Hail Fela (funk)

Description

Fela Anikulapo Kuti was a multi-instrumental musician and composer, the pioneer of Afrobeat music, and human right activist.

Fela was born in Nigeria on October 15, 1938. At the age of 20, he was sent to London with the intention of studying medicine, but found a passion for music instead.  He formed a band called Koola Lobitos, which playing a fusion of jazz and high-life. In 1963, Fela moved back to Nigeria, re-formed Koola Lobitos there, and trained as a radio producer for the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation.  In 1967, Fela traveled to Ghana to experiment with the new sounds of West African music.  There, he first coined the term ‘Afrobeat’ for his unique blend of Jazz, Funk, Ghanaian/Nigerian High-life, psychedelic rock, and traditional West African chants and rhythms. Afrobeat is characterized by having a fairly large band with many instruments, vocals, and a musical structure featuring jazzy, funky horn sections.  A “endless groove” is used, in which a base rhythm of drums, shekere, a muted West African style guitar and melodic bass guitar riffs are repeated throughout the song.