Fela Kuti - Shakara & Fela's London Scene
Fela's London Scene originally issued on EMI HNLX 5200 in June 1971
Shakara originally issued on EMI 008N (Nigeria) in May 1972
CD issued on MCA 547377 in March 2000
London Scene was recorded in 1971 during marathon sessions at EMI's Abbey Road studios. The songs were the first to be released after Fela and Nigeria 70 (as they were then called) returned to Nigeria in 1970 following a nine month stay in the US. Shakara is all about the Westernizing of the African woman and how they are trying to become equal to men. Although filled with irony, two great albums to dance to.
Part of MCA's outstanding series of "Fela Originals," this album contains the contents of two earlier Fela Kuti albums: 'Shakara' and 'Fela's London Scene.' 'Fela's London Scene' was one of the first recordings made by Fela and his newly named Nigeria 70, with recordings at Abbey Road and gigs scheduled around the album by Cream's Ginger Baker (who is said to have some uncredited time on "Egbe Mi O"). It is some of the earliest notions of Afro-beat. Fela is shaking off the highlife forms that he had been entertaining and moving to a deeper, more simmering groove. It also marks the beginning of a bit of his social commentary. He exhorts his fellow Africans to purchase African goods in "Buy Africa" and puts out a call to the Pan-African counterculture in "J'ehin J'ehin" and "Egbe Mi O." What one notices in this section of the album is a stripped-down groove that simmers until Fela finally breaks it out into a fully grown work of funk. In the Shakara section (with some 50 bare-breasted women on the cover helping sell the album), one finds fun (and perhaps shame) pointed at the westernizing African woman in "Lady" (espousing feminism, she believes herself equal to men, and espousing westernism, she takes on a delicate/weak form as a lady). In the title track the fun is poked instead at braggarts who don't back up their bravado. The main focus of this album, though, is to provide a good, danceable groove. This is exactly what Fela does. Pick it up as a landmark and a dance album together, but more importantly as a fan of Fela.
Fela Kuti - tenor & alto sax, keyboards, vocals
Tony Allen - drums
Igo Chiko - tenor sax
Lekan Animashaun - baritone sax
Tunde Williams, Eddie Faychum, Tony Nijoku - trumpet
Peter Animashaun - rhythm guitar
Tutu Sorunmu, Ohiri Akigbe - guitars
Ayo Azenabor, Maurice Ekpo - bass
Henry Koffi- 1st conga
Tony Kupoliyi, Friday Jumbo, Akwesi Korranting- 2nd congas
James Abayomi[ - sticks, percussion
Isaac Olaleye - maracas, percussion
Fela Kuti was often described as "the James Brown of Africa," but one could also argue that he was Africa's equivalent of Miles Davis or John Coltrane. Truth be told, either description is valid. Kuti was highly eclectic, and his innovative, visionary music contained elements of funk/soul, jazz, and blues, as well as African music. That eclectic spirit proves to be a major asset on Shakara, which consists of two 13-minute performances by Kuti's Africa 70 band: "Lady" and "Shakara (Oloie)." Performed in English, "Lady" finds Kuti criticizing modern African women in a humorous way for becoming what he sees as overly westernized and embracing a western view of feminism. You might agree or disagree with the song's viewpoint, but the groove and the beat are irresistible. Equally addictive — and equally sarcastic — is "Shakara (Oloje)," which is sung in both Yoruba and English and makes fun of the type of pompous, loud-mouthed braggarts who can never make good on their empty boasts. By far the two songs that established Fela were “Shakara” and “Lady,” and till date they remain the craftiest pieces of musical composition ever to come out of Africa.
In 1971, Fela Kuti's record company (EMI) agreed to finance a recording date in London for Fela and band. Now huge stars in Nigeria, this trip was, in a way, a triumphant return to the country that had provided Fela with a musical education and the club scene where he cut his proverbial bandleader's teeth. What is important to note is that he had become good friends with former Cream (and at the time of this recording current Blind Faith) drummer Ginger Baker, who had traveled to Lagos a year earlier to meet, hang out, and play with Fela. Baker shows up on this recording (albeit uncredited) on the track "Egbe Mio," but more importantly helped get Fela gigs all over the city at such venerable venues as the 100 Club, the Cue Club, and the Four Aces. Recording at Abbey Road (a.k.a. the hallowed home of the Beatles) Fela cut these five awesome tracks in which his Afrobeat sound is more complex and jazzy than on the '69 Los Angeles Sessions. At over 13 minutes "J'ehin J'ehin" cuts a wicked groove for its entire length pushed by the horn section and Tony Allen's superlative drumming. "Buy Africa" is a anti-colonial rant worthy of the Last Poets, and "Fight to Finish" very simply kicks out the jams. [b]A stunning record that marks the beginning of Fela's best period of recording.
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