tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-220631252009-12-04T20:14:53.550-05:00Daily news, music reviews and commentary on Afrobeat and related music from Africa, The Caribbean and The Americas.Chopteethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02034294205883631157noreply@blogger.comBlogger177125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22063125.post-57195366110814703702009-12-04T13:31:00.019-05:002009-12-04T20:14:53.625-05:00

By Robert FoxWorld Circuit Records has announced the release of a posthumous recording by guitar legend Ali Farka Toure, teaming up with kora master Toumani Diabate. Titled "Ali and Toumani," it's due out in February 2010. The CD will be a follow up to their first collaboration, the 2005 Grammy Award-winning "In the Heart of the Moon." Issued just before Farka Toure's passing in 2006, it was

Chopteethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02034294205883631157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22063125.post-67903222055453382242009-12-03T17:16:00.009-05:002009-12-03T17:56:02.234-05:00

By Marc BrunerHere's some of my favorite world music releases for the year: Orchestra Poly Rythmo de Contonou, Analog Africa No. 6, Echos Hypnotiques. More great vintage stuff from the people at Analog Africa. This is fantastic funky music. Legends of Benin, Analog Africa No. 5.Yet more awesome funky vintage shit. Let's hope they keep digging this stuff up for us. Daby Balde, Le Marigot Club

Chopteethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02034294205883631157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22063125.post-68385890918818403272009-11-25T18:21:00.011-05:002009-11-26T16:04:18.202-05:00

By Robert FoxOn television once, I saw some amazing interviews where people describe seeing Louis Armstrong's band in the 1920s. Early in Armstrong's career, the band traveled by paddle boat up the Mississippi River from New Orleans, stopping in every town along the way to play in the boat's ballroom.In the interviews, various witnesses recall the overwhelming power, volume and rhythmic

Chopteethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02034294205883631157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22063125.post-19218748870355180252009-11-24T20:13:00.008-05:002009-11-24T20:26:24.468-05:00

This is going to be a fantastic show!On Saturday, November 28th, Chopteeth returns to the Black Cat in Washington, DC for a dynamic evening of African dance music. You can count on Chopteeth for explosive 1970s West African big band classics as well as critically-acclaimed original music inspired by afrobeat, highlife and African rhumba. Big horns, raging guitars and driving rhythms—there’s

Chopteethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02034294205883631157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22063125.post-26359962785089326852009-11-23T10:48:00.008-05:002009-11-23T11:29:40.394-05:00

By Robert FoxU-Roy has been a major presence in my sonic landscape over the last few months. The godfather of toasting and hip-hop pioneer, he created some of the most memorable tracks in the history of reggae. Collaborating with an incredible list of musicians over the years, U-Roy virtually invented a whole new genre of music. It's still as fresh today as ever. Once these songs get into

Chopteethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02034294205883631157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22063125.post-27939178681449089432009-11-22T13:02:00.022-05:002009-11-27T00:27:49.354-05:00

By Robert Fox Great review of Bill T. Jones's Broadway musical "Fela!" in today's New York Times. I know that's an unexpected combination of words in a single sentence. However the critically-acclaimed show features serious music performed and arranged by key members of Brooklyn's Antibalas, and it provides a new platform to expand Fela's message and tell his story. This week the show moved to

Chopteethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02034294205883631157noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22063125.post-9080742441667597072009-11-21T19:46:00.014-05:002009-11-22T12:14:00.487-05:00

By Robert FoxI've spent much of the last few months listening to Vieux Farka Toure's 2009 album Fondo nearly every day. It's one of my favorite recordings in years, featuring an innovative mix of traditional Malian rhythms, an up-to-date sound, great supporting musicians, and (of course) blistering, very special guitar playing. I really like this recording.Vieux makes waves now wherever he goes

Chopteethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02034294205883631157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22063125.post-1113840887154324662009-11-20T13:23:00.025-05:002009-11-21T16:17:14.857-05:00

By Robert FoxAfter a brief hiatus, the Afrofunk Forum is back! We're looking forward to sharing some new features, including streaming music files from Grooveshark as well as other goodies, so please stay tuned.Since our last post in March, this site has had visitors from 146 different countries around the world. That's a pretty amazing testament to how the internet is breaking down borders and

Chopteethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02034294205883631157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22063125.post-29084878783100040102009-03-28T11:30:00.026-05:002009-03-28T18:50:09.857-05:00

By Marc BrunerBurning Spear's latest release, Jah is Real, shows that the man hasn't lost any of his enormous talent.  It's his first album on his own label, Burning Spear Music, and a testament to what has made him one of the leading figures in reggae music for nearly four decades.  Producing on his own label is a watershed moment, since the business of reggae has not been kind to the musicians,

Eden Allswang Brunerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14274295043306548803noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22063125.post-3018973120370451732009-03-24T21:31:00.003-05:002009-03-24T21:41:26.805-05:00

By David McDavittTABLE OF CONTENTS1. BEASTS OF NO NATION2. COFFIN FOR HEAD OF STATE3. COLOMENTALITY4. FEAR NOT FOR MAN5. J’EHIN J’EHIN6. INTERNATIONAL THIEF THIEF7. KALAKUTA SHOW8. LADY9. MR. FOLLOW FOLLOW10. MR. GRAMMARTICALOGYLISATIONALISM IS THE BOSS11. ORIGINAL SUFFERHEAD12. NO AGREEMENT13. POWER SHOW14. QUESTION JAM ANSWER15. SORROW, TEARS, AND BLOOD16. TEACHER DON’T TEACH ME NONSENSE17.

David McDavitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11082429044304473661noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22063125.post-79995043639132283302009-02-03T20:46:00.013-05:002009-02-04T10:02:59.199-05:00

By David McDavittMusic’s universal language is often most interesting with an accent. Thus lies the brilliance of Putumayo’s latest release: “African Reggae.” This collection is in part an homage to Bob Marley, marking the anniversary of his 64th birthday (Feb. 6th). This is fitting given the boomeranging influence of the music of the African Diaspora.Just as the Congo powers the world’s cell

David McDavitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11082429044304473661noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22063125.post-68535132492553785042009-01-24T15:27:00.023-05:002009-01-29T20:44:41.808-05:00

By Marc BrunerMamadou Diabate is a virtuoso kora player from Mali and his 2008 release "Douga Mansa" is a beautiful work of art. This extremely satisfying solo album preserves the venerable traditions of Mandinka culture while also infusing those traditions with new energy and creativity, creating a sound that is profound and original. But most importantly, the songs are a delight to listen to,

Eden Allswang Brunerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14274295043306548803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22063125.post-39505291749903005002009-01-24T11:56:00.024-05:002009-11-21T19:44:04.720-05:00

By Marc BrunerIf you like Tinariwen (which is one of my very favorite bands these days), you'll definitely dig Akh Issudar, the stunning 2008 album from a band called Terakaft on the World Village label. "Terakaft" means "Caravan" in Tamashek (the language spoken by the Tuareg people of the Sahara desert) and "Akh Issudar" is the second part of a Tamashek proverb, "Water Is Life, Milk Is

Eden Allswang Brunerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14274295043306548803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22063125.post-12513511246246588462009-01-21T00:22:00.005-05:002009-11-20T15:21:50.503-05:00

Then:Now:

Chopteethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02034294205883631157noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22063125.post-57335927242528593302009-01-06T15:18:00.024-05:002009-01-07T00:02:32.781-05:00

By Robert Fox:One of my favorite bands anywhere is coming to the Black Cat in Washington, DC on Friday, January 9th: the epic Grupo Fantasma. Longtime readers of The Afrofunk Forum know that we're big fans of Grupo Fantasma's devastating cumbia and salsa. Their live shows split atoms and crumble boulders with head-spinning latin funk.The band is touring in support of their outstanding new album,

Chopteethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02034294205883631157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22063125.post-57149900145521927042009-01-02T14:21:00.010-05:002009-01-06T15:18:18.520-05:00

January 6th Notice : Just informed that this show has been postponed! Please check back for the revised date!By Robert FoxFemi Kuti has a new CD out, Day By Day, and it's his strongest effort to date. I really like this recording, which features more confident songwriting than ever before, and a very controlled groove to the music. Some of Femi's earlier recordings had an almost frantic energy.

Chopteethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02034294205883631157noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22063125.post-48941159127878495052008-09-19T13:51:00.008-05:002008-09-19T14:13:59.834-05:00

Washington, DC-based afrofunk group Chopteeth is releasing its debut CD on Saturday, September 20 at a special CD release show at DC club The Black Cat. If you're in the region, come to the party and be the first to own the new recording, which highlights original Chopteeth music on 9 tracks!The Washington Post highlights Chopteeth’s new CD and the Saturday show with a recommendation from Post

Chopteethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02034294205883631157noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22063125.post-46641680501009400572008-08-26T10:40:00.019-05:002009-09-25T14:56:49.253-05:00

By David McDavittFela on Broadway? Sounds like a disaster, right? I entered the theater fearing the worst, “Fela, Get Your Gun,” or “West Side Story, Lagos.” Fortunately what unfolded instead was a gritty, hyper-realistic biography of Fela Kuti told in an interview style, bejeweled with Fela’s own afrobeat music! Let’s break this masterpiece down!Written by Jim Lewis & Bill T. Jones, the story

David McDavitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11082429044304473661noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22063125.post-87910120445867787912008-08-22T12:32:00.009-05:002008-08-22T12:58:15.672-05:00

By Robert FoxThere's a cool new band currently making waves in the Washington, DC area: King Soul. They've assembled an All-Star lineup of funk, soul and New Orleans-style pros, and these guys can really bring it, resurrecting the old-school Stax sounds with a groovy modern twist. I saw King Soul recently in Hyattsville, MD, and had a great time with their tight rhythms, powerful horns and clever

Chopteethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02034294205883631157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22063125.post-12545331192888795162008-08-01T16:09:00.002-05:002008-08-01T16:20:53.430-05:00

By Kenny EatonSearching for ‘authenticity’ in music and art creates an uproar of debate amongst those involved. As an American, how can I ever truly experience ‘authentic’ foreign culture, especially music? Experiencing Moroccan music as an American is undeniably different from experiencing it as a native Moroccan, right? For those involved in the quest for 'authenticity', questions like these

Kenny Eatonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07515898733551811652noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22063125.post-23023508984866338932008-07-25T13:15:00.008-05:002008-07-25T14:00:52.986-05:00

By Kenny Eaton This installment of the Afrofunk Forum holds a special treat. I got the chance to conduct an interview with Justin Adams and discuss his new album, the state of world music and what it means to be a culturally eclectic musician. Justin Adams’ career has been extremely successful- playing alongside former Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant and many of the finest musicians in Africa

Kenny Eatonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07515898733551811652noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22063125.post-87801830963723801822008-07-14T15:13:00.004-05:002008-07-14T15:22:40.915-05:00

By Kenny EatonAllow me to introduce Zuluwannsago- an afrofunk band based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The 10-member group’s funky grooves and African infusions are infecting audiences and rousing dance floors. Zuluwannsago’s diverse collection of musicians shows through in their music- lots of flavors, tons of power. Bandleader Yusuf Nuweku originally comes from Ghana. From childhood on he

Kenny Eatonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07515898733551811652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22063125.post-52503615368892341252008-07-01T15:08:00.007-05:002008-07-03T16:14:41.652-05:00

By Kenny EatonThe Gnawa people hold a unique place in the realm of Africa. Their music possesses medical, spiritual, and transcendent value in their native country of Morroco and has begun to spread to the West. Groups like Gnawa Diffusion have taken this enthralling culture to the masses, inspiring trance and musical possession in previously austere audiences in Europe and North America.I

Kenny Eatonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07515898733551811652noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22063125.post-84139071309278383922008-06-28T15:43:00.012-05:002008-07-03T16:21:09.445-05:00

By Kenny EatonSeun Kuti and Egypt 80 will be playing at the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C. on Monday July 7th at 7:00PM. Seun is of course the son of of the late, great Fela Kuti, who started the genre of Afrobeat-- mixing West African funk and American jazz into an unmistakable collage of dance, melody, and culture. Seun Kuti,follows in the trailblazing aspirations of his father--developing

Kenny Eatonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07515898733551811652noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22063125.post-42873924167123432592008-06-18T09:34:00.006-05:002008-06-18T09:48:00.258-05:00

By Kenny EatonThe Latin funk powerhouse Grupo Fantasma just dropped their new album, Sonidos Gold, yesterday. Riding on a wave of high-profile support from the likes of Prince and pounding out a massive list of tour dates, it seems Grupo Fantasma is on a mission to take over the world.The collective combines cumbia, salsa, mambo and any other Latin style they deem fit to create an eclectic,

Kenny Eatonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07515898733551811652noreply@blogger.com3