Reviews (page 9 of 13)
Best Song: Ye Ye De Smell. This was nice and upbeat. The most enthusiastic song on the album. Worst Song: Black Man's Cry. I hate to say it, but his screaming cry just doesn't sound that musical. Overall: It's mostly good, although I feel like it lacks some of the energy that his son Femi's work has. I will say that if I am going to listen to jazz, I most frequently want to listen to the type of afro-jazz that Fela Kuti and his progeny make.
Jazz jams as they should be. Not sure if I could pick up on the added value of Baker's drumming outside of the last song. The Africa 70 deliver as always nonetheless.
I think I liked Femi more than Fela.
See my previous reviews regarding live performances. It’s got the funk.
I know that Fela largely invented Afrobeat and this was a great live album, with energetic drumming and possessing an album cover that feels like the band are jumping off the photo. But I prefer a more lyrics-based sound so while liked, it was not something I would listen to again.
some great moments personal favorite is near the end of Egbe Mi O (Carry Me), where Fela gets the crowd to sing with the instrumental but overall the song are too long without enough unique moments. great talent is shown however.
Funky and fun! I'm not usually a fan of long drum solos, but that final song is great.
70s World funk and soul. A famous drummer travelling around Africa to learn about local rhythm. Jazzy. Loads of drumming, solos, very long jam sessions.
drums are sick. not what i usually listen to. i enjoy!
Fela Kuti is at his best when playing live. Classic afrobeat stuff, long but never outstays its welcome. The only thing that does go on a bit is the Ginger Baker drum solo, a musical phenomenon I’ve never really had time for.
Fela and Ginger. 5 songs, over 1 hour. Aftobeat endlessness and Ginger Baker rudimentaries until your ears bleed? We shall see! I like the liveliness of afrobeat, the mix of r&b, jazz and african ruthms and I like Fela, but i do find it can get a bit repetitive for me at times. And Ginger is an odd one on drums amd in life. Track one and its a bit as I expected. The drums follow the lead not the rythm section. Credits are sparse on iTunes for this. It basically lists Fela on vocals and Ginger on drums. Seems a bit unfair to the rest of the band Africa 70. Tony Allen was the drummer for Fela’s back band and given how associted he is with defining aftobeat i wonder how much was him and how much was Ginger? By the aounds of a few tracks it was both of them and a few more percussionsists thrown in for good measure. One thong i will say for Ginger, I suspect its not easy playing a beat like Afrobeat across from Tony who has grown up and lived these beats deep into his being and i fewl Ginger does a decent job of not sounding like an English rock muso trying to play afrobeat. Interesting alb. Not sure i would liaten to it a lot but worth 3 stars for the main characters alone.
I can listen to an hour of upbeat jazz music, even if I wouldn’t ever chose to.
6/10
3.5
let's start: love the initial vibes
Another case of "appreciate the energy, wouldn't listen for the whole album"
It's ok as background music but it isn't good enough for me to want to ever revisit it. It's the kind of music you'd hear when a character is walking through a city during the opening scene of a B list romcom. Mastering is good though.
Could probably benefit from a bit more structure but still an enjoyable listen 3.5*
Funky international
Afro- jazz
Das Album entstand im Juli 1971 in den Abbey Road Studios in London vor kleinem Publikum. Es dokumentiert die Zusammenarbeit des nigerianischen Bandleaders Fela Kuti mit seiner Gruppe Africa’70 und dem britischen Schlagzeuger Ginger Baker. Musikalisch bewegt sich die Aufnahme im Spannungsfeld von Afrobeat, Jazz und Funk, getragen von langen, hypnotischen Grooves und komplexer Percussion. Besonders prägend sind die treibenden Rhythmen von Tony Allen und Baker, die das Fundament für Felas Orgelspiel, Bläser und Chöre bilden. Songs wie „Let’s Start“, „Black Man’s Cry“ und „Ye Ye De Smell“ zeigen den charakteristischen Aufbau des Afrobeat: repetitiv, energetisch und gesellschaftlich aufgeladen. In „Black Man’s Cry“ thematisiert Fela Identität und Selbstbewusstsein nach der Kolonialzeit. Die Produktion ist roh und direkt, mit spürbarer Live-Atmosphäre. Bakers Beteiligung öffnet den Sound nach Westen, ohne die afrikanische Struktur zu verwässern. Das Zusammenspiel beider Welten verleiht dem Album eine besondere Spannung und historische Bedeutung. Ein frühes Schlüsselwerk des Afrobeat und ein wichtiges Dokument für Felas internationale Anerkennung.
Fun 60s African Music.
nice
Great energy, a lot of drums
This is #day434 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… it's been 295 days since my first Fela Kuti album, which I rated a 3. It's fun to learn that Ginger Baker from Cream is on drums here. One of the better live records on the list: very jazzy, funky, and groovy, but jazzy most of all. I gave it a spin on my Technics SU-7300 (because it's the '70s), and it felt just right. This is a strong 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day435.
The 16-minute drum solo at the end really ruined this for me lol. There was some fun and groovy stuff on here though.
Funky, yet enticing album, which is rather jazzy and alive in a way that makes it familiar. Despite only containing 5 tracks, it manages to take up a bit over an hour of listening.
Interesting afrobeat/jazz album. However, I'm not sure I'm into the added 16 minutes drum duet. Whatever you need to have inside you to appreciate that, I don't have it.
I certainly realize the strength of this performance and the brilliance of just about everyone playing on it. The rhythms and percussion is other-worldly. It is worthy of inclusion in the list of albums you must hear before you die.
Nice enough album. A lot of his stuff suffers from droning on.
Estu puf don greyway, nint.
I like it, but there isn't quite enough to latch on to to love it. You had to be there I guess.
Live! by Fela Kuti is an album I’ve always wanted to listen to, so I was looking forward to giving it a try today. Fela Kuti is certainly an interesting listen — there’s so much happening musically, with incredible musicianship throughout. That said, I’m not a huge fan of long, largely instrumental tracks, and that’s exactly what this album offers. There’s a lot of repetition and some seriously extended drum and guitar solos. I can fully appreciate the talent on display, but for me, this works best as enjoyable background music rather than something I’d sit down and focus on. Favourite track: All of the tracks are worth a listen, aside from the lengthy drum solo. Least favourite track: The extended drum solo — it goes on far too long for my taste. Album artwork: Cool album cover — simple but effective.
Just like Bitches Brew by Miles Davis, this is a great album for getting some writing done. And I kept forgetting it was a live album because everything sounded crisp and perfect. Not one for everyday listens, but this album goes straight into my "will revisit" folder.
Not his best, but his first ?
01) Let's Start - 6,5 02) Black Man's Cry - 6,5 03) Ye Ye De Smell - 6,5 04) Egbe Mi O (Carry Me I Want to Die) -6,5 TOTAL: 6,50 (65/100) Current ranking: 480/692
Je n’apprécie pas vraiment les albums « live », et celui-ci n’a pas fait exception à la règle.
Acrobat is not a genre I am familiar with. However I love the rhythms and I liked the sound (most of it) However to quote Captain Sensible "the British charts consisted of Little Jimmy Osmond, the Partridge Family ans 20 minute drum solos. This album has a16 minute drum solo......too much
Quite nice, the instrumental was great, not a huge fan of the vocals. Solid live record.
cool, but I'm not too big of a fan of live albums.
Really just a big jam session. Not particularly blown away. I got into certain parts but then they seemed to go on and on and on. Very repetitive and not as intricate or rhythmically complex as I had anticipated aside from the drum solo track which i gather wasnt part of the original album. For the most part we are locking into a groove and then noodling on top. Highlights are when the drums do start jazzing outward here and there. At times the two drummers syncopated in such different ways whilst somehow blending together and maintaining the flow. For me the percussion was definitely the stand out factor in the album, just hoped for a little more in the body of the songs. Favourite track probably - Egbe Mi O, enjoyed the crowd singalong. Bonus points for how good the album sounds live, in fact its easy to forget its live at times. 6.5/10
3.5 stars
Just another world record.I mean, it's pretty good at times but it does get very repetitive.I don't mind repetitive music, but it doesn't warrant anything.Past the normal, three stars for a solid world beat record
Extremely good sounding for being recorded live. The chemistry is palpable and the jams are very good. That being said, imo, you need to be a fan of the genre and/or the musicians to truly want to repeat a listen. Being somewhat familiar with Kuti's background and story makes it a tiny bit more enjoyable, and the full play through is consistent, setlist and mood wise. I'm just not a big fan of the genre.
i have enjoyed fela kuti’s studio albums that i’ve had so far on this project, but i always struggle with properly engaging in live album. this one in particular drags on quite a bit. they are no doubt very talented and i bet it would’ve been amazing to see this live. even just cooking to this album i wanted to change music at times. i was very engaged at first. then yeah, got bored of it i guess. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Am I cool enough for this album? Probably not, but it sounded pretty great!
This was cool, glad to have listened to it, but not sure I’d listen to again
some songs went for way too long, but I like it.
It's good for what it is, but I don't think I'll add it to my playlist
Love this list for this stuff, great listen
Ret meget som jeg forventede. Det er fint i små portioner.
Det er hyggeligt. Hverken mere eller mindre
On today's roll of the 1001 albums to hear before I die, I got an album by an artist I truly have wanted to check something out from but never did, Fela Ransome-Kuti. While this release is not a studio project it is still a representation of Kuti's music in the live setting and surprisingly is extremely compelling overall. This album is so groovy and is such a great time to get down and dance to. This is music I am sure people in the audience were on their feet for and had an equally great time as I did listening to this album as all the instruments mesh together to create a very wonderful blend of Afrobeat and Jazz-Funk. This is music where it is really easy to get lost in with just how entrancing each of the performing artists here are and with just how skilled each and every member of Africa '70 truly is. While I did very much enjoy this project, I don't get why this is seen as essential by any means. Sure it is really solid on all ends but I don't think anything here really blew my mind in terms of the quality or compositions. It is just some damn good live performing, that's all. While I am glad I finally checked out some Fela Kuti, I do wish I was able to get more out of this in general.
Rytmiskt och svängigt. Bäst när blås och orgel går igång. Minst bra när det sjungs.
Återigen ett live-album. Ginger Baker marknadsförs som den stora stjärnan, trots att han bara var på studiebesök i bandet för att lära av Tony Allen. Dessutom medverkar Baker bara på halva skivan. Just det här albumet sticker inte ut i Felas diskografi. The Africa'70 svänger men kanske inte de starkaste låtarna.
Jazz: it was alright, nice as background music, but nothing overly captivating.
Really surprised how much I liked this. Felt like a noisier version of lofi or something I could listen to while working.
Interesting. Will need another listen.
I bet Andy Kershaw likes it. Could get a couple of decent deep house /trance tracks out of the album.
Funk?? Soul?? World?? Jazz?? What can you really even describe this album as?? I’m not entirely sure, but either way it’s pretty good. The energy that Fela Kuti brings to this performance is electric, and the addition of Ginger Baker makes it even better. The little intros to the songs with Fela explaining the meaning behind the song names is charming and adds some flair to the mix. While this one won’t stick with me for a long time, I enjoyed every song on the main album, and listening to Fela belt out a “Yeeeeeeeeah, Black Man’s Cry” or a “La la la la” is hype as hell. My favorite song was “Egbe Mi O (Carry Me)”. The only thing on the album I could have done without was the 16 minute long drum solo. I found it more annoying than enjoyable. Next up, the regular Non-Live Fela Kuti album.
To learn more about the relationship between Fela Kuti and Ginger Baker, check out Beware of Mr Baker (it's on youtube)
This was good - something I would have never listened to without this! Probably won’t pull it out again.
I like this Fela but not this record so much.
Meh
Awesome vibe on this album. Relatively accessible. 3+
Not my style, but not bad
Nice as background music for doing chores and art.
Jazzy, and Dean Martin inspired tracks, but mainly very unique in composition.
I thought it was pretty good A little repetitive Very jazzy vibes sometimes. Good vibes
Funky and fun.
Let's start: He entrado a otra dimensión con Let's start, me encanta, he tenido un orgasmo auditivo, la voz de Fela jurao me ha hecho dudar de mi sexualidades. Black Man's Cry: Que vuelvan las canciones largas de cojones como las de este álbum, quiero canciones que me dé tiempo a hacer cosas para tenerlas de fondo, quiero no entender la letra pq está en un idioma q no entiendo. Ye ye smell: Me da la sensación de Ginger huele a vainilla y whisky. Creo q en esta podría haber comenzado a cantar tres minutos antes. Egbe Mi O: Yo también me quiero morir, pero está canción ha sido mi favorita del álbum, la amo. Drum solo: Demasiado largo, tampoco nos pasemos cojón.
Very new to me. Let's GO! I like a lot of African music with out ever really seeking it out. The first half of the first song makes me wonder why I don't listen more. I'd love coming across this band at a festival or something. Not sure I'll go back to it in my day-to-day life but right now I am really enjoying this. Insane drumming on track 3. What a jam! Longest drum solo I've ever heard to close out. Didn't hate it thats for sure. I'm really glad I heard this album. Not sure how much staying power it has with me but it was an excellent listen. 3.5/5
good live album mid album
Decent afro jams live album
For me, this feels more like a chapter in the history of modern music than something I would chose to listen to. The musicianship from Fela and Ginger and co is brilliant and their influence is clear.
Lekker upbeat nummers, hier vond ik het alleen jammer dat het een live album is. Daarnaast is het laatste nummer een 15 minuten durende drumsolo. Misschien dat Sander dit leuk vindt, maar voor mij had het niet gehoeven.
Just good, upbeat music that you can't help but tap your toes to. I already had his Zombie album on here, and I seemed to like that one more, but this was a good one too. 3/5
Fun album. Didn't get into it as much as zombie
Fun listen. Production value is so good. Drums sound tight af!
The instrumentation is really good but these songs just drag too long for my non-jammy tastes
Had never heard of this, but made the mistake of reading about it before listening. What I heard was enjoyable but did not live up to the raves.
Funky jazz - I like the funk-Afro beats under the jazz solos and it wasn't too speedy/stressful. I wasn't a huge fan of the 16 minute drum solo though.
I’m not much of a fan of world music, however, this album was quite enjoyable. The only thing that I didn’t like was, it’s a little too jam band for my tastes.
Still don't think live albums should be here but this one was a lot of fun except for the last track.
5.5/10
This was actually kinda fun. No idea who these guys were but the tempo was upbeat and it got me tapping along. Will I listen again though? Probably not.
Chillig, ganz nett.
From Rolling Stone: “This intimate collaboration was actually recorded in Abbey Road studio instead of a traditional rock venue, but was electric nonetheless.” Kuti is a rhythm master, but a 16-minute drum duet to close the album is pretty egomaniacal.
Drums and weird yelling. That's all I hear.
Good music, easy to listen to, but gets into self-indulgent drum solos and songs that carry on for too long because they're playing for a club and not an album listener. I wouldn't listen to this again without impairment.
Cool song, nice drum solo . . . oh, the drum solo is still going
Another one that I have never heard before! Great 4th of July Listening? 3/5 #musicsky #albumsky #musicchallenge
Fun, fine, but not an everyday thing for me.
There are a lot of great Fela records and some of them should be on any essential list. This one with Ginger Baker isn’t one of them. Just a live album. Pretty good. Mostly a ploy.
Pretty decent despite the lyrics not being in English. Niceix of jazz and funk with African drums. The 15 minute drum solo to end the album is pure self indulgence though.
Should be a separate list called 101 live performances you wished you were at, or something. This is really well recorded, all the playing is great, I can't really fault it. But I'm giving it a 3. Would be a 5 if i was there.
Pretty feet. Sent it to hughbie and he coomed
Was actual a fun album.
Influence on or by The Doors and Bob Marley?
It was decent, wouldn't seek it out again but didn't hate it.
I haven't listened to retro West African music before. Enjoyed this live one more than I thought I would. Nice vibe and the jazz drum solos were pretty good.
I enjoyed this record. I love the way that they worked the crowd in "Egbe Mi O", and how they got the audience to help with the song. Favourite Track(s): Egbe Mi O (Carry Me) Least Favourite Track(s): Drum Solo
Like it 3/5
just really solid music. would i ever seek it out again? probably not. if it was on, would I change it? nope!
Great energy throughout, but a bit too repetitive and uniform. Kinda felt like I was listening to the same song the whole time. Still a solid listen.
Closer to a 3.5, not quite a 4. Really fun and interesting but not one I'm really eager to relisten
Fun and funky with a traditional African flair, this was a pretty entertaining listen!
Not his best work and I don't like live albums, but Fela Kuti has an undeniable energy in this, so it's not the worst live album I've ever heard. I enjoyed almost all of it. 3/5
When this generated I was super excited! Kind of thing you look for in this generator, something you’ve never heard of, or listened to! It was ok, but didn’t do enough for me I’m afraid!
It was cool hearing the commentary. Solos were a little long for me, but that's the point.
I mean join Afrobeat Icon Fela Kuti with insane rock drummer ICON Ginger Baker and it has to be good, right? Answer: YES, but not for everyone. Lots of cool tunes and love the live recording, but kind of ended up as more background music than active listening due to the length and long improvisational nature of the experience. This is one of those IYKYK albums.
3 Stars (8/15)
TIL Fela married 27 women on the same day. The bassline on Egbe Mi O will be stuck in my head for a while
Have not found a bad jazz album since I started this list and this is no exception
Definitely dig the vibes
Good background music for a summer pool party
2.5/5
3/5
Great sounds, so many drums. I would assume that Fela Kuti doesn’t come across in the studio versus live performance, so this is probably the best representation of an important artist/genre. But it’s only like four songs and a drum off.
not bad but not the vibe for today 3/5
Normally I quite like dragged out funky jams, but this was a bit boring at times. And I also don’t want to listen to a 16-minute drum solo.
Live
Pretty fun, but can be more musically developed(?)
Pretty fun, nothing really stood out but really great live performances!
Not bad, but there's just no excuse for a 16 minute drum solo.
I'm surprised that I liked this as much as I did - normally I don't go for jam band type music and longform, 11+ minute musical rambling doesn't hold me, but the vibes are just there for this one
If it weren't for this project, I would have never listened to--or heard of!--Fela Kuti. It's good in the background. There's a lot going on and when it's all working, it's a lot of fun. When it's not coming together, it gets a bit repetitive.
Really cool. Whole album sounds like one long jam session in a jazz lounge.
Good stuff
I anticipated this being another generic world jazz album but it’s pretty good. Solid jams, doesn’t meander too much, and has a good sound.
A little goes a long way, but worth listening to
Jazz meets rock meets Afro-works beats. Definitely worth a listen!
Good songs, never need a drum solo
this was pretty good honestly
Good instrumentals but not my vibe really
Nice, but not my cup od tea :)
Liked that drum solo. This sounded fantastic for a live album but the content doesn’t get me going. Nice to listen to though. High 3.
Fine AfroLatin jazz but the drum solos are too long
A fun live listen.
Definitely self-indulgent, especially with Ginger Baker involved. Sounds like a loose, extended jam session, but not entirely unenjoyable.
It was fun to get some more international music in this list. I wouldn't have listened to this otherwise. Fun listen, but don't think I'll find myself revisiting much. Solid 3 for good, unique composition.
Fela Kuti is a legend and this is an excellent introduction to the American-Nigerian crossover Afrobeat that's only gotten more and more popular in the decades since this album released. Also, as great as this album is, it is 2025 and I just kinda got bored.
Thoroughly enjoyable.
Good album although I honestly only remember the drum solo cut
The songs are too long, not enough is happening. 'Ye ye de smell' is quite okay. But whose idea was it to add a 'la la la'-chant to 'Egbe mi o'? That's silly. Watch out when listening this at Spotify. O totally unnecessary SIXTEEN minute long drum solo was later added to the album, in itself kind of weird because it was recorded in 1978, seven years after the album. Weird.
Yeah alright, wasn’t in the mood for some jam stuff tho
Objectively good but not really my vibe. Bit too much whooping...
I don't have the benefit of age and perspective to help me understand its impact on Afrobeat, but this album had me groovin real good. Great production values, sick performance, awesome songs. As a drummer who looks down on two-drummer performances and detests drum solos, I actually really enjoyed Ginger Baker's contributions to this album. Knowing the last track was a 15-minute drums-only performance, I wasn't really looking forward to it, but leading up to it with 45 minutes of killer Afrobeat created the right atmosphere and context.
First song felt like it'd be in a busy NY movie scene. Enjoyed some others. Got bored with the drum solo :/
It was interesting and unique but honestly the length of the songs and the lack of excitement brought the score down a lot.
Not my usual but kind of a vibe
Loved it!!!
- mostly instrumental - sounds like something that would be in “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” or maybe “Baby Driver” - pretty solid
Live! is certainly a livelier album than i expected to be (no pun intended). I guess it might have been helped by the fact that not only did Fela Kuti perform it but also Cream's former drummer Ginger Baker helped out as well (of course alongside The Africa'70). It may not be as good as the other album i have heard in this project that he worked on (Cream's Disraeli Gears to those of you curious) this is still a fun album to listen to. The music had a very nice charm to it with it always sounding lively and upbeat even if it did feel like the album was dragging itself out a bit. There are better albums like this but i still enjoyed this one. Best Song: Black Man's Cry Worst Song: Let's Start
I didn't want to expose myself as a jazz listener so early... please dont let this change your opinion of me… but I liked this a good bit. Would've been a 4, but subtracted points for the boring bassist, the fact that a 15 minute drum solo is excessive, and the fact that I saw Ginger Baker live once and he was kind of a jerk.
I thought it was fun, but a much. It was fun in the back at work
Ye Ye De Smell
Did not dislike, but it gets a little repetitive over time. Not necessarily a bad thing; it was sort of entrancing at times.
Pretty good for background music. 3.5/5
It’s definitely cool, they’re definitely talented, but how much absolute filler are we willing to take here?
really fun, great vibes, you can feel its age a little bit and some parts are stronger than others but still really worth listening to
Not my bag but pretty cool still.
3.5
I liked zombie a bit better than this one, felt a bit flat.
Not for me, but obviously very good
This was enjoyable but also slightly felt like a chore the songs were so long like I felt it dragged
While I could tell I was listening to something put together by skilled musicians, it too often failed to capture my attention, though there were many great moments throughout. I liked the rough vocals throughout, especially the vocal harmonies in Egbe Mi O. Overall, not a bad listening experience, and I enjoyed listening to something a bit outside my personal taste, though the jams may have been a bit to long for me. Favorite song: Let’s Start
Another album by someone I've never heard of. Kuti's life was very eventful according to his Wikipedia page. The songs on the album are pretty good. Ginger Baker's on this album as well. I also liked the bonus track with Tony Allen. 3 stars for "Live!".
This felt more like a jam session you walk past at a festival than a life-changing masterpiece. Solid grooves, sure—but 3/5 for me. I came for fireworks, got an incense stick.
Unknown band for me. an interesting style of jazz. I enjoyed the drums solos which reminded me of In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida and Sex Machine. Good album.
Not for me but my Ghanaian colleague loved having Fela to listen to at work and told me all about him (Protest singer and his elderly mother effectively killed by the army when she was thrown out the window...)
2,5/5 Ihan hyvää taustamusaa työpäivään. Just ja just taipuu kolmen tähden puolelle.
Not sure if this was jazz or something more tribal, but it sounded good. Especially for being live. Kind of nice to have description for song titles
I dont know what this was but it was alright
Not really my thing
You can listen to it occasionally for a change. In general, monotonous African rhythms and screams are clearly not my thing, so 6 out of 10.
Kult men tror ikke det blir en enorm gjenganger
I liked the style of music but it was a bit too drum heavy for me (which I expected when I saw Ginger Baker and Live). Definitely the kind of album I could put on for some upbeat, energetic background music. I don’t know that I’d listen to this particular album again, but I’d check out some of the artist’s other work.
The drum solo felt a bit short Edit Apr 15 2026: 2 --> 3. I like this sorta stuff more now
Live at Berlin is better!
Not really much ginger baker on here. Decent Afro/jazz/funk
Not bad
I enjoyed it but more as background music.
I was replay blown away by the first two tracks. I’ve never heard afrobeat music before so I was blown away by the horns and the drums. My biggest problem with this album is that it’s a lot of filler. Everything after the first two songs were alittle over repetitive and forgettable. But I loved the energy of the album.
Kappaleissa on hyvä tunnelma ja soitto kuulostaisi tapahtuvan paljolti improvisoiden. Silti kappaleet tuntuvat välillä pitkävetoisilta. Eli hauska levy, mutta myös paikallaan junnaava.
Suvereniteetti kuuluu. Tulee mieleen Santanan musiikki.muutaman rallin kohdalla en vaihtais kanavaa...
Impressive
Me voilà face à un monument, un nom qui, même pour le gamin que j’étais, enfermé dans les brumes de Manchester et les guitares dissonantes de New York, résonnait comme un écho lointain, exotique et furieusement authentique : Fela Kuti. En 1971, j'avais à peine un an et mon univers musical se résumait probablement aux borborygmes et aux comptines, pendant que de l'autre côté de la planète, au Nigeria, un type était en train de forger une arme musicale de destruction massive : l'Afrobeat. Et cet album, 'Live!' en est l'un des premiers clichés, une photo de famille encore un peu floue mais où l'on devine déjà la puissance dévastatrice et la folle énergie du clan. Soyons clairs, aborder Fela Kuti, ce n'est pas comme mettre un disque de The Cure. On ne parle pas de la même grammaire, du même alphabet. Ici, pas de format couplet-refrain-couplet de trois minutes trente. On est dans la transe, le marathon et les morceaux sont des fleuves qui s'étirent, prennent leur temps pour installer un groove hypnotique, une pulsation qui vous prend aux tripes et ne vous lâche plus. C'est à la fois la force immense de cette musique et, je dois l'avouer, ce qui peut parfois me faire un peu décrocher. Mon cerveau d'occidental, formaté par des décennies de structures pop et de tensions post-punk, a parfois du mal à se laisser complètement dériver sur ces longues plages instrumentales. C'est une musique qui exige un abandon total, une immersion. Ce "Live!" est un document fascinant pour plusieurs raisons. D'abord, il capture Fela en pleine mutation, il est en train de solidifier la formule de son Afrobeat, ce cocktail explosif de highlife ghanéen, de funk à la James Brown, de jazz libertaire et de rythmes traditionnels yoruba. C'est brut, organique, ça suinte la sueur et la conviction. Les cuivres ne sont pas là pour faire joli, ils lacèrent l'air, dialoguent, haranguent la foule. La section rythmique est une machine infernale, un moteur polyrythmique qui pourrait tourner pendant des heures sans jamais faiblir. Et puis, il y a le contexte, la présence de Ginger Baker, le batteur dément de Cream, à la production et même derrière les fûts sur un titre. Imaginez la scène : le dieu du rock anglais, l'un des batteurs les plus iconiques de sa génération, qui vient se frotter au groove tentaculaire de Lagos. C'est plus qu'une collaboration, c'est une validation, un pont jeté entre deux continents, deux révolutions musicales. On sent que Baker n'est pas là en touriste ; il est fasciné, il participe, il enregistre ce son volcanique avec un respect palpable. Cet album, c'est aussi ça : la rencontre de deux mondes qui se reconnaissent dans une même quête d'intensité et de liberté. Mais ce qui rend Fela absolument essentiel, et qui transcende la simple analyse musicale, c'est l'émergence de sa conscience politique. Ce n'est pas encore le Fela des brûlots incendiaires qui lui vaudront la prison, les passages à tabac et la mort de sa mère. Mais les graines sont là. Il chante en pidgin, la langue du peuple, celle qui parle à tout le monde. Et ce qu'il dit, entre les lignes des jams, c'est déjà une critique acerbe du pouvoir, de la corruption, de l'héritage colonial. La musique n'est plus seulement une fête pour le corps, elle devient un véhicule pour l'esprit, une arme. L'afrobeat n'est pas une simple B.O. pour se trémousser ; c'est la bande-son d'une prise de conscience, d'une lutte. Et ça, même si le format peut parfois me paraître longuet, ça force un respect immense. Alors, pourquoi seulement un 3 sur 5, me direz-vous ? C'est la note que je donne à un disque dont je reconnais l'importance historique et l'influence colossale, mais qui ne viendra pas se nicher dans ma discothèque personnel, celui des disques qui ont façonné ma propre histoire. Les morceaux de plus de dix minutes, les jams qui s'étirent jusqu'à plus soif, c'est un exercice qui me demande un effort, une concentration que je n'ai pas toujours. Je suis un homme de tension, de ruptures, de mélodies qui s'impriment en deux minutes. Fela, lui, est un homme de cycles, de mantras, de grooves qui s'installent pour l'éternité. Ce "Live!" est une porte d'entrée parfaite, c'est un témoignage brut de la naissance d'un géant et d'un genre musical. C'est le son d'un homme qui a compris qu'il pouvait faire danser les gens tout en leur ouvrant les yeux. C'est un document historique, une pièce à conviction dans le grand procès de la musique du XXe siècle. Un album à découvrir, mais pas forcément celui que vous aimerez le plus, mais un de ceux qui vous en apprendront le plus sur le pouvoir de la musique. Et rien que pour ça, sa place dans cette liste des 1001 albums est tout sauf usurpée.
Fela a bit more jammy than his usual style. Not the most interesting of his music but enjoyable in a different way. Listened to: at Metrotech. Favorite tracks: Let's Start
This is a great fun live album. Did I need a whole side that’s basically a drum solo? No, but the rest is just great
Pretty good. I loved the call and response parts
2/3
there are 10+ fela kuti albums better than this get ginger baker out of here
Repetitive, percussion-dense funky grooves. They find their beat and baseline and hold steady, allowing for improvisations and flourishes from keys, guitars, and horns /saxes. It can be quite fun, exuberant, and danceable at times, and quite intense at others - but it doesn’t always hold that feeling consistently for the long track lengths.
If you love drums this is a fantastic album
mietitään genretystä... jokaiselle gebrelle sopisi 3.0 a g... eli mitä täll?.... lh ei ole aovan hullunkurista aika mid menoa niin kolme..
Interesting album! I appreciate it even though it's not what I love traditionally.
Afrobeat is usually always cool, but in this case, as is the case with quite a few afrobeat albums, it ends up a bit repetitive in the long run. 3.5 stars
Not totally my thing, but it is pretty cool. 3.5.
Pretty sweet way to start my Monday. One of the better worldwide selections I’ve received.
So this was a cool live album, but it all kinda just felt the same, nothing wrong with it just didn't peak my interest also when an album restarts and I don't know it seems like not a good thing haha
I love this live jazz progressive feel!
good stuff- love the drum solos at the end.
First? 3/5 Again? 2/5
This was a fun record to listen to. I appreciate the rhythms and jazz/funk stylings throughout. Not much else to say, but it's a good listen. 3/5
Very interesting music, but the over-16 minute long drum solo brings this down from a 4 to a 2.5.
New music definitely for me Imo instrumental was kinda catchy ngl especially the drum solo towards the end But 3/5 Not really my type but I’m glad I gave it a listen
Never gonna listen to it again, but I’m glad I did. Super unique and fun just not my genre
Pretty good! I could see myself having this on in the background if I was trying to get some work done. My arms hurt after just listening to that 16 minute long drum solo!
Certainly a unique and enjoyable album, I'm glad it's on the list. However, it loses a bit of touch as the super long songs get rather monotonous after a while. Still cool to get to know Fela's work a bit. A strong 3.
Geburtsstunde des Afrobeats. Fela Kutis Band umfasste bis zu 40! Mitglieder, da ist Koordination gefragt. Tolle Soli. 5 Lieder in 1 Stunde, das ist schon extraordinär.. Ja, und darum sind die Songs auch langatmig, es kommt kein Instrument zu kurz. Wäre eher kein Konzert für mich. Meine Aufmerksamkeitsspanne ist zu kurz😂Als Person war Fela Kuti kontrovers.
Catching this live in some African jazz club in the 70s would’ve been something. I hadn’t heard of Fela Kuti before but I’ll have to dig through the catalog a bit as this is pretty awesome on the first listen. 3.5, might round up after a few listens.
3.4 - Yeah it was good, not much else to say tbh
This wasn't quite as fun as I was expecting. It becomes quite repetitive and not much stuck out from this one for me. Great vibes as always, but I prefer some of the studio work. The 16 minute drum solo track is a bit of a test. 3.3/5
I liked it, except for the repetitive two minutes at the end of each song.
muy bueno
Still can't fully get on board with 10+ minute long improvised jazz, but this was more accessible and enjoyable to me than most I've heard
In the immortal words of Ringo Starr, “you can’t play Imagine on the drums.” Really enjoyed this. Not keen to hear it again, mainly due to the endless drum solo, and the 15minute tracks.
Very funky but I prefer lyrics
6,5/10 This was good. In-studio live, high vibes and focused on African rhythms. Everything played so well, you could feel the soul in the vocals. Could have done without the 16 minute drum duel at the end. Best: Black Man’s Cry
6.8/10
Fun listen.
Great jam album but can get repetitive
It's just jazz 😐
Worth the listen. I got in to the 60s keyboards. The rest of the music is a bit repetitive for me.
This would be a great album from the 1970's, but only an okay one from the 2000's
Ok, malo naporan za slusat u kuci u komadu, da je negdi vani i da se pije bilo bi bolje.
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.
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.
This was actually a lot more fun than I was expecting. Maybe does drag on just a bit though.
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.
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
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.
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.
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!
Test
v long songs
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…
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.
Decent and interesting 6/10
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.
It was alright
enjoyable with good energy! Still would not be my usual goto album.
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.
Entertaining album! A genre I need to listen to more
fine but not really for me
Funky
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.
No expectations other than I wouldn't like this. I was wrong. Mastering could be better, there is audible clipping at times. 3/5
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.
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
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!
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
non mi piace il genere..
Enjoyable, though not super gripping.
Groovy
As far as overly long live albums go, this is pretty much the best it can get.
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.
Pretty good, but 16 minute drum solos are just not my thing.
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.
Funky, but I don't tend to rate instrumentals very high.
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.
Not exactly my style but it was good.
Not my fav, but decent album.
This was good I'll probably listen again. You can hear the origins of the New Orleans sound
Great rhythmic album. Sounds a lot like all the other Fela I have heard
Nice change of pace. Not going to dial this one up all the time. But it was mostly enjoyable.
Liked the "big band" sound, pretty funky and groovy - not sure what the "singer" was up to.
Cool, very chill
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
Enjoyed it
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.