Chicago Reader: “Femi Kuti Reconfronts the “Attitude of Lagos” with Chicago Afrobeat Project’s Kevin Ford”

This article originally appeared in the Chicago Reader.

For the first in our series of artists interviewing artists, Chicago Afrobeat Project keyboardist Kevin Ford spoke with Femi Kuti, eldest son of legendary Afrobeat pioneer and Nigerian human-rights activist Fela Kuti, about his new album, his doubts about democracy, and his efforts to protect his father’s legacy while carrying it forward. Femi Kuti plays with his band the Positive Force on April 30 at Metro.

Kevin Ford: Compared to your other albums, I’d say the messages on Africa for Africa are the most direct. I’m wondering if recording at Decca studio [in Lagos, Nigeria] affected the sound?

Femi Kuti: When we record in Lagos it’s like being on the battlefield. The electricity cuts off. There is no central AC, and we are sweating like dogs. All the things we are singing about, we are confronted with them in the studio. When we record in France, we are very comfortable. In Paris, it’s very difficult to [express] yourself when you are singing about problems and you can’t really identify with those problems.

I think it comes through in the album. It sounds to me like you have even more power behind your messages.

I planned to do the songs that way. But probably the emotion you are hearing comes from the fact that I was reconfronted with the attitude of Lagos.

There were some things brought up in the album that kind of hint at a united Africa. Do you think there could be a pan-African union, kind of like the European Union?

That was Kwame Nkrumah’s [the nationalist leader who liberated the new nation of Ghana from British rule] dream. And I think we’re still a very long way from that because the leaders in Africa are very greedy. I don’t see any African country doing anything for its people. So I think it’ll probably take another 50 to 100 years for us to reach there. The fact is we have to keep on fighting. We have to remember that so many people have lost their lives fighting. If there wasn’t a Kwame Nkrumah, my father, Malcom X, Marcus Garvey, or Mandela, people like me will be naive to the history of Africa. It’s very important that I play my part so that the children can always have a platform to continue the struggle.

You’ve talked in the past about democracy—that you have your doubts about democracy as a system.

Yeah, it’s a game, like you see with the Democrats and the Republicans in America. The Republicans always want to gain power so they will always do everything to sabotage the Democratic government, and vice versa. So what kind of system of government is that, when it is broken down before it started? Even if the government in power is doing good things, the opposition always tries to find an excuse to bring it down, so that government never functions like it should.

The U.S. and Nigeria are obviously different places, but Afrobeat music is very strong in the U.S., even though we don’t have the same politics.

It’s becoming global. I don’t think we need to overcome the fact that it’s from Nigeria.

Do you feel like in Lagos there is more pressure to stick to the roots, to the “true” Afrobeat?

Africans just like dancing; so as long as you do a good song, they are very flexible. They can be critical as well. They think that you are using Afrobeat. They use my father to judge you and say this doesn’t sound like him. It doesn’t mean they don’t accept it, but they can be very critical.

A lot of people call it underground music in America.

It’s not underground. They made a mistake. I don’t know why everybody’s always saying “underground.” My father said “on the ground.”

Next week: Experimental noise musicians Jon Cates and Jake Elliott of Dorkbot interview Captured! by Robots.

The Examiner: “Chicago Afrobeat Project plays refreshing jazz at the Bottleneck + Previews!”

There certainly is no shortage of exciting shows at the Bottleneck lately, even Wednesday night the bar exploded with brilliant music as Chicago Afrobeat Projectreturned to Lawrence. The eight-peice band of numerous influences explored genres and experimented with solos and jams for a full night of energetic grooves.

Wednesday night is usually one of the quieter nights downtown, but parties and shows were abound downtown this week. Early in the night music enthusiasts started gathering for the opening band, Making Movies, an Afro-Cuban salsa band featuring bi-lingual and cross-cultural music. The openers switched things up during their impressive opening set, playing more traditional latin music as well as new-wave rockMaking Movies could easily entertain a full house on a weekend night. The Lawrence music scene hardly gets its share of Latin-influenced music, so this first band was already a breath of fresh air.

Chicago Afrobeat Project took the stage for a slightly larger crowd. Some of Lawrence’s most dedicated music lovers came out and joined together on the dance floor for this big band’s lengthy set. A combination of vigorous percussion, guitar and bass, keys, saxophones and vocals gave the audience a full sound for their ears to gorge on.
As far as band unity goes, never has there been a full band of eight that worked together so well. The entire group seemed in syncronized harmony that defied the sounds of improvised jams, solos and jazzy, funky climaxes that made up the entirity of the concert.

The lead singer led the crowd in sing-along parts of songs while also pointing out the brilliant solos of each individual musician as they each blew the crowd’s mind. An alto-sax and bass-sax combined and worked individually to create zesty jazz. The lead guitarist played fast, intricate riffs and jams, exploring all forms of chords and string-plucking, backed up by a relentless, funky bassist. The keys player’s fingers danced across his instrument, beautifully composing melodies to delite the ears. Behind it all, a drummer with a traditional drum set as well as a percussionist with two bongos played fierce, passionate percussion that the crowd danced along to through the entire set.

Chicago Afrobeat Project touches on various styles, obviously including Afrobeat, Afro-Cuban, expanding into Jazz, Funk, Rock and more. Performing for a small, but grateful crowd Wednesday, the band poured their hearts out through their instruments and vocals. The band’s passion was tangible in their spicy, complex, yet well-practiced performance. They deserved a full, sold-out show, but Wednesday night was still relatively quiet compared to the weekend. Fans of dance-able, worldly jazz should hope this group returns for a weekend show in the near future.

Spring 2011 Colorado Tour

We’re heading out towards Colorado today with a stop in Lawrence, KS tonight at Bottleneck. Looking forward to some sunshine on our first trip out west this year. We’re also excited to be performing 2 shows in Colorado with our good friends, Euforquestra.

Dates include:

  • Wed., April 13th: The Bottleneck / Lawrence, KS
  • Thurs., April 14th (w. Euforquestra): Cervantes Other Side / Denver, CO
  • Fri., April 15th (w. Euforquestra): Aggie Theater / Fort Collins, CO
  • Sat., April 16th: SECRET SHOW t.b.a. / Denver, CO

See you around!!
CAbP