exercise in keeping a vibe moving and shuffling while barely shifting the architecture of the musical structure. I feel like there are the odd moments here when things get a touch overplayed, but they gather up pretty quickly and I bobbed along happily throughout. Those layered percussive rhythms, augmented by the rhythmic delivery of the tonal instruments that aren’t involved in soloing just pulse and move in such a beautifully funky way. Ye Ye De Smell - Ginger Baker gets introduced, having no part up to this point. I feel like the drums are largely still great, although there is the odd moment here and there when the dual drum kits clash a tiny bit. It’s frantic, feisty and furious, but oh so funky. So many of the tonal parts are fairly simple, but the way they play against and over one another creates more complexity and interest than the individual parts would indicate. Some of the soloing, particularly when punctuated by the horn stabs, is so, so good and really convey the intensity of the piece. There’s so much going on in this track that it builds to these brilliant cacophonous crescendos, but there are also moments of restraint where things take a breather. It perhaps gets a tiny too drum soloy near the end, but at least there’s a musical thread that keeps it grounded. Great stuff. Egbe Mi O - When it breaks into a more steady groove, this is really good. There are moments during the first couple of minutes when things feel a touch stilted and the dual drum kits don’t completely gel, but the clashing brashness of it is still enjoyable. In fact, there are a few bits where this feels just a tiny bit sloppy compared to previous tracks and some of the slower sections don’t have quite as much going on, but as it builds with Fela’s vocal from the half way point, that vibe takes over and things start to really connect. It’s cool when he gets everyone singing because it creates quite a big choral sound that the band feed of to build intensity towards the end. It’s the weakest track on the album, but it’s still pretty good.

Aye decent

I was really getting into this near the end, felt the groove in my bones 3.5

That drum solo brings it up. I had a good time listening to this

first introduction to the genre. excellent album. not sure if i would go back to listen to it again, but I had fun listening to it.

Jeg synes sgu at det er ret fed. Drum-off er overraskende nice.

*84 Det svinger forrygende godt

Det her var hyggeligt nok, men jeg sætter det nok ikke på igen :)

Afrikanske rytmer er ikke ikke min - med mindre det er når Talking Heads baserer deres musik på det :) Men der er det jo blandet med en masse andet, og det er det, der fungerer for dem. Når det står alene, som her, så bliver det kedeligt. (Semi-)instrumental musik, der lyder godt, men man skulle nok have været der. På 'Egbe Mi O (Carry Me)' begyndes en spontan Mas Que Nada-agtig fællessang med ... ja, med hvem? Gæster i studiet, som også udgør publikum? Det er ikke noget for mig. Og det er 16 minutters drum off slet ikke. Det vil jeg ikke byde nogen, og det trækker ret meget ned. 1.9

Det orker jeg sgu ikke høre på det her

perfekt

this guy again! definitely wasn't as awesome as Zombie, and I wasn't jamming as hard, but it was still solid stuff

Good, but didn't hit as hard compared to Zombie.

the kind of shit i would pay real american dollars to play live in a garage with some friends. can you imagine the vibes

It’s hard for these types of albums to go wrong in my eyes. Loved the intersection of jazz and Afro-beat. It’s another live album that made me wish I was in the audience. It reminded me of a the music they’d play at my breakfast spot in Senegal. Shoutout Wally Seck 4.5-5

not doing it for me like the last one we got. I do think it's cool that Ginger Baker was so far ahead of the curve on this that he collabed with Fela in 1971, though. Clapton would never, for obvious reasons.

Nothing less than four for Fela

kind of the goat Would I listen again: get me this vinyl Deserves to be on this list: yes 4.3

Fine I suppose. Good working tunes :)

Impro nose

Parecen puros solos de bataca

I liked this, but didn't love it. I thought it was pretty cool and entertaining the whole way through. For whatever reason, I found Kuti's other album from here (Zombie) better than this one. Still, this was a solidly good listen. Overall: 3.25/5

Honestly this album smokes. I don't have much to say except it's quite badass.

I enjoyed the energy in this! I feel like the language he was speaking added to the experience for me. The drums were great!

A fantastically fun record, it's hard not to enjoy Fela Kuti, his music is so lively and dance-able. Cracking stuff.

more a jam session than an album

Funk yea. It long tho so eh

5 sterne

I like a good extended jam sesh. Clearly some cool shit, much of it foreign to my ears.

Interesting

Oh hell yeah!!!!

Lo único bueno era que el vivo estaba muy bien, pero las canciones no eran de mi estilo, todas de 10 minutos y con muchos solos de bateria. Sería una especie de 2,5.

It's kind of joyous & uplifting. Musicality shines through

Brilliant. All about the drums.

African hiphopsample

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.

I loved this, couldn’t sit still the entire time

This is what I want from live albums! Absolutely spectacular

Had a lot of fun with this!!!

Very funky and some very talented musicians involved. The fact it was a Live album wasn't particularly noticeable beyond the first 10 seconds, so that was a plus too. Enjoyed the music but I think the riffs were a bit too repetitive, not sure I'd give this album another listen but definitely convinced that Fela Kuti was a great artist. High 3.

This is quite down to earth jazz. It didn't sound like a panic attack in music form while still having some non standard rhythms. Enjoyable but I think the songs were too long with not enough substance High 3

Grabbed me early. Faded a bit at the end but will be playing it again

nice

Not my cup of tea!

fearless and masterful

This album feels like the messiah cause the list has been giving me bad albums for the last few weeks and this is a bit funky and groovy with great afrobeat stuff in it !!!

This album is exactly what I needed at this time, some Afrobeat funk jazzy album. It's such a lively album that works really well with the live element to it. Had a few years of not great stuff, so this is a nice relief.

I can respect the art but personally, it’s too funky for me.

Afrobeat. It's a reasonably enjoyable live album. Fela comes across as personable in his song introductions, although with the low track count there's not a lot of that.

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.

live dinlemek istersem konsere giderim

This is fairly typical of all the Fela Kuti albums I have. Long super funky jamming workouts focused heavily on rhythm. The addition of Ginger Baker on Side 2 doesn’t change the vibe, just adds a bit of extra heft. Personally, when the material is this strong, I can really dig repetition but I guess some might get bored. It should really all be about dancing of course; would love to have been present at the recording.

This was a fun listen! A good one to jam to in the background while I work.

Wow. This is really, really good. Driving drums, complex but catchy arrangements (that aren't too 'busy'), and a healthy dose of funk. I walked in blind and left astounded. Not sure it's a '5' for me, yet, so (4/5) with a promise to come back and see if it grows on me. Normally, while I have some jazz exposure and experience, I don't put it on often. I feel if I'm going to give it some 'air time' it deserves attention which I have in short supply nowadays. This, as a jazz record, is solid and right up my alley -- but I don't have the time to dedicate to making sure it's a '5'. Those are everyday/any day listening for me, which sadly this is not at the moment. EDIT: Goddamn. I have seriously listened to this album a dozen times since and it just keeps getting better. Elevating this to a '5' because it is SOOOO good.

Having never hear of Fela Kuti before today, and knowing nothing about Ginger Baker's adoration of African rhythms, this one caught me completely out of left field. Reading up on the history of the men and the album only enriched the experience, as the history there is pretty fascinating. The jazzy global sound that they put together is inviting, engaging, and makes it hard to stay still, and that 16 minute drum solo on the final track is one of the greatest I've yet heard. An immediate second play was warranted and did not disappoint. Apparently the two collaborated several times, and I'm looking forward to delving more into more of their stuff. After further listening, this one's a 5/5 that I came back after to upgrade.

Variety: 4 Adequacy: 5 Listenability: 5 Uniqueness: 4 Emotionality: 5 = 4.6 rounded down up to a 5 "Rhythm is gonna get ya/ Rhythm is gonna get you/ Rhythm is gonna get you/ The rhythm is gonna get you tonight" I did a deep dive into Fela Kuti's stuff a decade or more ago and a LOT of it ended up in playlists. I remember loving Zombie the most of any of the albums I listened to, and I've seen this one on some lists, but never got around to it as I'm not generally a fan of live material. I just find it usually not very flattering to the artist, and more often than not the crowd noises and interstitial material annoys me. I'm not a live music person at all, as a matter of fact. There are very few exceptions to this - instrumental stuff, bluegrass, blues, jazz and world music works far better than rock though, so long as there's not too much chatter or distracting elements. THE TRACKS "Let's Start" - Alright. So maybe I should have trusted Mr. Kuti a bit more. He's all business at the opening, and his business is tearing it the fuck up. We get a tremendous mix of funk, soul, and jazz on top of the afrobeat rhythms, and even a playful electric piano that wanders in and roots around for a bit and plays us off into the next track. "Black Man's Cry" - The funk has been brought. Brung? Not a clue what Fela is singing here, but goddamn does it feel alive. After listening to this album twice, I can come back and say this was my favorite track. "Ye Ye De Smell" - The keyboards take center stage here and the jazz stays strong. Not sure how much improvisation Kuti allowed. but this feels very alive and has that energy. The funk comes in STRONG though about a 4th of the way in. Vibrant and makes you wat to move around. When Fela's sax finally shows up it's an exclamation point. Fela guides us through a quiet spot into what I think is an improvised solo by Baker that never gets exhausting despite it's length. When everyone joins back in to bring it home near the end, it's pretty dang magical. "Egbe Mi O (Carry Me I Want to Die)" - On an album where everything feels so spirited, we get an appropriately epic ending. And paced expertly over the 12:41 run time. The relatively quiet and subdued middle section lets them build back up for the blistering finale. The song evolves and snakes around on its way back up the mountain and the tension is maintained for a loooooong time. Fela and his chorus come in to push us up that final bit, and we end at the top by falling down, out of breath but invigorated. HIGHLIGHTS - All of this is gold MIDLIGHTS - None LOWLIGHTS - Nope FINAL THOUGHTS All my worries about the live production on this were unwarranted. It was music-centric, and not all about the atmosphere of a concert, which is what I despise about most live recordings. Concert tape traders will forever baffle me. Kuti is in top form, with a super tight supporting band, including Baker. This unit's as on point as any of the guys from James Brown's band ( famously a taskmaster who demanded nothing but the best, and it shows in his live stuff), and the few times the crowd can be heard - with the applause at the beginning of track 3 for example - it doesn't interfere with the music. Kuti's intros are fine as well. Flashbacks to the B.B. King live album from early on in this list. Fela seems like a bandleader in the classic sense that he must be controlling the pacing, and setting the tenor. Would like to look up some live footage and see what sort of cues he's giving throughout. Or are they just that tight? This one is going to stick around for a while in my brain. PLAYLIST ALTERATIONS - Not sure it would be possible FURTHER LISTENING - Zombie by Fela Kuti - This is Marijata by Marijata - No Accommodation for Lagos by Tony Allen and Afrika '70 - Orgy In Rhythm by Art Blakey

This is the type of record that made me glad I’m doing this exercise. I’d have never found this on my own which would’ve been my own loss. It is full of adventurous beats and exploratory stretches of music. That piano on the second track. The infectious pride of Black Man's Cry. I didn't know I needed a 16 minute drum solo track in my life until now. That thing was hot fire! Go Ginger Baker go! Furthemore, Fela Kuti's bio was worthy a dive into as well. All in all and interesting day of music.

La percusión está muy buena, pero son canciones muy largas. Se pierde el sentido

Canciones muy largas, ritmo repetitivo, por ratos se disfruta la onda, pero es aburrido en general.

it was ok, the songs were a bit too long but i did not have the feeling to throw my computer away and that's a good thing

Listens: 2 Standout Tracks: Egbe Mi O (Carry Me) Good, and funky too, but I could have easily done without the 16 minute drum solo track. Other than that, no complaints and nothing bad to say.

не сильно отличается от того что было в этом списке просто крутое выступление, да долгое лайтово, не особо интересно несильно расширяет музыкальную картину

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

sehr cool. auch wenn die songs sehr sehr lang sind

Live! and sounding good. It promised Ginger Baker but only has him on two tracks, granted, the bonus track is quite long. It feels strange to be disappointed 50 years late. It was good, but not mind blowing.

3.5 stars. Fun Afrobeat with some killer drumming by Ginger Baker

Go on fela lad

Super energetic. I think I will appreciate this even more in future relistens.

Musica bastante guapa, en especial los vientos, pero la composición en sí se me queda algo corta y las canciones son algo repetitivas, y la letra no me termina de llegar, por decirlo de alguna manera. Los solos están muy bien, y es todo muy bailable, pero eso, en lo puramente musical me falta algo.

Horrible -long -Répétitif

Not for me

Solid and energetic

I love long tracks and live albums, but this was just alright.

Solid grooves here.

Nunca había escuchado algo relacionado con el Afro-Beat, pero me agrado bastante

This is sick! I genuinely think the only reason I am not giving this 5/5 is that I am a jazz neonate and I don't fully understand how to appreciate it. 4.5/5

Tough to get through in full. Decent parts just listened at not the right time

fun!

WOW

Mierdita.

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

What is this? It's a pleasure, Mr. Fela. It would be presumptuous of me to offer any criticism of this musical figure. I'll just say that very few geniuses can claim to have created a musical genre. Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Fela Kuti, the father of Afrobeat

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

Good but LONG!

Better than expected.

I don't know what more you could ask for. There's power, passion, lively beats, incredible energy, and an epic drum solo -- an all around great time.

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.

Today I learned that the legendary Tony Allen was THE drummer for Fela Kuti, the band leader even. I'm sure most people find out about Fela before Tony, or both together, but it's cool to know I've been hearing that legend long before I realized it. Awesome music, I think I'd choose a different Fela Kuti album though.

# Album Name: Live # Artist: Fela Kuti # Rating: 4/5 # Comments: Really good vibes with ginger baker on this one. Worth a listen. Very funk. Great beats. # Top Tunes: # Would I listen to it again? Yes

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

Fela is SO cool.

These songs are LONG but fun jams. (Fela seems to have a very impressive but complex history…)

This would be a really fun album to cook to! I was jammin, but it was loooong

If I was there watching this live, I would be about 85% more into it. So much riffing and jazz-y stuff that had me slightly bored listening in the car.

Fun and funky with a slight tendency to blend into the background

Awesome Afrobeat funk, and the addition of the massive Ginger Baker drum solo at the end is the icing on the cake. Great album.

not really my style, demasiado caos

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

I liked this album, I found out about kuti like a week ago and it did not disappoint

big surprise, i liked it

8 / 10 - Afrobeat/Afrofunk (Mischung aus Jazz/Funk & Afrikanischen Rhythmen) - Musik die einen bewegen lässt & die glücklich macht (sehr tanzbar) - Awesome Vibes von vorne bis hinten - Manchmal ein klein bisschen repetitiv

Groovy, just kinda wished the groove went more places

Great vibes

This was dooe

Funky and enjoyable. Also I liked how this guy decided to divorce his 27 wives because he thought marriage brings jealousy lol, maybe fewer wives next time pal

Cool record, lots of deep grooves, need to be in the right mood to really enjoy something like this.

Would love to be as enthusiastic about something as Fela is about introducing Ginger Baker. Last track drags it down but otherwise love the energy.

Definitivamente es un álbum para colocar de fondo, ya que es totalmente instrumental. Esperaba mas debido al lugar que fue grabado y los artistas en cuestión. Creo que no lo volvería a poner a no ser que sea para estudiar.

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.

Another interesting album by Fela Kuti! I had his other album on this countdown (Zombie) like two weeks ago and both of them were excellent listens. This one had a bit more of a hard edge to me, though, which I actually quite enjoyed. The only drawback was the 16 minute drum solo at the end. I love a good drum solo (E.g., Phil Collins with two other drummers at the start of his First Final Farewell Tour), but I found this one to be inferior. The rest of the record was very good though.

This was a pretty fun listen!

Decent. Funky and jazzy. But it's more of an art record than something to consume a billion times over, which I respect, but it's not really my style. My brain isn't wired to intentionally listen to a 12 minute track. Yeah, it's a vibe (I bopped all the way through), but I've heard similar jazzy-artsy records that gripped me much more than this one.

Schwächstes Fela Kuti Album bisher. Ginger Baker hat nichts beigetragen

Leider nicht meins.

Bis vor ein paar Wochen kannte ich Fela Kuti nicht. Heute kann ich nicht mehr ohne ihn leben - zumindest will ich es nicht. Sich in den Tunnel zu begeben mit Kopfhörern auf voller Lautstärke, um sich anschließend zu fragen 'wow, wieder eine Stunde rum!' schaffen nicht viele - Fela Kuti gehört dazu. Nun schon mit dem zweiten Album Wäre ich mir damals bei meiner übereilten Bewertung von Zombie der Tragweite bewusst gewesen, hätte es damals ausschließlich eine 5-Sternebewertung sein können. Das habe ich leider versäumt: Heute gibts vier weil Ransome-Kuti nicht die gleiche Einprägsamkeit hat.

Never heard this artist before. Driving through the city was the perfect moment to listen. Very nice vibe.

Wuau! Un sonido histórico

I'm not sure I'd ever make this part of my rotation, and it does feel quite self-indulgent at times. But it's interesting and has a distinct, powerful and insistent personality.

Ginger Baker was at the peak of his powers in Cream, specifically on the album Disraeli Gears, not the 15+ min drum solo on this album. I did enjoy some of it though......

Quite an enjoyable album, but the last 16 minute drum track was completely unnecessary!

Good fun this, the drum solo at the end goes crazy hard

In a previous job, I used to share an office space with a girl who was originally from Lagos in Nigeria. I’m always dying to learn about other cultures, so I’d pester her to find out what I could about the place, from someone who lived there. She taught me some basic phrases in the Yoruba language (that I completely butchered), and I learned that Nigerians love to eat dishes based on the yucca plant as much as South Americans do. On Saturday mornings in the office, things would get a bit quiet, so I’d play some music on some tiny speakers I had stashed away in my desk. One day, she asked me if I knew Fela Kuti. I was aware of him, but had never listened to any of his stuff. I put on some of his music, based on her recommendation. For the next few weeks, it was pretty much all I was allowed to play in the office. It was a good introduction to Fela Kuti. But I have to admit, that I haven’t listened to much more since. I wasn’t even aware that he had made an album with Ginger Baker. Most of what I knew about him was second-hand, through the influence he’s had on other artists. Talking Heads wouldn’t be the same without Fela Kuti. Their experiments in complex patterns and repetition are a direct evocation of Kuti’s music. I really enjoyed this album. Kuti’s vocals really inject some serious energy into the jam sessions, and I loved the way that the musicians repeat his vocal melodies, particularly towards the end of “Black Man's Cry”. For how long these tracks are, you don’t feel it. The melodies become hypnotic after a while, and lock you in. It’s a brilliant blend of jazz, funk, West African music and rhythm. Serious rhythm. Ginger Baker’s drumming is great on the tracks he played, as is Tony Allen’s, but it’s on the bonus track that they both really shine. Two drummers playing together, not battling. Over 16 full minutes of nothing but drums, and it’s my favourite track. It was cool being introduced to Fela Kuti by someone who grew up with his music as part of their culture. It definitely deserves to be properly listened to though, not just playing in the background of an office, on some tiny speakers.

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.

Det svänger! Känner exakt samma som förra skivan. Nice, men blir lite bjäring till slut, extra mycket så eftersom det avslutas med friggin trumsolo som alltid är stöööööööööööööööööööööööört bjäring.

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

Upbeat but not for me

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 was a fun one to revisit.

This was unexpected ..really enjoyed this! It will get on to the list. Even the 16 min drum solo…cool stuff.

Really really very good

epic drum solo

Groovy

Saved? ✅ Would listen again? ✅ Would recommend to anyone? 🤔 Would buy on Vinyl? ✅

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

tanta improvisacion y repeticion lo hacen un poco dificil. similar a lo que me pasa con el krautrock, es como tratar de entrar a una calesita en movimiento, muy dificil entrar, pero una vez dentro no podes salir. con mas escuchas creo que me va a gustar mucho mas, pero la semillita ya esta plantada

Ni pincha ni corta, promedio y las canciones son muy largas. Hay mejores

Super découverte ! Le style m’a beaucoup plus mais je ne suis pas très fan des albums « live »

Clearly they were having a great time and I tried to join in but it wasn't really my bag.

Uhhh. I'm sure this guy was having a great time but I found I wasn't necessarily participating....

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

it's so fun! get up and dance with your funk on. gimme more

Nice

Honestly the more I get albums by African artists the more I get into them. This was quite interesting.

Not my jam

Ginger is an amazing drummer. Great jams and cool rhythms.

Nice!

Finding something like this is why this project is so cool. I was semi-aware of the name Fela Kuti, but had no knowledge of his music at all. This was pretty awesome. Even the 16 minute drum solo bonus track was pretty cool, and that is something that I would have assumed I would hate/never listen to. Fun listen.

I dig this afrobeat - jazz album. It was a bit on the long side for my current mood, but was a fun, interesting listen that I’m glad to discover. 4/5

Hell yeah!

The whole album wasn't available, but the songs I could hear were interesting.

Likes: groove; easy to listen to, with deeper character if you want to listen for it; drumming is insane Dislikes: not my jam, and I don’t have enough understanding of the styles at play to see past the surface level repetitiveness Overall, it’s probably a great record for someone, just not for me. Cool listen, great musicianship, but it doesn’t speak to me

Me costo terminarlo, no fue mi estilo.

Para musiquita de fondo o tipo tiny desk esta ok, pero medio monotono

Blind album, the man with double digit wives makes good music i guess. Like the ither album in this list as well as this one.

I immediately warm to music that isn't white and crusty on this list. This is that vibe., plus ginger baker. Respect.

Me gustó bastante la percusión.

good but too much sound

ein schönes Album, das nicht zu sehr den Massengeschmack bedient

very good i like

Sonido muy bueno. Canciones MUY largas, guarde dos. Si tengo ganas de escuchar un álbum entero no lo eligiria.

I enjoyed it, truly a lively album.

FunkEH

6.9/10

Two did not finishes in a row. While vocally there was certainly some interesting sections, ultimately I’d rather be listening to something else and just couldn’t make it through some tough jazz instrumental sections.

I do like Fela Kuti

If I started dancing right after turning on the album, then I guess that was the intention. A very good album. 7/10

Started off strong for me and by the end I just found it noisy and grating.

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

Was an enjoyable listen!

I don't like live albums, because they ae optimized for the present crowd, not the people listening at home. The songs drag way too long, the focus on improvisational performance is too strong, and the mix is rough and difficult to listen to the whole album in one sitting. However, the music is decent, i generally don't like afrobeat but this album is making me rethink my position.

Feels like a Mardi Gras parade in the best way. 4/5

Amazing, gonna recommend this one for people not participating

There are times when I wish I had a more diverse music taste but I just didn't really enjoy this... I hate to say it but these 10 minute + songs felt somewhat tedious and there are just so many other things I would prefer to be listening to. By no means bad just not my thing.