Live!

I've stopped writing reviews for live albums here, but something must be said about this particular album. For starters, Fela Kuti's music hits much harder in a live context for me - I enjoyed this even more than 'Zombie'. There's just so much energy on display - the percussion (in part done by Ginger Baker) and bass especially pop in the mix - and Fela Kuti himself sounds incredibly personable in this context. The Ginger Baker collaboration is important, with Western music meeting Western African music, but moreso as an idea I feel. But Baker's musical presence is still felt with his standard drum kit playing when he joins the stage on 'Ye Ye De Smell', adding an unconventional (in the Afrobeat world) punch to the song's rhythm section. But my favorite song was one where he wasn't even playing - that being 'Black Man's Cry'. Another great moment was that sing-along closing out 'Egbe-Mi O (Carry Me)' as the song builds to its final climax with the drums and horns - it's the definition of live energy! This was beyond enjoyable - it's what got me to understand Fela Kuti's generational talent.

I'm less than a tenth of the way through this list, but I feel as though I can pretty confidently call this the biggest swing and a miss that I will ever encounter on this website. I think I've consolidated what I don't like about this in my other reviews, so I'm gonna lay it out real quick in bruhllet point form 🗿https://youtu.be/Oc7Cin_87H4🗿 Live albums are near-impossible to appreciate from the perspective of a non-fan and do not belong on this list. They aren't popular, don't showcase a pivotal point in music history and don't capture the experience of listening to music live. 🗿https://youtu.be/Oc7Cin_87H4🗿 Long songs are for the artistically suicidal. Unless we're talking about one of the greatest anthems of all time - a song that will reverberate in the eardrums of millions for centuries to come, trim it down. 🗿https://youtu.be/Oc7Cin_87H4🗿 Jazz is shite, especially the freeform stuff Please load up your digital audio workstation of choice and play three vine boom sound effects together in my honor

Not really for me

Fela Kuti fue un músico visionario, y este álbum da buena cuenta de ello. Excelente jazz con influencia africana, me ha encantado. Uno de los mejores álbumes en vivo que he escuchado hasta ahora. Aunque ese dueto de percusión de 16 minutos de duración es un poco excesivo, me ha acabado doliendo la cabeza. 4.5 bajo.

4-awesome drum album

Ok, malo naporan za slusat u kuci u komadu, da je negdi vani i da se pije bilo bi bolje.

I enjoyed

I literally just had a different fela kuti album and it sounded exactky the same. Which means neither of them can be all that important. 2 stars. I gave the other one 3. The albums can split the extra point to make it a tie if they want.

kinda hurt my head but good music is still music

bom pra caralho pra ouvir jogando poquer

that was fire, special mention to the drum solo

Off the bat only 5 songs and a hour and eleven minutes long interesting. My favorite song was the opening song of the album which was let’s start. Overall I’d give this album a 3-5. All of the songs are good but length is an issue for me.

Damn, this is groovy. I don't know who is playing what, but this jams straight through. I'll need to educate myself on the lineup here, and I definitely need to listen to more of Fela. This is an easy 4.

This is it: the album that introduced me to Fela Kuti! I was visiting a friend who was excited about this recent purchase on vinyl; he put it on immediately, and the vibe was transformative. I haven't heard anything like it. I have since made a Fela Kuti station on Pandora and just let it roll. I don't know any one particular song or album (aside from this one) over another, but the groove and energy is consistent and exciting. Such great musicianship and showmanship. Great to re-visit this today.

Lively, jazzy, rockin' Afro-funk. 3.5

I like this album. I had no idea that Ginger Baker had played with Fela. All the songs I felt had strong musicianship, however by the middle of the album I found myself thinking 'I wish Fela would shut the hell up sometimes and just let the music breath'. I felt like a lot of Fela's vocalizations were not adding but taking away. Still though, a cool album.

Fantastic drum work

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.

This was actually a lot more fun than I was expecting. Maybe does drag on just a bit though.

the amount of energy everyone has on this album is insane

These are the albums Im doing this challenge for. Stuff Id never listen on my own. I love ginger baker one of my favorite drummers and I keep finding him on another level with world reknown artists not just english speaking and him exploring new music and experimenting and collaborating. Amazing musician that everyone must explore and know

Decent enough. Captures the energy of the room well. The music gets a bit repetitive at times. Also I am a drummer myself and I find drum solos interminably boring, so this loses a star for that.

Banging vibes

Jävlar vad det svänger. Till och med trumsolot i slutet och jag är dokumenterat allergisk mot trumsolon.

This was actually a fun Afrobeat album that really pulls you in and keeps you hooked. It’s a great mix of Afrobeat, jazz fusion, and funk. What makes this album even more interesting is that it was recorded live with Ginger Baker. Ginger Baker was known as rock’s first superstar drummer and was one of the core members of Cream with Eric Clapton. Over the years, he worked with a lot of influential bands like Hawkwind, Atomic Rooster, Masters Of Reality, Public Image Ltd, and even Bill Laswell. He also had a strong interest in African music and spent a lot of time living and recording in Africa. Fela Kuti was one of his main collaborators, and their work together makes this album stand out even more.

im too sad to listen to this album

Conflicted with this one. There's a great energy on this live album, and it's scatterd throughout with some interesting melodies and rhythms. But every track descends into a monotonous 10+ minute jam on a single chord. I like a drum solo just as much as the next guy, but 16 minutes is excessive.

Not my usual thing, but very fun, and great beats! Hope you like drumming

The last 4 minutes of this album were, if I recall correctly, just someone banging on the drums as hard as possible.

Wijs album. Niet iets dat ik zelf zou opzetten tbh. Maar een drie sterrekes wel waard. 3.0

Gosto

I know this is blasphemy, but I’m not a Ginger Baker fan. So far the opening track is great. Ok. Track is good, but it feels like 30 seconds looped for 6 minutes. This would be great at a dance club. It got repetitive listening to it. Well, I’m more of a Ginger Baker fan now. But this album is still repetitive.

A 2 song album makes it on this list? 24 minutes long? That’s it? I’ve heard better drum solos and better jam out performances than this. I don’t feel the urge to move and get into it like I know I should. This album leaves me scratching my head that’s for sure.

Enjoyable rhythms, vocals and brass. Bit too much Ginger Baker, although I'm happy that he was having a good time. I thought Egbe Mi O was a great rousing finale, and didn't bother with the bonus 16-minute drum-off although I'm sure it's excellent(!)

I enjoyed it. 16 minutes of drumming, however, is not a ‘bonus’ in my book.

Rating: 8/10 Another great album by Fela Kuti, the mix of jazz and African rhythms sounds so good.

Cool to have a 2nd Fela Kuti album come up, and after the 5 star listening of ‘Zombie’ hopes were high for this one. However, while good, it’s definitely not quite as good. Much more drum heavy, likely due to Ginger Baker’s presence, it felt like it dragged at certain sections and got a bit repetitive. That said, it’s still damn impressive music and live no less. I can respect what’s happening here and am grateful to be exposed to something I not only never knew existed but also would’ve never listened to on my own. There’s a great energy to this music and I really enjoyed the passion that went into “Black Man’s Cry” (though this was a culprit of some repetitive drumming). Overall a good album, but likely the ranking is a bit more harsh after hearing and comparing to ‘Zombie’ first.

It’s a racket

very very rogue but love the rhythm shifts and strong drum beats throughout the songs. could imagine it in a house song ahah

I really enjoyed this. Some songs felt slightly long for me but otherwise it was a good time.

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

Something different, nice sound but gets repetitive. Happy to hear again yo won't seek out.

the 16 minute drum solo at the end kind of lost me, even if the musicianship is very good. it was probably really cool when you were in the room, just doesn't translate to a record. but i love the call-response at the penultimate song. some excellent highlights here!

I liked it a lot. Instrumental is cool

Not my style of music

Really good and enjoyable album

Not my genre Long songs Decent beat/vibe Nothing special

Test

v long songs

You can put this on whenever you need to feel like you’re in a cool exploitation movie.

Just great rhythm from start to finish

As much as I love Eminem this just didn’t do it for me. Like his other stuff better.

Groovy and some cool jammin’. I dig the simplicity, feels real, like a fun time. End it after Carry Me and it’d be a 4. I couldn’t get through the 16 min drum solo…

I missed the first Fela Kuti album so this was fun for me. Ginger Baker's drums sound huge. Ultimately these are pretty simple jams so the songwriting/overall album ceiling is lower...but for a live jam session pretty great. At first I was absolutely insulted that they put on a 16 minute drum solo (Alex drum corner: drum solos aren't cool...just do your fills in the song) but upon wiki research it's listed a "bonus track" so I didn't penalize them.

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.

This made me wonder what percentage of my rating system accounts for novelty. Because if I only have to listen to one Fela Kuti album, it’s a 4. But by the end of the second one, they’ve both become 3s. This is good for what it is, but that’s enough Fela Kuti for me now.

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.

Really impressive and a fun listen. Great grooves, though perhaps a little tired by the end of them, like other Fela. Ginger is a fun addition - he played in Blind Faith with Winwood. I’d love to see a poll of drummers on whether they enjoy listening to drum solos - beyond a few bars of fill (would probably say the same about any single instrument solo). After a while it all kind of sounds like those guys who play drums on plastic buckets for wide eyed tourists.

Decent and interesting 6/10

I think I would enjoy this more if I were at the performance. Live music and watching them perform. But this just kind of bores me. As impressed as I am with how good they are, and the songs are pretty good. I am also happy that they have these live performances recorded so that if you couldn’t see them, these are here. I think they are important to the history of music.

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

Ginger Baker was quite something live. (So was Fela, but I’m lucky enough to know that first-hand)

I ♥️ Fela, to where I would gladly listen to him suffer extreme intestinal distress so long as Tony Allen was backing him up on it. However, I don't know his discography well and yet would be surprised if a non Boomer, non British (ie, has no reason to give a shit about Ginger Baker) critic would cite this as a top pick of Fela's recordings. It sounds good enough but feels like a loose jam session more than an intentional musical statement we need to pay close attention to. It is also true that within five minutes it became my all time favorite thing Ginger Baker ever did. Hilariously, I looked at the credits and Ginger hadn't even yet appeared on the album when I rendered that judgement! 😅

An interesting album, and definitely more accessible/entertaining than the other Fela Kuti album in this collection (the depressing "Zombie"). Although I'm not sure that the name "Live!" is entirely accurate, since it's an in-studio performance (a la Tom Waits' "Nighthawks At The Diner"), it's still a fun performance and definitely has a live vibe to it, and also gets some Ginger Baker thrown in for good measure on the last two tracks (plus the "bonus" Berlin concert track). I really like it that it feels more like a jam session than some sort of "world music" inclusion.

I started this project on my own and got this as my 3rd album. Fela Kuta was completely new to me. My mind was blown, especially with Ye Ye De Smell, which for a while I listened to on the daily. When I created a group, I knew I'd be receiving albums I'd already rated, nbd. So now this is album 333 for me and this album and Pulp's Different Class are the two biggest wins for me with this project, making listening to way too much PJ Harvey, Bjork, and Fiona "fuck you" Apple (and yet only ONE Patti Smith album! WTF!) worth it.

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

8/10 przyjemny, dużo instrumentów, lekki jazzowy vibe, czuć że ta muzyka żyje i że ci ludzie żyją muzyką. Ale no mój mózg niezbyt się dogaduje z kawałkami > 5 min

чисто вайбинг, фанки джаззи, очень крутая насыщенная перкуссия, на барабанах пионер джаз фьюжна и ворлд мьюзик джинжер бейкер, первый звездный барабанщик фела кути — нигерийский мультиинструменталист, один из основателей афробита ваще жесть жизнь у этого чувака, в какой то момент он стал политическим активистом, вернулся в нигерию и основал СВОЮ РЕСПУБЛИКУ, это была небольшая коммуна со звукозаписывающей студией и после выпуска альбома зомби с сатирой на нигерийскую армию, после чего республику Калакута тысяча солдат, они разбили стекла и подожгли дома и студию, уничтожили записи и избили фела куту, а его маму старую выкинули из окна и она умерла :( а позже он женился на 27 женщинах, многие из которых были его танцовщицами, композиторками и певицами потом он создал свою партию и пытался стать президентом, потом на него завели политическое дело, он сидел в тюрьме 20 месяцев а потом вышел из тюрьмы и развелся со всеми своими женами … короче мужик записано на эби роад, может быть иногда затянуто, но это лайв, тут это можно я бы хотела эту пластинку себе, в нее тяжело вслушиваться постоянно, но это прямо КАЧЕСТВО, это музыка создающая окружение, может быть она в какой то момент кажется фоновой но это не делает ее хуже

Previously rated: Zombie (3/5) ********************* The drumming is great on this. I just wish I liked the style of music more. Tracks 2 and 4 are just so repetitive with the same bass riff repeated over and over. Besides that, not bad. Best track: Ye Ye De Smell

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...

Really nice jazz album with classic 10+ minutes songs. The groove and feeling of the album was good. I enjoyed my listen throughout.

It was alright

Excellent Fela

enjoyable with good energy! Still would not be my usual goto album.

Long tracks but fun

Amazing energy, what a performance

Once again, albums like this are the reason I started this journey. This was a fun listen. Lots of energy and a little funky. I'll have to dive into more Fela.

Raw and authentic. I appreciated a live recording and of course loved drums solos. Also this album helped me understand why exactly ‘The World is a Ghetto’ was a 3 - it was too ‘right’, too aligned and ironed. It is generally not bad but not for this style and genre where the feeling of musical freedom is greatly desired.

Is this "better" than other Afrobeat work? I have literally no idea, I can only take your word for it. No denying the fusion of genres (when done well) is as powerful now as it was back then. I enjoyed this, and now I'm going to listen some Tiniwaren.

This I like, but it best fits a long task ie. cooking, mowing. Ginger Baker being added was a nice surprise based on the one Fela Kuti album I own.

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.

A nice jam

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.

This was actually a fun Afrobeat album that really pulls you in and keeps you hooked. It’s a great mix of Afrobeat, jazz fusion, and funk. What makes this album even more interesting is that it was recorded live with Ginger Baker. Ginger Baker was known as rock’s first superstar drummer and was one of the core members of Cream with Eric Clapton. Over the years, he worked with a lot of influential bands like Hawkwind, Atomic Rooster, Masters Of Reality, Public Image Ltd, and even Bill Laswell. He also had a strong interest in African music and spent a lot of time living and recording in Africa. Fela Kuti was one of his main collaborators, and their work together makes this album stand out even more.

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!

Enjoyed for the most part but the 16 min drum solo at the end dragged on a bit

Entertaining album! A genre I need to listen to more

Really interesting genre very enjoyable

fine but not really for me

Funky

Let’s Start with this, Fela is the man. Second, Ye Ye De Smell.

Great vibes love this guy

I liked this one. Pretty good soul album with a slightly different feel.

I was looking forward to this one and it didn’t disappoint. I loved the live aspect of this. Great energy and emotion being expressed. Listened on my proper stereo and it was well recorded with great sound.

I remember regretting giving zombie a 5 since it was early, so im gonna give this a 4 to kinda balance it out, but they are both great records and I'd come back to this. I think the long jams aren't usually what i'd listen to but when i'm in the mood for something like this ill be back

The first three songs are great but the last song, and drum solo, tend to lag.

music is great of course, but live albums should not be on the list

I like the afrobeat rhythms, but this did get a little repetitive at times, not to speak of the drum solo bonus track.

The live atmosphere doesn't come across really, and I don't care about drum solo's.

No expectations other than I wouldn't like this. I was wrong. Mastering could be better, there is audible clipping at times. 3/5

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.

Really fantastic… to no one’s surprise. The rest of this list could be Fela Kuti and I’d be happy

Fantastic atmosphere and incredibly consistent tunes. Didn't know who Ginger Baker was until I read sameen's review.

I dont mind being brave and saying that Ginger Baker being on two of these tracks actually takes away from the tunes when Tony Allen, literally the greatest drummer in all of music is just chilling waiting for his turn... it is pretty remarkable tho that Baker did record these songs in Nigeria in 71, im sure it did much to bring Fela to a western audience ! The problem for me tho is that i also think Cream sucks

Great album - energetic

Really liked this! A little long towards the end but really enjoyed it in the whole, very uplifting!

Enjoyed it but not sure I’d listen again

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

Did not need that bonus track. And not enough of a drum nut to appreciate Ginger's contribution (especially that solo in track three). The wider instrumentation is great though (Love. Those. Horns). And those first two tracks are fantastic in particular.

Range rover delight

Great pace. A thoroughly enjoyable listen.

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!

Divertido álbum, funky buenos ritmos. se nota que es un clásico, interesante escuchar generos nuevos de los que no sabia ni su existencia. 75/100

Primera vez que escucharé a este artista.

музон приятный, да и со стариной я уже знаком. но хорошего должно быть понемногу !!!

ganz nett aber die drums sein oft annoying

Bit long, but a solid album - great background music.

Pretty fun.

This is a fun live album but the drum solo at the end is kinda lame.

Definitely some fun parts, but overall it's not so fun to listen to this jam as it probably was to see it in person.

Solid afro-funk

A complete surprise, just amazing musicians blasting it out

This was fantastic. I found myself dancing in my seat to this. It made my day.

Had a great time with this today. Nice and upbeat. Very much enjoyed it.

trigger warning on how long each song is but they go by super fast. loved the vibe, the clear improv and spontaneity in each song. vocals were amazing and emotional, all while being jazzy. black mans cry was my fav- tho i do wish they were each maybe half the length they are, its hard to not get pissed off by it after 9 minutes

Would be very fun to actually have seen this live but the album version is just alright.

Favourite track: Egbe Mi O (Carry Me).

Fine

Normally I'd try to start with an introductory statement, but the life of Fela Kuti is too big, too diverse and too difficult for me to even attempt to do. What I do feel comfortable saying is that he was extremely important to the history and development of music, and this early live album demonstrates why. However, like many early albums, it's rough around the edges. The horn lines immediately grab the attention, and the bass and drums hold you in the groove for as long as they can, but the soloing is just a bit too meandering. The potential is there, which Fela didn't take long to fully grow into, but the balance off. If anything, it feels a bit too tied to the Standard Jazz Template™, the lead melody section and vocal sections rigidly separated from the noodling. Still, Fela's energy carries it, and the title of the first song is an apt summation of the record itself: 'Lets Start Doing What We Have Come Into the Room to Do'. They certainly did! Tangent: Wikipedia had gotten the instrument wrong that Fela is playing in this album. It's not a Hammond Organ, its an Electra e-piano! They sound very different! Fave: Ye Ye De Smell Least Fave: Black Man's Cry (the solo went on too long) Strong Bad Demerit Count: 0

"Ṣe o fẹran jazz?"

Very fun

Goede dingen! Echt een random pareltje. De man had 27 vrouwen, daarom vier sterren.

2 - There’s was obviously some good in there, but this kinda goes back to how I rate things and this was not something I’d listen to again

11/8/24. Pretty fun afrobeats and jams here! Loved listening, would definitely enjoy more in a live environment in person.

This is the 3rd Afrobeat album on the list so far and I’m really enjoying them though next time I listen to this I will give th 11 minute drum solo at the end a miss!

How is this a live album!!?? It's studio quality, zero errors! Insanity!!!

Punchy jazz

I do like Fela Kuti but I’d not heard this one before. Having listened to this a couple of times today, my verdict is absolute banger. Definitely well deserved place on the list.

Had a great time listening to this. The horns and the drums are a lot of fun, and there's just really good energy throughout. Would be happy returning to this in the future, even if this isn't a genre I often listen to when left to my own devices.

60s sounding soundtrack vibes, fun and lively but I'll never listen to this again, 2 stars

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

The long, jam-style jazz recordings are not normally my style. This is one of the best executions of it I have heard. While not on the original release, the added drum solo track is phenomenal; just mind-blowing work.

Fun

Man.

Ginger Baker is one of the greatest drummers of all time. This record is sick, and I am so glad that it came to us. I love the fusion of Ginger Baker's frantic drummer and Fela Kuti's vocals. Definitely would listen again.

It’s fine and all, but I’m just not one of those guys that really likes listening to 16 minute long drum solos.

Interesting to have this right after Femi Kuti.. 5 songs at an hour long is too wild. I liked the sound but not enough to justify that.

If I ever want to experience the vibes of an Asheville drum circle without the hippies, body odor, and patchouli, I know exactly where I’ll come looking.

Dave Matthews has nothing on this jam band! I'm pretty sure that's going to be the longest drum solo I will ever hear in my life.

Most excellent. Afrobeat at its finest. Adding Ginger Baker on top is tremendous!

very cool

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.

I listened to zombie a while ago and I liked the political message behind the project. This album was more focusing on jazz/afrobeat vibes and not as lyrics. Liked the first song but the rest seemed to blend together.

Nice! Had never heard of them.

I think I'm in this 1001 thing so I can listen to albums from outside the 80s commercial radio catalogue. Really enjoying the afrobeat here 🧡

Super vibey. A great backdrop to whatever I’m doing. Except maybe driving. I like to sing in the car.

4/5. This is definitely a great live album but I have two gripes that does keep this from a 5. The first is that there was a weird tension between Ginger and Fela, it just kind of felt like he did not want Ginger there. He cut off the applause for him, made fun of him, and called him not a good friend. I may be reading too much into it and this is how they show friendship, idk. The real reason it's a 4 is because although I understand the vibe of afrobeat listening to previous Fela albums, it feels like this one drags on some of the songs a little too long. It has parts that slow down to a crawl which can be interesting but this time it didn't really work for me. I cannot deny the skill of all these musicians so it was not a bad listen, just would rather listen to another Fela album. Also Baker is wild on this, a necessity for any lover of drums. Best Song: Let's Start, Ginger Baker and Tony Allen Drum Solo, Ye Ye De Smell

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

I would likely never have chosen to listen to this and that would have been a shame. Opening my ears to music I have never even been aware of or would have sought out. I enjoyed listening to this album but not sure I listened to it in the right environment though as I can imagine a late night chilled out session would suit it better. However it still hit all the right funk notes and was more enjoyable than I expected.

What a pleasant surprise to discover an artist I had never heard produce such a great album. This one has the funk and then some.

Sometimes, all the time, I wish I had been born a 6ft 6 black dude in Brooklyn in 1951. Then I would have been right into this. Despite that not being the case, I’m still feeling it.

Great album, and a percussionist’s wet dream I imagine. Funnily enough, I already had this album in my downloads as this list sent me down an enjoyable Fela Kuti wormhole a while back. This is just as good as any of his other stuff from around this time I’ve heard, the groove and funk just gets you hooked. This one just has the added bonus of a nut bag of top drummer to boot (check out ‘Beware of Mr Baker’ on YouTube for a crazy rockumentary). Although not being that much of an expert I didn’t find it that easy, drum battle thing at the end aside, to determine Mr Baker’s overt influence on the music, it seemed more him fitting into Kuti’s style. I suspect Tony Allen may be an even better drummer responsible for the Afro-beat thing in the first place. Anyway, defo an album for future revisits….

Kuti can do no wrong but has anyone ever said, more drum solos please... hell no.

Always glad to hear some Fela Kuti. Very lively indeed. Very groovy, great for a drive. Quite an intriguing musical collaboration as well. Good stuff 👍

Very long, repetitive songs that seam to only serve as excuse to never-ending solos by different instruments. I mean, it is not bad, makes for good background music. 5/10

Please inject more Afro-beat directly into my veins.

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.

non mi piace il genere..

Fun and upbeat. I have listened to Fela Kuti but wasn't familiar with this album

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

Enjoyable, though not super gripping.

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.

Groovy

As far as overly long live albums go, this is pretty much the best it can get.

It's good to know Ginger takes his bath!

Felt. Ginger. Magic.

I had previously reviewed a live Fela Kuti album and did not care for it at all. It was a droning stream of consciousness that may work live, but as recorded album, did not translate well. This album, however, was a different story for me. Maybe it was the day, or maybe this album is just better. And while I get a little tired of 10+ min music tracks, this record is solid and I am not as hesitant the next time a Fela Kuti album pops up.

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.

Pretty good, but 16 minute drum solos are just not my thing.

Nice

The songs are nice at the start but take too long and are too repetitive imo. For a live album it’s decent but not really my jam.

не ритммчиские выкреки 0/10

Funky, but I don't tend to rate instrumentals very high.

Very interesting

Very enjoyable!

It's just a phenomonal listen.

Amazing drumming from Ginger Baker. The music was generally a little too upbeat for me and had a lot of horns, but definitely an interesting live set.

I've had Fela Kuti & Africa '70 before, so at least I knew what I was getting into with this album, Ginger Baker was a change though for the second half... Its super tight afrobeats, and time just washes over you to where it has no meaning anymore, and soon enough the hour has passed and you crave more.

A solid Afrobeat album of one chord vamps. No changes or song structures to be found, just relentless groove and occasional bursts of emotional vocals. The sound is surprisingly wide and clear for a live album from the 70s. Two songs feature dual drum kits with Ginger Baker, including the monstrously heavy funk of ‘Ye Ye De Smell’. I typically prefer music with more changes and dynamics but definitely appreciate this music and would gladly have it on the in background. The main negative for me was that fully 1/4 of the album is a drum duet with no other instruments which might the most self-indulgent thing to ever exist.

Pleasant to listen to. The music is all good, just kind of drags longer than what I prefer.

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.

The kinda music you stumble upon during sundown at a small UK festival before the night descends into chaos and debauchery. This is obviously just great. 7.5 / 10

This is not my thing at all but I can appreciate it. I respect the tight playing of instruments and I get why people may somewhat enjoy it. But people love this? I think people pretend to like this sort of stuff so it makes them seem cool. Whether the tracks were two minutes long, over ten minutes like they are here, or even if it was just one long track it wouldn't matter, it all sounds the same. Fela introduces each song and on 'TRACK 3' says he wrote it for Ginger Baker. He wrote these songs? I can't help but feel that you can't write stuff like this. It's as if some talented musicians all got up on stage and just played whatever they felt like. It's an overly long jazzy wank fest of the highest order with occasional decent vocals. To my ears, it's essentially a jam session. Maybe I'm more standard thinking when it comes to music. It should have a catchy melody or a memorable tune. A riff, a vocal line, something to hum or sing along to. This has none of those things, which is fine, if you're into this then great, I'm pleased for you, but I don't get it.

!!!

So much long jazz.

Not exactly my style but it was good.

Not my fav, but decent album.

really fun album

Really enjoyable stuff. A lot of the tunes could be a little more succinct but other than that no complaints

This was good I'll probably listen again. You can hear the origins of the New Orleans sound

this slaps

This is an album I truly would have never discovered if it wasn't for this generator. I had so much fun dancing to the beats, yelling chants, and pretending to play the bongo drums. Favorite Track: "Egbe Mi O (Carry Me I Want to Die)"

From the first few seconds of "Let's Start," I already have a stank face... I think that's a good sign.

Great rhythmic album. Sounds a lot like all the other Fela I have heard

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

Nice change of pace. Not going to dial this one up all the time. But it was mostly enjoyable.

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

good funky jams

Very entertaining

Really enjoyed this.

Liked the "big band" sound, pretty funky and groovy - not sure what the "singer" was up to.

Slop

Cool, very chill

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

Not really my thing

I'm curious! This was great, actually.

Thoughts before listening: African style rhythms meets rock n roll drumming I guess? This one should be interesting. Review: This is great. I have listened to some Fela Kuti before and I always find it to be an enjoyable experience. Fast paced, percussion heavy jams. From reading up on this album, it seems that Ginger Baker was working with Fela to learn Afrobeat drumming, so while his presence adds a certain cool factor to this album, he isn't necessarily changing the sound....at least not in the Afrobeat meets rock n roll way I was imagining. Fela rocks both with and without Ginger. This is the type of album I was hoping to discover by doing this project. 4-stars

1 song

The album creates an intimate experience encapsulated by Fela Kuti's high energy, the band's tight performance, and there is even a drum solo tribute. While jazz is a divisive genre for this reviewer, this type of big band, big brass jazz with a touch of African cadence is quite different. The unity, the singular experience that Fela Kuti and the band put together is equal parts professionalism and intentional fun. In the spirit of whether or not someone should listen to this before they die, the answer is not as divisive as American jazz is. Fela Kuti hits differently, and it hits all the right notes.

1.Let’s Start 2.Black Man’s Cry 3.Ye Ye De Smell 4.Ginger Baker and Tony Allen Drum Solo 5.Egbe Mi O(Carry Me)

Adding Ginger Baker and Tony Allen to my list of drummers to idolize

The first song reminded me of poprocks. It had some good beats. My adhd doesnt work with long jam sessions. I kept looking to see how much time was left.

Soul, Jazz, World, 1971 ->3

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

Enjoyed it

Surprisingly jazzy and soulful. Could do without the drum solo

Actually preferred his studio album. Ginger baker is a legend, but didn’t need a 10 min drum solo as an entire song.

Jazz isn't a genre I really listen to, so I can't say too much about this album other than I liked it but not enough to listen to it again. The Vibe: Running through the jungle being chased by a lion.

4.5. this style of funk never gets old

Did not know anything about Fela Kuti, and I was not disappointed! This is not my genre, but I was surprised with how much I liked the sound! This is exactly why I'm trying this project. Favourite song: Black's man cry

Ye Ye it doesnt smell that bad

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.

estoy bastante convencido de que no hacía falta poner un solo de batería de casi 17minutos al final del disco

Uf, tremendo. Creí que me iba a quemar pero es completamente *energético*. Jazz, percusión, un poco de funk, a little bit of lio, la cosa sana.

Energetic, fun, and easy to listen to. I was unfamiliar with Fela Kuti but it seems I should familiarize myself with more if his work. If you love vocals, you might struggle with this one, but it is good music and easy to appreciate.

A 3.5 from me but I’ll round up.Quite entertaining as a background sort of thing

I get that Fela Kuti is a legend, but this live album was a chore. The jams just drag on and on, with every song blending into the next. The band is tight, sure, but the endless repetition and lack of real variety made it hard to stay interested. It’s supposed to be energetic and electric, but most of the time it felt like background noise that refused to end. If you’re not already a diehard Fela fan, this album feels more exhausting than exciting. I honestly just got bored.

This one is rad

Loved it. Could not sit still!

Very groovy!!!

Well that was a nice surprise. Never heard of Fela, know who Ginger Baker is. Great pairing. Enjoyed that.

Amazing sounds. For me though, even the best instrumental music never holds my attention. It can only become great background music; which this certainly is.

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

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

Great live album Standout song: YeYe De Smell

It was jammin but got a little repetitive for me. 5 songs over an hour

very jazzy very funky

I can’t lie to myself and pretend that the repetition doesn’t get to me at times. But I really dig a lot of the individual performances and Kuti sounds as impassioned as ever. 3.5/5

Not my cup of tea

I mean, it's fun, funky, and I can't help but move my body to the beat. Not something I am deeply satisfied by, but good for background.

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?

Sounds like a dope heist movie so far. Great sections, overall would not make it my regular queue but I'd definitely refer back to it if I was looking for a big sound. Some of the songs feel more like a demo of awesome technical skill than a "journey" I'd expect from an album -- maybe a different listening setting would change that feeling. It's also a live album so that feels like it informs the flow.

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.

This is not music I would choose to listen to but it's undeniably good. You hear Rock funk soul reggae and psychedelic. Probably could have skipped the 16 minute drum solo track though

My initial thought was "An hour for 5 songs?" Then the first beat hit and I'm locked in. This is like big band and jazz had a baby that was touched by the hand of the funk gods. Even at 13+ minutes the song "Ye Ye De Smell" was dope as hell. I found myself getting mesmerized by the extensive drum solo--and I can get bored of drum solos very quickly. Now that being said, if you don't like jazz or instrumental, solo-heavy music this is going to be an awful experience for you.

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

I listened to the start of this album twice and finally finished it today. I think it's great, should be listened to on vinyl (preferably from your granddad's collection) and would be fun to listen to and dance / drink / make dinner with your friends. The songs are a bit long and not having the ability to get up and switch on the sides listening to it on full on YouTube, plus being generally jazzy (not my fave vibe) makes it a slightly tougher hang and album to get through. But it's deffo important and enjoyable and should be listened to :)

nice

Pretty good stuff, and a gentle introduction to african funk for seventies music enthusiasts. Ginger is good, obviously, and most of the track boogie along at a decent pace. Enjoyable.

cool album. liked the jazzy feel, definitely have to be in the right mood to listen to this

3.6

Would have been a 5 were it not for the 15 minute drum solo at the end

A great album but the solo at the end was a bit much.

Just learnt a whole load of facts about Ginger Baker. A name I've heard of but never really knew who he was. Great album, too!

what if i told you there was a live album that wasnt shite

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

Let it play right through again after finishing and will probably let it play a few more times. The Good Stuff

7/10

Not a big fan

Very nice album!

I'm probably not gonna put this on all the time, but it was a nice listen. It's basically very chill jam music. But it's pleasant, has some nice rhythm, nice sound.

Funky soul gorgeous horns

She’s a 2be. Lotsa drumming

Cool jazz

Fun album.

Love this stuff. Not even ginger baker can ruin it.

He’s the man

Right on, man. Right on.

this album has a crazy lore that is awesome. i watched a video on it years ago, but didn't listen to it until now. so glad i did. the baker solo at the end started to lose me, but the rest of it was solid.

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

Not my kind of music, but I enjoyed it

It's good but it's not for me

Un des albums de jazz que j’ai préférés. L’enregistrement live donne un résultat incarné, moins cérébral, il nous fait entrer plutôt que de se laisser admirer

Decent. 3.5

An album I'd never find on my own. Surprisingly nice. 3.5

Grooooooovy. But some live albums sound more fun if they're... live.

Fela is one of those foundational artists who impacted so much music I have heard... hearing him is like listening to the rosetta stone.

Happy to see Fela Kuti pop up again! The live aspect made it even better.

This was a groove. My only exposure to Kuti was the stage musical which was not great. I'm glad to have had this exposure, as I'm sure I would never have sought it out.

Wasn't a total disaster like the previous ones. I think I could sit through it on some chill days if I'm in the mood

Jammy

I like the style but I can't listen to him talking in between songs ahah

Second song was nice

It was OK. Not my bread and butter tbh but also not obnoxious