Fela Soul - Amerigo Gazaway (2011)

A little late to the game with this one. Apparently it was an internet sensation? I use the internet extensively everyday and I'd never heard of this until now (and no, not exclusively for porn, you cheeky shits). I do almost all of my blogging for Spacerockmountain from work. I'm at work right now, in fact.

God, I can't wait till I have a job I give a shit about.

ANYWAY, if it wasn't already clear from the title, this is a mash-up record of Fela Kuti and De La Soul material. The DJ is a fellow from Nashville named Amerigo Gazaway, and since this record "blew up" he's gone on to make other mash-up records to similar of not more acclaim (check out his Mos Def and Marvin Gaye mash-ups). That one is actually more my jam, but since Fela Kuti has been a recent point of discussion on the podcast, and since De La is one of the greatest hip hop acts to ever exist, it seemed to me it would be a good post.

Besides we need some feel good, hot weather weekend jams. Especially out here in PDX, where today marks the beginning of a 5 day heat wave. Time to hit the river and dodge human poops.

9 tracks, name your price.

Fela Soul - Amerigo Gazaway

DUSU Mali Band - Doni Doni Che Bi Jdimi (2011)

Since much of the US is at the mercy of an oppressive heat wave, I thought I'd post some hot weather music to help y'all keep your swagger in spite of those sweaty rivers pouring from your pits.

Sometimes, hot weather music needs to be from a place that's hot. Even better if it's in a foreign language, so your brain can disassociate and focus on finding that frosty booze beverage ASAP. Here we have a group that kills those two birds. The DUSU Mali Band are Portland-based, but their lead singer, Ibrahim Kelly, is from Mali and sings in an African language I'm too ignorant to identify (one of the most common of Mali is Bambara but he is of Dogon descent which has several of it's own dialects). An immediate point of comparison for those unfamiliar with music of this region might be Nigerian-born saxophonist Fela Kuti who incorporated similar jazz flavors into his brand of West African funk. While saxophones make appearances in some DUSU Mali Band songs as well, the music here is much more guitar driven. This is most likely due to the fact that Ibrahim Kelly is the nephew of an internationally renowned Mali guitarist Ali Farka Touré ... perhaps playing a mean guitar simply runs in the family.


The tunes here are mostly upbeat, lively, and repetitive enough that you can easily get lost in the music while you find yourself that margarita.


10 songs. 


DUSU Mali Band - Doni Doni Che Bi Jdimi

Fela Kuti & the Afrika '70 - Live! with Ginger Baker (1971 [2001])

This is the 2001 reissue of the amazing collaboration of the king of afro-beat, Fela Kuti, and the former drummer of Cream, Ginger Baker. Fela Kuti's band the Afrika '70 numbered 12 preformers for the live sets recorded here, which accounts for the intense complexity of the music and truly shows the talent of all those involved to maintain the timing and cohesion so astoundingly. I find, as I'm willing to bet many others share, that the psychedelic hybrid of genres that is afro-beat is something to lose yourself in. The length of the tracks in conductive to this mood and I'm sure Kuti would've recommended enhancement via mind altering substances to those inclined (if you've never read the man's story you're really missing out on some wild shit). Anyhow, there is a difference between the original release and this reissue, namely the addition of the final song. This is a track of exclusively drumming by Ginger Baker and the drummer of Afrika '70, Tony Allen, recorded at the 1978 Berlin Jazz Festival. Well I've read reviews that disparage this track, but I don't agree. I think it is pretty righteous and unique. Judge for yourself, naturally. Note this is the album art of the original release displayed here.

To be had here:
Fela Kuti & the Afrika '70 - Live! with Ginger Baker [160 kbps]

Nomo

Ann Arbor's Nomo is a large band with much to thank for Fela Kuti's pioneering afro-beat, along with other greats from the wide world of jazz. Starting with a University of Michigan grad named Elliot Bergman and friends. By the time of the first full length release, the self-titled Nomo, there were more than 60 contributing persons when records and live performances are totaled. The music is complex, as so many members might hint at, with clear infusions of jazz and funk but all of it in a theme very much part of afro-beat. The seocnd album, entitled New Tones, is far more polished in production, but this doesn't harm anything. The sharpness allows for the jazzy sound to really come alive. The songs are both average over five minutes, but with more consistency in length on the latter. The horns found in Nomo's music are absolutely terrificly played and make the songs loudly awesome. The first track of New Tones, "Nu Tones", is a favorite of mine for social events of nearly any nature. Oh boy, there's handclaps too, and who doesn't love that shit? Basically, this stuff has soul, and it can't be denied a good several listens.

To be had here:



Nomo (2004) @ 160 kbps














New Tones (2006) @ 224 VBR kbps