November 3, 2015 Playlist

"Zombie" by Fela Kuti & Afrika 70 (1976)
CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK
Fela Kuti & Afrika 70 "Zombie"  1976 (Nigeria)
Fela Kuti was one of the most fascinating musicians of the 20th century, and his legacy only seems to be growing in the 21st century. Raised in a prominent middle class Anglophone family in Nigeria, Fela moved to London in the 1960's and put together an unusual "African jazz" band called Koola Lobitos - these recordings show a strong influence of the jazz of Miles Davis and John Coltrane, but also a large dose of "highlife", a horn-driven style of dance music which originated in Ghana and was widely popular at the time. After visiting the USA and having his mind blown by James Brown, at the beginning of the 1970's Fela returned to Nigeria and founded his next group called Afrika 70. This band still featured jazzy solos (Fela on sax and electric piano), but lengthy "circular" arrangements (like psychedelic man), masses of African drums, and spiritual/political raps by Fela backed up by a girl choir: this new sound was the birth of what became known as Afrobeat music. Much like reggae music in Jamaica, afrobeat is modern music heavily influenced by African-American sounds but it seeks to connect with cultural roots in African music. And also like reggae, afrobeat was inherently political and anti-colonial, though in Fela's day his enemies were not distant Europeans but the local military dictatorship under President Obasanjo. Zombie was perhaps his greatest record, and it is a full-frontal assault on the shock troops of the dictatorship, weaponizing both music and satire: the zombies are the stiffly-marching soldiers who only do what they are told and never think for themselves. Though it was obviously banned from Nigerian media, this thrilling, funky track became a massive underground hit and led to a brutal crackdown on Fela and his hippie-style commune of followers, resulting in Fela's mother being thrown out of a window and killed. In response, Fela only got more provacative and more political, culminating in many police beatings and a lengthy prison term (accompanied by an Amnesty International campaign) in the 1980's. There probably is no musician in history who struggled and suffered for their art more than the great Fela Kuti. 
(N) = New Release
 
Artist Song Album Year Country
Chico Magnetic BandMy SorrowChico Magnetic Band1970
France/Algeria
MutantesJardim EletricoJardim Eletrico1971
Brazil
Koes Barat Thlah Cinta Beralu  (Koes Plus)Koes Barat (N)2015 (Sub Pop)USA
Albert Kuvezin & Yat-KhaIn-A-Gadda-Da-Vida (Iron Butterfly)Recovers2005
Russia (Tuva)
CornershopFree LoveJudy Sucks A Lemon For Breakfast2009
UK
 
 
Dungen Allas Sak
  / Sista Festen
  / Sista Gasten 		Allas Sak (N)2015 (Kemado)Sweden
Children of Leir Shapes Of SleepChildren Of Leir EP (N)2015 (Return To Disorder)UK
Tame ImpalaLucidityInnerspeaker2011
Australia
   
 
TomitaMars, The Bringer Of War (Gustav Holst)The Planets1976
Japan
   
 
Fela Kuti & Afrika 70ZombieZombie
 CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK 		1976
Nigeria
Jimi Tenor & Tony AllenCella's WalkInspiration Information 4 2009
Finland/Nigeria
King Tubby & Lee Scratch PerrySplash Out DubKing Tubby Meets Lee Perry: Megawatt Dub 1997
Jamaica
Konono no. 1Paradiso (live)Congotronics2004
D.R. of Congo
   
 
VangelisLe Fete Sauvage (excerpt)Le Fete Sauvage (Original Soundtrack)1976
Greece
CanSprayFuture Days1973
Germany/Japan
Public Image Ltd. ShoomWhat The World Needs Now... (N)2015 (PiL Official)UK
MagmaTendei KobiahB-side 7" single (Simples EP)1971
France
 
  
Yoko Ono & Plastic Ono BandWhy?Plastic Ono Band1970
Japan/UK
Boredoms3Super Roots, vol. 61996
Japan
Shonen KnifeA Day Of The FactoryBurning Farm EP1983
Japan
eX-GirlWaving Scientist @ Frog KingBack To The Mono Kero2001
Japan
 
  
DMBQShe WalksThe Essential Sounds From The Far East2005
Japan
GedoByoon ByoonGedo1974
Japan
Flower Travellin' BandSatori part 2 (live)Make Up1973
Japan
Les Rallizes DenudesPart 4 (live)Oz Days Live (various artists)1973
Japan
 
  
Señor Coconut Y Su ConjuntoHome Computer (Kraftwerk)El Baile Alemán2000
Germany/Chile
      
   
   
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