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Femi Kuti and Positive Force on stage at The Fillmore of New York (Irving Plaza to you and me)
Fela Anikulapo Kuti may be one of the greatest musicians the world has ever known. He brought a James Brown influence to African music and sang songs for the people exposing oppression by corporations and governments. Although only a fraction of the music he performed in his life was documented, dozens of albums and even some interviews on film that can be seen in the documentary Music is the Weapon exist. Last year, the off-broadway play Fela debuted in New York. His music and consciousness is alive and well, twelve years since hispassing in 1997.
Or course, Fela’s greatest musical legacy is his son Femi! Femi Kuti and Positive Force, including a trio of dancers, four horns, drums, bass, percussion and keyboard, plus Femi on horns, keyboards and vocals like Fela, squeezed on to the stage at The Fillmore of New York (f/k/a Irving Plaza – what an unnecessary and ridiculous name change btw) and made the music of his father come to life. A smaller band than Fela’s, but still able to generate the rhythms and even some sub-rhythms too if there is such a thing.
More video from this fantastic show on the next page.
