On Stage: Felabration 2015 at Paradiso Amsterdam

It has become a tradition by now to celebrate the life of Fela Kuti in Paradiso in October with the boys of Jungle By Night. Every year there are some special guests to celebrate with us and this year one if them returns. No one less than Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 are here to start off the celebrations.

Felabration at Paradiso Amsterdam, October 3 2015



Seun Kuti & Egypt 80
Last month at the ITGWO festival Fela's youngest son had to be rushed to the island where he played a relatively short set. Tonight there's more time scheduled in which works in their advantage. The group is able to stretch out the songs more and let the afrobeat do what it needs to do: grooving so you have to dance and slip in a trance. Seun is the one who stays the closest to his father's legacy, both in music and form, together with his father's band Egypt 80. Seun Kuti's speeches in between songs are full of political statements, speaking for the African people. He explains his new song 'IMF' stands for "international motherfucker" bringing no good to the people. It's a good song in the true spirit of his father. A few people are shouting that Kuti needs to continue playing and apparently don't get what we are felabrating tonight. Fortunately most people do get it and enjoy the energetic and hypnotic music and the speeches. It's probably not possible to get closer to Fela than this.

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Umeme Afrorave
We go upstairs to the small hall where a new band is playing called Umeme Afrorave. I spot New Cool Collective percussionist Jos de Haas behind the congas which is promising. The Amsterdam band are playing dance music based on traditional African music, which comes down to electronic dance tunes on top of percussion with lots of African influences. It works very well and the clever songs sound energetic, turning the place into one big dance party. I'm definitely going to watch this band.

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Jungle by Night
Of course the young afrobeat collective are on the bill themselves as well and are playing the main hall. The group are an established name by now and are even taking on the world. I have seen them grow from talented young musicians into an experienced group that can turn any place upside down. Tonight they are treating us to a special set with covers of songs that have inspired them. I couldn't really identify most of the songs but of course Fela Kuti's music had to be there and it was nice hearing a great version of the mysterious Nigerian musician William Onyeabor's 'Good Names'. There's another surprise tonight when a 10 year old girl trumpet player is brought onto the stage to play along, as part of a kid's program, and she even plays a wonderful solo. By that time the place is already one big hot dancing hall. At the end there's a jam with members of all bands tonight including Seun Kuti himself. It reminds of Fela's legendary night club The Shrine and I don't think there's a better way to honour his life.

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This night is far from over and by now everywhere in Paradiso people are partying and dancing to afrobeat music. I guess it's safe to say this was probably the best edition so far. See you next year!



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Sold Out Felabration Has Rough Start, Ends On A High

For the fourth time Jungle by Night are organizing Felabration, the annual celebration in honour of Fela Kuti. So far they have been able to come up with great bands and this year this is no different. Next to German band Karl Hector & The Malcouns they were able to book Ethiopean jazz master Mulatu Astatke. Plenty of reasons to join the celebrations again.

Felebration at Paradiso Amsterdam, October 11 2014

The celebrations are off to an early start and we can't make it in time for the beginning. Unfortunately this means we miss most of Karl Hector & The Malcouns' performance and walk in during their last song.



Mulatu Astatke
I'm glad though that we're on time to see Mulatu Astatke and his great band. After their wonderful performance at the Into The Great Wide Open festival last month I'm ready for a lot more. Unfortunately the sounds is absolutely awful and Mulatu's vibraphone is almost impossible to hear. The sound engineer must have been sleeping since it doesn't really improve and the sound stays pretty band throughout their performance. Mulatu and some of his band members are sometimes looking desperately in the direction of the monitor engineer, so I'm guessing things are sounding bad for them as well.



It doesn't get them down though and the band are trying their hardest to play a good show. The Ethiopean master is sometimes explaining what composition they were playing, but this is hard to understand. You can tell he has composed sound tracks since some of the songs sound cinematic. In other compositions you hear why he's performing here tonight, when the songs are explosive and percussive. The skill of these musicians and the strength of the compositions make their performance beat the miserable sound.

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Jungle By Night
Things are different when Jungle By Night take the stage. Maybe the settings of the sound table were saved only for their performance, since there don't seem to be any problems during their performance. The young boys are once again in a festive mood and totally turn the night into a celebration. By now they can turn any venue into a party and get any crowd to move. Where their older songs are typical afrobeat songs, the songs of the new album are so much more. What they have in common is that they all sounds exciting and are played with a lot of heart.



The boys are firing up the willing crowd and are totally killing it tonight. And of course they go out with a blow, when all musicians of the night are joining in on the ultimate Fela Kuti song 'Zombie'. Kuti himself would have loved to be on this stage himself.

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Felabrating Fela's Legacy Jungle By Night Style

This year Fela Kuti would have turned 75 years old. Although it's sad he had to leave us so early, people are celebrating his life and the big legacy he left us. Not only his music, but also his engagement and charismatic personality. Jungle by Night organised Felabration for the third time in The Netherlands. This time it was even three nights in a row in different Dutch cities. Of course Amsterdam was one of them.

Felabration 3 at Paradiso Amsterdam, October 11 2013



Besides Jungle by Night themselves, they once again managed to book an iconic afro-beat act. Two years ago Seun Kuti came to celebrate and last year Jimi Tenor and Tony Allen joined in. This year no one less than Ebo Taylor starts off the night. The musician from Ghana was re-discovered a few years ago. Since then he released two new albums, his latest one Appia Kwa Bridge last year. Taylor is 77 years old, but is going strong again. He brought a great band with him. Enthusiastic musicians that know exactly what this night needs: a whipping performance with plenty of positive vibes. Within no time we're in hot Ghana. The mix of afro-beat and highlife has everybody dancing from the start. It's inspiring to see how the old Taylor can make youngsters move to his music. Now and then he's looking at the crowd with a smile. He's sitting down for short breaks at the side of the stage while his band is playing on and especially his keyboard player is entertaining the crowd. The master himself is looking pleased.

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Jungle By Night are playing after that. The band has turned into an experienced afro-beat machine. If anyone is able to stand still they have to be made of stone. The young musicians are working hard to get everyone going. In the end there isn't a single soul in the venue that is not dancing and smiling. Especially for tonight the group prepared some Fela Kuti songs and even present a new song. It sounds like the musicians have grown a lot. Their busy tour schedule has paid off. It also cost them their bass player, who quit a few months ago. They found a worthy replacement though and the band sounds better than ever.



At the end of the show Ebo Taylor and his band join in for a grand finale. The overcrowded stage turns into a happy jam session. It may not be tight all the time and with so many musicians it's hard to keep it all together. But the fired up wild bunch and good spirits make up for that. Taylor isn't jamming with them. He did his part for the night. The veteran does stay on stage with the rest though, looking pleased again. He knows the afro-beat is in good hands now with a younger generation. His and Fela's legacy are safe. And that is a reassuring thought on this very successful felabration in the true spirit of Fela.

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Felabration: Partying Fela Style

For the second year in a row, Jungle By Night, the young Dutch afro-beat collective, organised a Dutch edition of Felabration to honour and celebrate the life of Fela Kuti. A few days later Fela would have turned 74. Several bands would be playing this night, including Jimi Tenor with very special guest Tony Allen.

Felabration: Fela Kuti Tribute at Paradiso Amsterdam, October 12 2012



I don't need much persuasion when a legend like drummer Tony Allen is announced. Together with Fela Kuti he invented afro-beat. So we make sure to arrive at Paradiso on time to watch Jimi Tenor kick it off on the main stage with Kabu Kabu.



Jimi Tenor with Kabu Kabu, special guest Tony Allen

Jimi Tenor, real name Lassi Lehto, is a Finnish jazz musician. Tonight he's playing with Kabu Kabu, an afro-beat band from Berlin, who already worked with some famous afro-beat pioneers like Ebo Taylor and Tony Allen. Tenor is giving a lot of freedom to the band to play the jazzy tunes. He's playing flute and sax himself and is singing some occasional vocals. Most members are getting their chance in the spotlight. A lot seems improvised, which gives it a very loose but also a bit of a messy feel. After a while they announce Tony Allen, who will be playing the rest of the show with them. Unfortunately this is rather short and after about 15 minutes they have to end. It's still great to see the master himself on stage. His very relaxed style is all coolness. Don't expect any technical tricks or rolling fills. But he's so tight in the groove and loose in his playing. It's a delight to watch this legend and dance to the music he invented.

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Jungle By Night
Of course the young members of the band themselves are also playing tonight. It's clear they are spending a lot of time playing together and on the road. Every time they sound more tight and look more relaxed and confident on stage than the time before. Where Jimi Tenor was lacking some speed and may have been a bit too jazzy for this crowd, Jungle By Night know how to light the fuse and get this party going. Fortunately besides Jimi Tenor and Kabu Kabu, they get Tony Allen to play with them as well, so I get to see a bit more of one of my favourite drummers. The old master is all smiles and looks like he's loving every minute of it. It has to be a great feeling, that such young people are playing and dancing to the music you invented fourty years ago. It looks like the legacy of him and Fela Kuti is safe. Kuti himself would have approved as well I'm sure.



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Bixiga70 It's a diverse bill tonight. We missed two more bands, one from Germany, Woima Collective and another Dutch band, Atanga Boom. Now there's a band from Brasil playing on the small stage upstairs. It's their first show outside their country and I hope it won't be their last one. Their music, afro-beat with some latin influences, is very catchy and danceable. It's impossible to stand still. The band is very excited and is working hard to please the crowd. When a few members of Jungle By Night join in on the fun, it turns into a wild jam. It's the appropriate ending of the live part of this Felabration, before the after-party downstairs takes off.



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This event is a great idea. For the second year in a row it proves to be very successful. It's good to see that a musical genre that almost seemed destined to be forgotten, is catching on with a young generation. This way we will never forget about great people like Fela and Tony Allen. Hopefully we can "felebrate" for many years to come.

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Felabration: Celeberating Fela Kuti

October 15 is Fela Kuti's birthday. He would have turned 73 this year. To celebrate that event and his music, Dutch afrobeat band Jungle by Night invited Seun Kuti, one of his sons, to celebrate his father. He brought Egypt 80 with him, one of his father's former bands, that he fronts nowadays. One thing was for sure: we were going to shake our booty!

Felabration: Seun Kuti & Egypt 80, Jungle By Night at Paradiso Amsterdam, October 15 2011

Sean Kuti & Egypt 80 (Ronald Says 8 out of 10)
One of the members of Jungle By Night introduces Seun Kuti to open the night. Backed up by his father's old band he is wasting no time. They start playing a great set of afrobeat, the music his father created in the 70s. There's hardly a better genre to spark an African style birthday party. The swinging songs, enthusiastically played by the old and young musicians of Egypt 80, have everyone moving within no time.



Seun Kuti proves to be a skilled sax player and a charismatic front man. And no Kuti without politics, so Seun gives a little speech about Nigeria and Africa in general. Just the way his father would have liked it.

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Jungle By Night (Ronald Says 8 out of 10)

His father would have approved of the young band Jungle By Night as well. To see his music so alive a few generations later, surely would have pleased him. And once again they show why they are one of the most exciting live acts in the low lands at the moment. Every time I get to see them they look more confident and relaxed on stage. Their music is more on the jazzy side of afrobeat which is definitely the most appealing side for me.



After an hour there's a break after which they return for another set. I was expecting maybe a jam of some sort with Egypt 80 or at least a guest appearance by Sean Kuti but none of this. But nothing can spoil this great party.

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When I get home late at night I even get to see the Dutch baseball team win the 2011 World Cup. A night I will always remember.

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