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Fela Kuti
Fela Kuti was born in Nigeria in 1938 and was both a musician and involved in political activism.
He studied music at Trinity College London from 1958 and during this time formed the band Koola Lobitos, playing music often described as a fusion of Jazz and Highlife.
After moving back to Nigeria in 1963, he re-formed Koola Lobitos and developed a style of music he named Afrobeat, combining Jazz and other, primarily African derived musical styles like Highlife (Ghanaian), Yoruba music (Nigeria, Togo and Benin) and Calypso (Afro-Trinidadian), renaming his band to Nigeria 70 and eventually Africa '70. Tony Allen, the drummer, was also central to the innovation in Afrobeat, later becoming a recognised solo and collaborative artist.
Fela was explicitly political in his life and music, establishing not just a music venue (Afrika Shrine) but also the "Kalakuta Republic" a commune in Lagos, Nigeria. The Kalakuta Republic was raided by the Nigeria military in 1977 in response to his activist album Zombie, and his mother was fatally injured.
Fela continued with a new band Egypt 80 continuing to record music starting with the album Black President and touring across Europe and America. He unsuccessfully ran for president of Nigeria in 1983, and was arrested in 1984 on what Amnesty International described as politically motivated charges of currency smuggling.
Fela died of complications from AIDS in 1997, with his children Seun, Femi and Yeni Kuti continuing his musical legacy.
Yaa Amponsah - Ogyatanna Show Band with Pat Thomas
Highlife has a huge influence on Afrobeat, and indeed some of Fela's early work hews closer to this than his later style. Yaa Amponsah is one of the earliest recorded examples of Highlife, by Jacob Asare and his band the Kumasi Trio but I prefer this recording featuring Pat Thomas, well titled as the "Golden Voice of Africa".
Awo & Olulufe - Fela Kuti and His Koola Lobitos
The early period of Fela's music gives us these delightful musical numbers. A gentler side of Fela.
Lagbaja - Africalypso
Continuing the strong connection between Afrobeat and political activism, Lagbaja (Bisade Ologunde) is a Nigerian Afrobeat musician. His stage name is similar to "John Smith" or "John Doe" in Yoruba, and he performs in a mask. Africalypso is fun and outlines in it's lyrics the various influences on this broad musical style.
Zombie - Fela Kuti
The record that provoked a government assault and presaged the death of Fela's mother. Powerful and political, and possibly the quintessential Afrobeat song.
Roforofo Fight - Fela Kuti
Usually presented in two parts or edited down, I have chosen to include the full 15:42 of this glorious song with an incredibly impressive horn section. A true work of art.
Sorry Sorry & Make We Remember - Femi Kuti
Femi Kuti is the son of Fela and Remi Kuti. Femi has played with Egypt 80 (with his father), with his band Positive Force (featuring his sisters Yeni and Sola) and also with other artists. A true heir to his father's legacy in music, political involvement and also operating the New Afrika Shrine, which hosts the Felabration musical festival. Highlights of Felabration are available on the Felabrationng YouTube Channel
You Can Call Me Al - Paul Simon
A favourite track from a favourite of mine, that needs little introduction. Afrobeat and Fela did not just influence African musicians, but spread new sounds across the musical spectrum.