Felabration with Sahr Ngaujah
One of the most important figures in global music to emerge since the '60s, the late Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti may have died in 1997 from AIDS related illness, but his influence has only grown in the year since his passing. A fiery revolutionary who never failed to call out the corruption of the military leadership in his native Nigeria, Fela's mix of propulsive polyrhythms, James Brown funk, political rhetoric and trance-inducing extended grooves made his voluminous output during the 1970s and 1980s one of the greatest bodies of work produced during the era.
While his sound and politics have been carried on not only by his sons Femi and Seun Kuti and disciples like Brooklyn-based outfit Antibalas, the gospel of Fela's music and struggle found an even wider audience with the hit musical Fela! Started in 2008 as an off-Broadway collaboration between Antibalas and Tony-winner Bill T. Jones, the musical would eventually get financial backing from Jay-Z and Will Smith and move to Broadway, garnering worldwide acclaim and numerous awards.
The successful 2011 run of San Francisco performances of Fela! was closed in December with a scorching live concert by the musical's star Sahr Ngaujah joined by the show's dancers, vocalists and all-star band of musicians from Antibalas at Brick and Mortar. Ngaujah and many of those same collaborators return to the Bay for a two-night encore "Felabration" this weekend, marking the master's October 15th birthday some of Fela's greatest songs.
In addition to a marathon set by Ngaujah and company, the Friday evening show at Brick and Mortar will also feature a performance by local Afrobeat specialists Black Water Gold (who feature Nigerian percussionist Friday Jumbo, who played with Fela as well as other luminaries like Monomono with Joni Haastrup, OJ Ekemode's Nigerian All Stars and Hugh Masekela) and Afrobeat classics spun by KALW DJ Emmanuel Nado. For Saturday night's concert at the New Parish in Oakland, the headliners are joined by North Bay world-funk favorites Vinyl and DeeJay Saurus.
Felabration with Sahr Ngaujah
Friday, Oct. 16, 9 p.m. $32-$35
Brick and Mortar Music Hall
Saturday, Oct. 17, 9 p.m. $27.50-$35
The New Parish