Seattlest: World Music 101: Femi Kuti @ The Showbox

guest

Fri, 27 Jul 2007 08:19:14 -0800

Um... Robert Christgau writes music reviews for NPR. Go listen to his reviews of Crunk Hits and Clipse.

Jeremy M. Barker

Thu, 26 Jul 2007 23:59:25 -0800

To answer the above: I thought the show was all right. It was a fairly booty-shaking good time. I've seen better, seen way worse.

tvargs

Thu, 26 Jul 2007 23:47:51 -0800

Thanks, Jeremy, for your nuanced review! I appreciate your effort to examine your biases/preferences with what Femi's music may mean in its originating country. I am unclear though, as to whether you enjoyed the show or not - regardless of political message or historic context of Femi Kuti himself? Did you feel like rising to your tip toes and shaking your booty? Or did it seem like the context you mention dampened any feeling of musical freedom?

beef

Thu, 26 Jul 2007 15:46:21 -0800

I passed on femi last night. His early tours in the US back in the early 2000's showed that he lacked the multi instrument talent of his father and frankly the funkiness of fela from the 70s and 80s. Basically just pop music packaged in an african form. He has stated in recent interviews that he wants his next album to be afrobeat. I'll listen and then maybe show up to his next concert. on another note, fela has another musically inclined son, seun kuti, http://www.myspace.com/seunkuti who supposedly sticks to the more solid fela afrobeat legacy. album out sometime this year and a US tour. i've got my hopes up.

Michael van Baker

Thu, 26 Jul 2007 15:22:52 -0800

Jeremy, this is insanely in-depth. What the hell. Plus I had to read all the way to the end.

kasa

Thu, 26 Jul 2007 14:01:21 -0800

Lovely review, low on the bullshit.