Red Hot + Fela

by Red Hot + Fela / Various (Colv) (Ltd) (Red) (Ylw)

Overview

This is the second volume that the AIDS- and HIV-combatting Red Hot Organization has dedicated to the music of Fela Kuti, the late Nigerian creator of Afrobeat, fearless militant political and liberation activist, and cultural icon. The first, Red Hot + Riot, appeared in 2002 and juxtaposed Fela's music with hip-hop, neo-soul, and African folk styles. This 13-track set, compiled by Anthony Demby and Paul Heck, employs the root sounds of Afrobeat more explicitly. Part of the reason for this is undoubtedly the success of the musical Fela! Another is that on the African continent, AIDS and HIV remain massive problems that have taken their toll on families, populations, and national economies. (Fela died of complications due to AIDS.) The set kicks off with "Buy Africa" by Congolese rapper Baloji with L'Orchestre de la Katube and Yoruban singer and songwriter Kuku. The propulsive beats meet the punchy brass and confrontational lyrics head-on in a dazzling rhythm and rhyme collision. Drummer Tony Allen, a bandmate of Fela's and an Afrobeat pioneer in his own right, collaborates with Baloji and rapper M1 on the bubbling "Afrodisco Beat 2013," that weaves funk, hip-hop, Afrobeat, and dub together with lyrics in French and English. "Trouble Sleep Yanga Wake Am" is performed nearly straightforwardly by Jim James and My Morning Jacket, with Brittany Howard of Alabama Shakes and Merrill Garbus of tUnE-yArDs. The vibe is slow, snaky, and hypnotic, though at over 14 minutes, it's too much of a good thing. tUnE-yArDs and ?uestlove back Beninoise vocalist Angelique Kidjo and poet Akua Naru in funking up "Lady." Driven by furious breaks and roiling basslines, they turn the original sexist lyric on its head. The labyrinthine, bass matrix dubstep treatment of "Zombie," by producer Spoek Mathambo with Cerebral Cortex and Frown, is the set's most adventurous selection. Nigerian singer Nneka- born Antibalas vocalist Amayo, all front the manic seven-piece unit Superhuman Happiness in a pumped up, four-on-the-floor reading of on "No Buredi (No Bread)," complete with distorted kalimbas, zigzagging, squiggly synths, and popping basslines. Red Hot + Fela's unique yet nearly seamless-sounding collaborations offer a deeper hearing of Afrobeat in light of its wide-ranging implications trans-culturally, both in the present era and as it points toward the future. ~ Thom Jurek

Product Details

Release Date:	10/27/2023
Label:	Knitting Factory Records / Partisan
UPC:	0720841113133
Rank:	51910

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Nneka   Primary Artist,Vocals
Zaki Ibrahim   Primary Artist,Vocals,Vocals (Background)
My Morning Jacket   Primary Artist
Tunde Adebimpe   Primary Artist,Vocals
Tony Allen   Primary Artist,Primary Artist
Kronos Quartet   Primary Artist
M1   Primary Artist,Primary Artist,Vocals
Kyp Malone   Primary Artist,Vocals
Amayo   Primary Artist,Primary Artist,Vocals
Stuart Bogie   Primary Artist,Saxophone,Sax (Tenor)
Sinkane   Primary Artist
Cerebral Vortex   Primary Artist,Vocals
Akua Naru   Primary Artist,Vocals
Abena Koomson   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist,Vocals (Background)
Angelique Kidjo   Primary Artist,Vocals
King   Primary Artist
Elvis Presley   Primary Artist
tUnE-yArDs   Primary Artist,Vocals (Background)
Merrill Garbus   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist
Bajah   Primary Artist,Vocals
Childish Gambino   Primary Artist,Vocals
Sahr Ngaujah   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist
Superhuman Happiness   Primary Artist
We Are King   Primary Artist
Just a Band   Primary Artist
Brittany Howard   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist
Chance the Rapper   Primary Artist,Vocals
Cerebral Cortex   Primary Artist
Baloji   Primary Artist,Vocals
Spoek Mathambo   Primary Artist,Vocals
L'Orchestre De La Katuba   Primary Artist
Frown   Primary Artist,Vocals
GendEr Infinity   Primary Artist
Fron   Primary Artist
L'Orchestra De La Katuba   Primary Artist
Rubblebucket   Primary Artist,Horn,Vocals,Featured Artist
Kuku   Primary Artist,Featured Artist
Questlove   Primary Artist,Drums
David Harrington   Violin
Didier Likeng   Bass
Jim James   Guitar,Vocals,Keyboards
Jean Gnonlonfoun   Percussion
Jared Samuel   Organ
Carl Broemel   Guitar,Vocals,Horn
Bo Koster   Organ,Vocals,Fender Rhodes
Luke O'Malley   Guitar
John Sherba   Violin
Jeffrey Zeigler   Cello
Eric Biondo   Synthesizer
Dizy Mandjeku   Guitar
Om'Mas Keith   Bass,Keyboards
Ahmed Abdullahi Gallab   Vocals
Theo Tuge   Vocals (Background)
Dana Falconberry   Vocals
Chelsea Baratz   Flute,Sax (Alto)
Hank Dutt   Viola
Bill Laswell   Bass
Paris Strother   Vocals (Background)
Tom Blankenship   Bass
Adam Dotson   Trombone
Alex Toth   Trumpet
Annakalmia Traver   Sax (Baritone)
Nate Brenner   Bass
Miles Arntzen   Drums
Amber Strother   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Anita Bias   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Kentyah Fraser   Percussion
Nicolaas Van Reenen   Guitar
Aaron Bastinelli   Horn Engineer
Marti Melia   Sax (Tenor)
Patrick Hallahan   Drums,Percussion
Tom Lea   Strings
Daniel Alzamora Dickin   Guitar
Ayanda Sithole   Vocals (Background)
Benjamin Julia   Horn Engineer
Blinky Bill   Vocals,Harmonica
Jim Chuchu   Vocals (Background)
Mikey Freedom Hart   Organ,Talk Box
Naeha Breeland   Vocals (Background)
Nicholas Talbot   Sax (Baritone)
Octave Agbepkenou Konlan   Drums
Patricia Preware   Vocals (Background)
Patrick Blankenship   Bass
Petite Noir   Vocals (Background)
Philippe Ekoka   Keyboards
Ray "Mr. Angry" Fingers   Keyboards
Redding Hunter   Vocals
Sarah Gautier   Vocals
Sebastian Van Hoey   Trombone
Toni Hartley   Vocals (Background)
Juma Sultan   Percussion
Ryan Ferreira   Guitar

Technical Credits

John Carlin   Executive Producer
Ryan Pickett   Engineer
Justin Lieberman   Engineer
Jerry Stucker   Mixing
Jim James   Producer
Matt Castille   Engineer
Philippe Weiss   Mixing
Baloji   Composer,Producer
Luke O'Malley   Producer,Programming
Tony Allen   Composer
Kevin Ratterman   Mixing
Phil Palazzolo   Mixing
Hernan Santiago   Mixing,Vocal Engineer
Stuart Bogie   Arranger,Producer,Programming
Theo Tuge   Arranger
Aaron Nevezie   Engineer,Assistant Engineer
John Davis   Engineer,Assistant Engineer
Eli Crews   Engineer
Fela Kuti   Composer
Joe Lambert   Mastering
Geoff Sanoff   Mixing
tUnE-yArDs   Producer
Paul Heck   Producer
Paul-Edouard Laurendeau   Engineer
Andrija Tokic   Vocal Engineer
Paris Strother   Arranger,Musician,Producer
Nthato Mokgata   Arranger,Engineer
Neal H. Pogue   Mixing
Felicity Chamberlin   Production Coordination
Just a Band   Producer
Kentyah Fraser   Mixing,Producer
Aaron Bastinelli   Engineer,Guitar Engineer,Keyboard Engineer,Assistant Engineer
Spoek Mathambo   Arranger,Producer
Daniel Alzamora Dickin   Engineer
M1   Composer
Adam Weinger   Intern
Andrew "Fosho" Shea   Assistant
Anthony Demby   Producer
Arnaud Chamay   Engineer
Ayanda Sithole   Engineer
Benjamin Julia   Engineer,Vocal Engineer,Guitar Engineer,Keyboard Engineer
Blinky Bill   Programming
Cheyenne Peerson   Intern
Emma Phipps   Intern
Jim Chuchu   Programming
Joel Grignard   Engineer
Manu Schlindenwein   Assistant
Melody Rabe   Production Coordination
Ricardo Sutherland   Assistant Producer
Rocio Valenzuela   Intern
Suzanna Ahern   Intern
Scott Fraser   Engineer
Jeremiah Olvera   Assistant
Matt Thame   Design
Abe Seiferth   Mixing