Chicago Afrobeat Project: 9 p.m., Jan. 20, Hangar 9, Carbondale. A unique combination of rock, jazz and funk mixed with African drum beats. Cover charge: $4-$5. For more information, call (618) 549-0511.
The Chicago Afrobeat Project, a nine-member 70s funk- and jazz-infused ensemble, has developed a sound combining rock, jazz, funk and African percussion into a unique percussion-heavy sound that draws audiences from all walks of life — and gets them dancing.
Political activist Fela Kuti created the urban, contemporary sound of Afrobeat that was influenced by artists such as James Brown and Parliament. According to project member and trombone player Mark Thomson, Afrobeat is a “mix of American funk music and jazz originally developed in Africa, but it has more percussion.”