Reviews (page 10 of 12)
Ok
It was good
Cool African pop with Ginger Baker playing an eternal drum solo.
I think it's a cool little jam album. It didn't really do anything too tremendously profound to me. A fun listen, I can see why it's Top 1000, but I can also see why I had never heard of it. The jams are very tight, and they cook at certain parts, but probably won't relisten.
Quite liked this but I have never really got live albums tbh. Live is a totally different experience and I could actually imagine having a great time watching this live. Point off for drum solos though
I don’t like long jams, but this was very musical.
I liked this one more than the other Fela Kuti album on here. Good background music, still not the sort of thing I'm going to seek out to listen to in the future.
3-4
Not too bad, good energy, though some of the songs sounded like they inspired videogame battle music
Not really my sound. Can imagine this is some of the best and enjoyable at a party.
What a beautifully recorded live album. Sounds amazing. Great afro-beat fusion stuff, but it is really just extended improvisational workouts. No catchy pop singles or introspective thought pieces. Just groovey lively dance music. Which is great if that's what you're after.
This was just ok, it started off with quite a cool vibe but not sure I would listen to it again
This is very accomplished, and musically it's very good. It suffers (in my opinion) in the same way that a lot of these long-form jazz / jam type sessions do, in that the tracks end up feeling very repetitive. I wish they were much shorter and with more structure, because the music itself is good. There's some real nice jams in there.
Fela Kuti's music is something I've arrived to fairly late in life, but in general I like it. Not love, like. I like this record, too. Four lengthy tracks, which all concern themselves with hitting a groove and riding it into the ground. Highlife meets James Brown. It ain't bad. Perplexing why these cats thought Ginger Baker should be in the mix - they already had Tony Allen, one of the best to ever do it on the traps.
Not really sure when I’d listen to this, maybe when studying. Chill vibes and not normally my thing but I rate it.
some saxxy fun, would go down with a twirl early in the night at si 🕺 // (the original) afrobeat
I liked this enough while listening but don’t think I’ll ever revisit it
This was OK. Never thought Baker was that great of a drummer, just like fellow Cream bandmate Clapton is a very overrated guitarist. Fela is quite decent though. Skipped the bonus dual drummers track.
Loving a bit of a funky album!
One of the better live albums I’ve listened to. Music, instrumentation, and production were all really good here. Not my usual genre, but I enjoyed this.
Surprised to see Ginger Baker on this record when I looked it up. There are some nice jazz movements to be heard, but I don't hear anything stand out. There may be more to this artist, though.
Easy listen whilst working
Was jamming, a live performance is always fun. The drum solo is too long, sue me.
Easy jam to have on in the background.
Fela Kuti and band are great - Ginger Baker is great at speeding up the tempo in an annoying manner.
Drum solo could have been about 10 minutes shorter.
I have no words. And apparently neither does Fela. Obvious strong musicianship and really great drumming are at play here. I’m not real sure what I was listening to, but the Afro-jazz blues funkalicious grooves on this made for a much more enjoyable experience while high on allergy meds.
What did I just listen to!?! It’s like james brown meets bob Marley meets a jazz jam band with some 70s funk. I enjoyed and appreciated this. Especially the brass. Dude has a crazy story. I think the dude forgot to write words though. He’s like, I’ll just make some noises and no one will notice. Ye Ye De Smell. 3.25
I enjoyed this album, though didn’t find it as amazing as all the reviews.
Chill, vibey live album. Good easy listening on commute or doing some work. ***
Pretty good actually, probably the first world album that I got that I liked, was really groovy and nice beats
More of a string and keys guys, not big drum solo fan, but ver fun and dancy
Good
I think that this sounds good but it's a little percussion heavy for my liking. Certainly enjoyable but not exactly what I'm looking for.
Back and forth between a 3 and 4. Going off on long instrumentals is not my thing so the last song was really a struggle for me. Overall though it was good sound, it had passion and emotion that you could feel. The musicians were talented and really riffed well with each other. For me personally at times it was just too long and I wanted to get to the next sound.
Feels a bit unpolished compared to the other Fela Kuti I’ve listened to from this list so far (Zombie). Ginger Baker didn’t really bring anything important to the table.
Discovered something new. Nice!
Afrobeat. Agradable.
Quite enjoyed this
Ok.
I think there's good jazz and African fusion music. Unfortunately I wasn't feeling this one. It was a little too raucous and loud for my vibe yesterday.
This was cool, some fun jams on here. I could’ve done without the 16 minute drum solo at the end, especially consider there already was a drum solo in the middle of it.
Un James Brown sofisticado, con raíz y densidad. Energía caliente a raudales.
It had good energy and I really enjoyed it. Let’s start is an absolute banger, great track that I could see myself returning to. The banter for a live set was brutal. Also, the last track being titled a drum solo kinda annoyed me. It wasn’t a solo, there’s more than on drummer, you named them both in the song title… Good listen overall 3 stars
Pretty groovy jazzy world kind of music. I have never heard it before but I liked it.
Interesting and drumming by Ginger Baker was cool
Want to like better
Fun soulful jams. Not the sort of thing I would listen to on repeat due to the track length but nice to vibe with for a while.
Would be better not as a live album
Let's Start
I liked it. Great sounds and the last track reminded me of a video game soundtrack lol
It was fine! Not usually my kind of jam, but it was interesting and upbeat, and something new for me to be exposed to.
Let's start - interesting music funked up. But just "ok" Black Man's Cry - better Ye Ye Dev Smell - very poor improv Egbe Mi O - Nah Drum Solo - good Overall a 3 for effort
Effortlessly cool
Jsuis pas fan qu’ils mettent des albums lives, mais pour le Fela Kuti je peux faire une exception, tant qu’ils me génèrent ses autres albums studios plus tard
Instrumentals aren’t really my thing but this was still quite fun and good.
No one wants to listen to a 16 minute recording of a live drum solo, even if it's a good one.
Interesante aproximación a la música africana con el reclamo de Ginger Baker. Bien por Fela Kuti
(5,3/6) Afrobeat Funky jazzy live power
Great. Groovy. 2nd fela kuti in a row!
Not much of a jazz listener but it's hard not to bob your head to this one
Наверное это очень вовремя, пытаться установить правила оценки альбомов и вообще подход к 1001 на тридцатом или каком там альбоме, но тем не менее вчера я прослушал Live! трижды и осознал, как же не хватает 3.5 для неопределившихся. Супер музыка, очень энергичная, грув, танцы, все дела, просто невероятно записан, но я не думаю что это всё работает как альбом? В этом есть смысл? Лучшая песня - Ye Ye De Smell.
This is my second Fela Kuti album on the list and I've enjoyed both. This live one has a more raw and exciting feel to it and that lifted the whole thing. It's still not my go to, but I'm glad I listened to this.
Obviously very skilled musicians, but I found it quite repetitive
Funky but just a tad too long. Not something I would throw on purposefully but good enough to make me say "huh that's not bad".
Very different and some interesting rhythms.
Great combo of african rythmn and jazz drumming. But I don't think its anything really noteworthy.
Ok
Decent vibe, better than expected. Secure 3 stars.
Afrobeats. Simple dance music. 3.5
I surprising liked it. Good music to play in the back ground.
Groovy sound, not overly special though
It’s fine background music it’s just not my jam
This was a fun listen. It took me a bit to realize that there were African style drums along with the jazzy rhythms. The musicians were great, except for when there was a keyboard solo here and there. The keyboardist sounded as if they knew how to play chords, but when it came time to solo, they played the notes they knew were in the scale without having a good knowledge of soloing language. The lead singer was entertaining with his descriptions of the titles of each song, but it felt awkward at times when he would attempt to either be humorous or calm the crowd a bit. I know this might be an unpopular opinion, but the drum solo track wasn’t great. It had great moments, but I feel it dragged at times with the repetition of the rhythmic ideas not moving to another idea as soon as I would have liked it to. This could be a personal thing where I don’t understand African culture enough, and can’t appreciate the nuances of what the tribal percussions purpose is for. I will likely give this album another listen. But it receives a 3/5 for me.
It was fine, casual background music
Unique and enjoyable- would I want to listen to it over and over? No, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Ritmazo, pero no mi clase de ritmo. 3/5.
Wasn’t sure what to expect but what a cool album. Long-form jazz takes a certain kind of mood, but didn’t take too long to feel it. Very funky Afro jazz, great drums, fat horns… First time hearing of Fela, but I may have heard some of his music back in my jazz band days. Interesting to read up a bit about him while listening! Favorite song probably ‘Ye Ye De Smell’
Enjoyable listening, maybe too many drum solos
It was alright, the songs got long and drawn out and repetitive, it wasnt awful, but got tiresome to listen to.
Good album, very nice to listen to. Not exceptionally remarkable in any other way, though.
A nice "world beats" album by a guy I've never heard of. Totally listenable.
3.5
Para no ser un estilo que escuche con mucha frecuencia, me ha sorprendido bastante este disco.
Lively rhythms accentuate this 4 track, album. Need a good cardio workout? Put this on and groove for its full 46 minutes. Guaranteed to make you healthier, or your money back!
Oh yeah!
Pretty good, not my style though 6/10
pretty groovy record
Väldigt intressant. Måst lyssna pånytt
Interesting but didn't really stick in my mind.
I’ll have to listen to other Fela Kirk works because I love the story of the native singer protesting and opposing his oppressive, militaristic government with music and activating the common people in their oppression. There was a musician in Argentina called Facundo Cabral who did exactly that, almost a parallel story to Fela Kuti but on another continent. As far of the quality and enjoyment of this Fela Kuti album, I’d give it a meh/10. Certainly he has better music, this was ok for background listening. Yet another 3 star album.
Really different and interesting
Another album which is undoubtedly funky but a bit overindulgent. All good though
Strong live jazz album featuring some fantastic African drum beats and melodies. When the Sax comes on I sleep 😴
I think this music would be absolutely terrific live. I will probably add this to my collection in time as I think it is a grower (I already have some Fela Kuti music).
Fun. Lots of drumming. Super positive.
I liked it, probably would like it more if I understood it. But I still kind of liked it.
I felt like I was in a heist movie. Like the part where the go over the plan and you see the characters doing all the things… very oceans 11. I liked this but am unlikely to listen again. This is something I would give a 2.5 if I could but I will elevate it to a 3.
Not into Funk or world music at all, but isn't this, why you want to listen to all this music in the first place.
Fun jam-band stuff with some good musicianship. 3.5.
I recognise the talent on display but just not my style of music. Wouldn’t listen to it again, but the band/Kuti are good at the style. I went a 3 because of the talent on display.
That Wikipedia was a wild ride. 27 wives ???? As for the album, fine - not my style but not objectionable
Give me energy or give me death!! This album was way better than expected. It was energetic all the way thru. Which is more than most albums apparently 6.1/10
That drum solo on "Ye Ye De Smell" :0 so good
I'm afraid I'm simply not the kind of person who can appreciate 16 minutes of a drum solo
pretty cool live album with none other than ginger baker on drums.
Infectious! I can see myself enjoying this even more in the future. Didn't quite care for the drum solo track at the end.
I find the amount of live albums on this list very alarming! But it was nice (mostly as background music). [0078/1001]
Tribalismo y sonidos étnicos para un disco que, teniendo mis respetos, no podría disfrutar plenamente a no ser estando puesto de sustancias psicotrópicas. Un apunte curioso en la trayectoria del legendario Ginger Baker.
It's good! Just kinda long
Neat album, blending of very different styles. Amazing Baker drum solo at the end.
Killer live album, good energy, long ass drum solo at the end
Very fun very lively I would’ve never found something like this if it weren’t for this list 🙏
Never heard of this album or artists before. Not my favorite style, but glad I learned a new band today!
Live jazz album, mostly instruments 3/4**** I like longer songs for jazz so this was good
It's all nice and good, but 15mins of the same hand-drummed beat is just a little too much.
Great rhythms, and it sounds so good it's hard to believe it's live. 3* for me, not sure I'd revisit, but love discovering more afro beats, the drums are a lot of fun.
Albums starts off GREAT. Very cool and energetic. - At the ending there is a never ending drum solo that doesn't fit well with the rest. - Cool listen!
The first track has a lot of funk and soul to it, and clips along at a nice pace. It gets a little groovy as the album goes on. Is it good? Yeah. Is it for me? No. I'm glad I listened to it, but I don't really see a place for it in my life.
Could have been 2 stars as well, but it surprised me and I had fun listening to it.
Day 59. Everything til now has been American or English, save 2 Canadian and 1 Icelandic. Finally an African album and ... it's OK. Very talented band playing for what sounds like less than 50 people. Not Fela's best, but worth the listen. The last track was recorded 8 years later.
Excellent, but wouldn't seek it out
Very listenable, apart from possibly the final track which shows that there is such a thing as too much drumming. But the ensemble is pretty amazing and Fela provides great frontman vibes. 3.49999.
Was really enjoying it until the 20 minute long drum solo at the end.
This was interesting to say the least. Not likely to return as it kind of drones on at times and overall isn't really my thing, but definitely not a bad album. 3/5.
Not quite for me but clear why it's influential and enduring
some are too pale
Lively. But not my genre.
Seems like a good fun soul/jazz album. Not really my thing regularly but it was a fun groovy listen for today.
This album definitely benefits from being a live recording. The singing bit in Egbe Mi O is really fun.
Interesting instrumental Very long drum solos Not very calming tried listening to it while falling asleep
They were going off on the drums.
I like! But its a lot of the same
This was unexpected but I'm liking it. Upbeat , groovy, happy listening. I like Let's Start Drifted off from listening and got distracted with cooking so I never finished it.
let's start is fun and funky, I can't tell if he's speaking another language or just scatting. These fellas really know what to do with a brass instrument. black man's cry is long! starting to get bored of this. I like the sing along part in egbe mi o ginger baker gets very boring with the 15 min drum solo. overall I did not mind listening to this, it was an interesting switch up in vibe and I have never really listened to music like this before. maybe it would be more fun if it was live and in front of me, but I wouldn't listen to this casually.
3/5
Very easy to listen to. Actually never heard of him before this, so fortunately now I have.
The funk
Production is great for a live album. Tons of energy.
Gran álbum. Sorprendida por fela kuti y su rol en la música nigeriana y africana. Me permite expandir mi conocimiento y darme cuenta de que mi ego es bien egocentrico
Niet te lang album met een enorme drum-solo als afsluiter. Fijn plaatje voor op de achtergrond
ЛА-ЛА-ЛА-ЛА-ЛА, ЛА-ЛА-ЛА-ЛА, ЛА-ЛАААААА, 3+, но только потому что, себе ничего, кроме опыта, не заберу, а опыт оч положительный
Decent funky, afro-beat album. Would listen to more, but not blown away
A lot of drums. I enjoyed dancing to some of it. Such a long album for only 5 songs but happy.
Overall some very nice afro-inspired jazz tunes. Very interesting to hear that Fela Kuti’s sound is what would eventually inspire afrobeat. I feel like jazz is the kinda music that best encapsulates the spirit of human connection, based on its emphasis on improvisation and live collaboration, it’s use of polyrhythms to illustrate conversations between the instruments. A lot of these elements come from African music which also influences the music of my family’s home country, so I’m grateful I’ve received this encouragement to finally check it out and honor these roots. Fav tracks: Let’s Start, Ye Ye De Smell
Ehh. Muzika koju bi Tronki pustio i bio kao brate ovo je do jaja. Ne mari. Slabije od Beach Samba tho al nije 2
This is a good album and I think, contrary to many other live albums, the fact that it is live elevates it. However this is the second Fela Kuti album in a week and we also had one by his son within the last month so I really need a break from this style of music. Still it is very swingy and danceable with lots of nice improv parts if that is your jam. Will get a very strong 3 from me, might be a 4 if it wasn't for afrobeat-burnout (probably my favourite of the Kuti-albums).
Really good afrobeats. Was expecting a bit more jazz and melody, then again, it does do proper justice to the genre. The drum solo song was a nice touch.
- not my style, definitely better heard live - jazzy afrobeats - interesting drum solo at the end
Drums zijn zeer ok op dit album. Lekker primair aanwezig. Verder niet een plaat die ik zou opzetten: wereld muziek is wel ok, maar gaat vrij snel vervelen vind ik.
Cool stuff! Not my style tho
Prefiro o Zombie
I enjoyed this album and the instrumentation makes you want to dance. I would probably never listen to this album again, but I'm glad that I heard this album, even if Ginger Baker is a renowned asshole.
Sublime afrobeat - as classic as it sounds to me. Being an Africa immigrant this also invokes a huge nostalgia for me. The last two tracks are my favourite. I would happily listen to Fela-Kuti waffle on the mic endlessly haha.
Wel leuk niet helemaal mijn ding. Beetje jazz???
long
Very fun and very funky. I love the drumming and style on this. Some of the songs drag on a bit but overall I enjoyed it a lot. Favorite(s): Let's Start, Ye Ye De Smell Least favorite(s): there's only four tracks but maybe Black Man's Cry if I had to pick?
"Live!" Is a live in-studio album by Nigerian musician, bandleader and composer Fela Kuti and his band Africa '70 along with English band Cream's drummer Ginger Baker. The album is four songs mixing African and funk rhythms. It was recordered at Abbey Road in London. Along with Fela Kuti on vocals, the Hammond organ and percussion, the Africa '70 included two trumpets, two saxophones, guitar, bass, drums, sticks, skewered and three congas. Ginger Baker played percussion on two of the four songs. Fela Kuti gives a vocal introduction to the first song "Let's Start." He actually does this for all four songs. Right away, it's funky with horns and sounds right out of New Orleans. Congas and percussion come in with a more African beat. There's solo and multiple horns. The keyboard in the lead. One thing that's constant is the beat. Minimal vocals. Horns start "Black Man's Cry." Again, a New Orleans feel. Very busy percussion and very hypnotic. Trumpet and organ jams. More jazzy and more vocals. Fela introduces Ginger Baker on "Ye Ye Smell." This is the funkiest song yet and has the best dance beat. It's polyrhythmic. So much so, I have no idea what Ginger Baker is doing. Subtle organ and horns lay the jam. "Egbe MI O (Carry Me I Want to Die)" has a clearly heard bass and is organ dominated. They're chanting la-la la-la. This album was easy to get into; long jams with hypnotic rhythms. A good fusion of African beats, jazz and somewhat soul...I heard New Orleans as previously mentioned. I don't know the use of Ginger Baker besides a marketing ploy. This band is not missing percussion expertise; their main drummer Tony Allen was a great and established drummer. Anyway, I know this band has other highly regarded albums which I need to check out. This one is pretty good and worth a listen.
Great album, but the title gave it away unfortunately. A live one. The worst part is the wiki says that Rolling Stone has a top 50 live albums list that this is on. Why are there any live albums on this list when a live album list exists?? Either way, this was an enjoyable album since it wasn't your basic rehash live album. One of the better live ones we have seen.
3.1
Really cool mood. Ginger Baker I knew from Cream and other projects, but I'd never heard Kuti. Much funkier and jazzier than I was expecting. Being jam music, every song was 2-3 times longer than I would have liked, but that's par for the course in this genre. Impressive musicianship all around, but not something I'd see myself choosing to put on. It gets tedious quickly. Definitely the best album so far on the 1001 journey, but that's not saying a lot.
This was immediately fun and funky. I enjoyed the soul and vibe
Very fela kuti. I was definitely thinking of Ginger Rogers though
Taustamusiikki matskua. Ihan mielenkiintoista jazzmaista musiikkia
A fun jam album! The singer showed lots of charisma.
decent
Listened to casually while riding my bike around a huge neighborhood yard sale. It was super fun and an interesting background soundtrack to my exploring. I would like to relisten actively!
That was quite short and a fun listen.
I remember listening to John Peel back in the 80's and he had a thing about Afrobeats, couldn't work why back then, but now, about to turn 52 - yeah! Really enjoyed the groove and repetition of the exceptionally long songs.The drumming with the blasts of brass is hypnotic! Apparently Fela Kuti invented Afrobeats near enough singlehandedly, reminded me of 1970's blaxspoitation film soudtracks. Will definitely be checking out some of his back catalogue. A very high 3 could go either way, up or down a point if I do listen again (This album is only let down by the bonus track as far as I'm concerned - which wasn't on the original release, so doesn't count and would have dragged the score down. I like Ginger Baker's drumming but not for 15 minutes or so!)
Good groove but long winded and repetitive.
This was pretty awesome, I appreciated it
This was fine and fairly interesting world music
I really wanted to like it cuz the guy is so cool, he has like 27 wives and found a genre and etc but i just couldnt like it thaat much. The last song and the drum solo was very enjoyable tho. 5,5/10
Piola, para dejar de fondo en una comilona. Pero escuchándolo con mas atención no se si tiene tanto jugo
Funky, jazzy and vibrant. 16 min live drum solo has to be the highlight. Not an album I would put in my daily rotation, but worth a listen. The better of the two Fela Kuti albums I've had so far.
When an album is an hour long, has only 5 tracks, and one of those tracks is literally called "drum solo," you know you're in for a treat.
Not my favourite Kuti record. It’s good and there are some top notch grooves but he has some much more interesting material
I don't hate it, which is a lot for me to say about anything that can be described as jazz. I can imagine if you're into this that it's very exciting to listen to, and it's definitely lively... It does seem to drift off from time to time and forget what it's doing. Alright as a general rhythm in the background though.
Recorded in 1971 at the infamous Afrodisia club in Lagos, Nigeria, this live album serves as a testament to Fela's unrivaled artistry and his role in pioneering the Afrobeat genre. Fela Kuti's huge presence is felt throughout the entire performance, as his vocals, infectious saxophone solos, and powerful piano playing take center stage. Backed by Africa 70, a group of talented musicians, Fela blends elements of jazz, funk, highlife, and traditional Nigerian music into a distinct sound. The sound quality of the recording is surprisingly good, considering its age and the live setting. The dynamic range and clarity of the instruments are preserved remarkably well, allowing you to fully appreciate the intricate interplay between the musicians. The album's energy and authenticity make it feel like you're right there in the crowd, witnessing Fela Kuti's performance firsthand. His music became a powerful weapon against oppression, and Live! captures the essence of Fela's activism politially in the form of a classic performance of African art.
Actually quite good.
Rare instance of a Ginger with a soul
I did not really enjoy the first album by Fela Kuti if I remember this correctly, but I think this one is fun to hear to. I appreciate a good live performance very much. or maybe my music taste and appreciation had improved a bit. 3.2/5
pretty cool, not sure it deserved to be on this list. highlight was definitely the 16 minute drum solo
Honestly this type of music has never been my favourite- very long songs, short number of them, etc. However, this particular album seemed to stand out a little in a way where I didn’t get bored and was actually somewhat into it.
basically my introduction to afrobeats and I really enjoyed it. Because I'm a big fan of prog rock I'm not only familiar with longer songs, I enjoy them more then 3 or 4 minute ones. The album has 4 tracks that span across 40 minutes of playtime. Every one of them is really fun although I wasn't the biggest fan of the closing track Egbe Mi O. Fav. track: Black Man's Cry 7/10 (3/5)
Livealbum van de Nigeriaanse muzikant Fela Kuti, met drumwerk van Cream's Ginger Baker. De tracklist bestaat uit een handjevol lange, jazzachtige nummers en is meertalig. Hoewel erg muzikaal duren de nummers te lang om gewoon naar te luisteren. leukste nummer: Black Man's Cry Ginger Baker trok begin jaren '70 door Afrika met Kuti om de lokale ritmes te ontdekken. De rit, gemaakt in een jeep, is gedocumenteerd in de film Ginger Baker in Africa.
Ginger Baker was a great drummer. If you could ask him, he'd tell you he was the best! But listening to an hour long album that seemed to focus on repetitive drum beats finished with a 16 minute drum solo that just wouldn't end was not a way to enjoy his skills.
7/10
Likeable. All tracks basically the same: a short repeated, almost hypnotic (though strident) motif, with sort of shouted vocal over the top. In short doses, it's great but I couldn't listen to more than a fer in a row, it wears you down.
Wow. This was great. It’s way outside of my usual listening and I’ve always given this genre a wide north but I know Fela is a legend so I wasn’t too surprised when I enjoyed the listen as much as I did.
I kind of liked this in a bouncy fun kind of way. Not something I'll put on my re-spin list but interesting enough.
It's upbeat. It's fun. It's long.
Definitely appreciated that it was mix of styles, african drums, a bit of a jazzy flair and even some R&B vibe. The 16 drum solo was pretty unnecessary, but clearly there was a push to put Ginger Baker all over this.
This is one of those albums where I have to decide whether to rate it based off the instrumentation and concept of the album or how much I liked listening to the album. You’d think they’d go hand in hand but for this project anyways I can say that the sound and live performance is fantastic, a great range of instruments that sound so clear you wouldn’t even believe it was a live performance if not for the audience and the conversation breaks in between songs. This album provides a whole host of jazz and funk sounds with some standout moments such as the saxophonist in ‘Ye Ye De Smell’ and Fela Kuti’s vocal performance on ‘Black Man’s Cry’. That being said as an album I found this quite tedious, particularly the last 2 songs which dragged on way too long for me. I can appreciate Ginger Baker’s drum solo on the final track but it’s not something I’d ever throw on to listen to it’s really more of an experience track that would be great to hear live. ‘Egbe Mi O (Carry Me)’ on the other hand I just found to be instrumental quite flat until the last few minutes where the vocals are projected to the front and the pace picks up a bit. It is a bit disappointing to be honest as the opening track gets you excited and ready for the rest of the album but these longer songs really ruin the pace for me when I think this style probably would suit 5-7 minute songs at most. Lastly I wish I could’ve heard Fela’s vocals a bit more throughout as there was definitely enough room for him to have more vocals but they were left empty, it’s a shame especially since he has such passion in his voice. Overall this isn’t a bad album I just think it’s more suited for a live performance more than anything, it was probably just made into an album so people could hear it all over the world and I don’t blame them but as an album it’s not something that I will be returning to.
I like endless, directionless, bouncy improvisation, so this is for me. Ginger Baker’s fogged form on the front is a curio from the days when supergroups stalked the earth. He fits in, to his credit.
Didn’t understand the language
A jam album with a fun groove. Would be way more enjoyable as a live experience but good background music
Beautiful percussion! 3/5
Some fun jams but ultimately nothing more than background music
Bit jazz for my liking, but an easy enough listen.
Wel aardig. Als je dit op straat per ongeluk tegen komt is het wel gaaf. Het album is net afgelopen en ik herinner me vooral de drumsolo van een uurtje of 3 a 4.
Usually not a fan of recorded live music, but this really sounded great. It's kind of one long free form jam session so I don't know how much you would want to repeatedly listen to it. I do like the sounds of the instrumentals, especially the horns, just not so much the drum solos. The production was really nice, you can tell this is created by great musicians. Reading the comments I would like to hear Fela Kuti's other music at it seems even more interesting than this.
Fun as always.
Enjoyed this. Unbelievably tight. Preferred the less funky parts, but when they edge more towards jazz / Afrobeat it really stood out. Will definitely check out more by Fela Kuti, it’s a new name for me but from what I’ve read he’s unbelievably influential.
Enjoyed the jazzy African funk sound of it all. It's something I never would have listened to but I'm glad I have now. It's definitely not boring background music like some other albums in this list but this does work nicely in the background.
This was pretty funky, quite enjoyed it. Not sure I'd listen again though. Also not sure I need a 15 minute drum solo track.
African beats, cool but wouldn’t play for others.
Enjoyed
It wasca goodie
I don’t really like this kinda music but I can appreciate it 3/5
Day 4 Right off the bat, I have to admit that I'm really not a fan of Live performances as an album. Let it be known that this will very likely affect my score on this. Let's Start - 6 Black Man's Cry -7 Ye Ye De Smell - 8 - the keyboard in the background gives this song a unique feel Egbe Mi O - 7 Overall: I think it's a really cool sound. I think all the songs are absolutely way too long but I also recognize that it's a lice show and that's totally acceptable in live shows. 28/40 or 70%
jazz de qualidade, 3/5
Zeker nice nog een keer luisteren
Troll music
funky, nice drum, african, long songs, length inc
Didn’t know listening to drum solos was so good for concentration
Jam for alle pengene, rimelige groovy, lange livenumre, masser af trommesolo
Stunningly medicore
This isn't my cup of tea, but I really appreciated how energetic it was. Definitely an interesting listen. My husband personally loved the instrumentals!
Fun but kind of repetitive at times.
On first listen it will be tough for me to come back to much. Each song is 12 minutes, and although I like some background Jazz - this is a bit too active for me to listen passively and I don’t have enough Jazz knowledge to really appreciate what I’m hearing. I can recognize the talent, but I need some more melody.
Een soort Afrikaanse funk met een uitgebreide percussie- en blazerssectie. Best leuk en energiek, maar ook erg herhaalderig. Gaandeweg ga je toch even spieken wanneer het voorbij is.
The first track gave me The Doors vibe! Love it. Great listen !
Some good groovin'
Another great Kuti live album - while not as raw or memorable as 'Zombie,' the album still wins out on its energetic, improvisational performances and Fela's driving energy as a frontman.
Instrumentals are incredible, but I enjoy songs with lyrics better and these aren’t exactly words. 6/10 instrumentals carried
I enjoyed this, has a fun energy, quality jazz style with some funk, less said about the drum solo the better bur 3 easy.
This is quite fun, but too meandering to get a really high score. Can just about scrape a 3, would probably have been a comfortable 3 without the SIXTEEN MINUTE drum solo track at the end. Fun sound, strays into the overly experimental at times but not too often. Probably won't listen again, but glad I listened once!
Pas mal! Un peu longuet mais ça s'écoute bien!
Cool to experience but lacks a bit of range and scope, the jams sound too similar and simple.
Standard World Music 3 Star Rating
Rambles all over melodically, tolerable but uncentered.
This was pretty cool. Was not familiar with this bandleader.
Really fun
Nicht ganz mein Geschmack. Mag aber den bluesigen Vibe
Wilde afrikanische Musik, ganz nice aber nichts für jeden tag
I liked it a lot but the songs were really really long
Quite nice. I probably need to listen to it more to get the hang of all these rhythms and arragements. Fela Kuti is still blind spot for me, as is much of music from the African continent. Maybe someone should write a similar 1001 albums book about music from other continents--one for Africa, one for Asia, and one for South America, that you could add to Dimery's book, mostly about music from the "western world". And then you'd keep the 250 best records from each book to give a global version of it. That would yield quite a surprising mix, wouldn't it? Number of albums left to review: less than 800. Number of albums I'll keep on my own list: half so far. Number of albums I might keep: a quarter (including this one). Number of albums I won't keep: another quarter.
I get the influence and the rhythmic elements are great. It was a passively enjoyable listen.
Great musically, but wasn’t my thing. Could be great on vinyl as a dinner album. All round wasn’t too invested
Lots of good instrumental sections that slightly overstay their welcome. Not a lot of lyrical parts on any of the tracks, but I don't think that's the point. Overall pretty good but not a genera of music I typically enjoy so that brings down my rating.
Una jam session afrobeat è un album sicuramente "di nicchia", specialmente per i 16 minuti di assolo di batteria dell'ultimo brano. Se escludiamo quest'ultimo però, il resto dell'album è molto piacevole.
Didn't listen all the way through, interesting but not my jam yet.
Great background jam when cleaning the house. 3.5/5
Improvising live music in 10,000 times harder than meticulously practicing a piece. Unfortunately, it doesn't always turn out to be 10,000 times more impressive. I have a lot of respect for this album. I think I would appreciate it more if I was more familiar with Kuti's work. And I don't quite get why Ginger Baker is here.
Groooooovy
Funky jam band. Could definitely have a beer on the back porch while listening to this.
This is a fun and funky album but I find the music very repetitive and chaotic. 3 stars.
SOUL! Straight off the bat - this hits good - I wanted to get up and start grooving. One thing that spoils it is the final Ginger Baker drum solo. He's not really that good.
3/5 Fun live album, but drew on pretty long. Jams were nice but didn't seem to really go anywhere.
This album was really unique! I am not typically big on jazz (this is not news to anyone who has read my reviews at this point), but the afrobeat sounds really caught my attention. This is a short album that spans over an hour of time. The music is full of passion and feels like it could go on forever (in a good way). Ginger Baker's work is also outstanding on this album. It sounded like he really took the time to understand the culture and its music in order to perform this!
Reminded me of the old Mondays, when I'd do some light training in the morning, have a nutritious lunch and then get covered head to toe in the jizz of the entire Chelsea first team and backroom staff. What a life it was.
Top fella Feli.
I get it. I appreciate it for what it is. It’s not my cup of tea.
I really liked the drums. Wasn't awful.
good for its genre. Not my preferred genre overall.
Thank you to the person who wrote the review about 28 star for this album-one for every wife. Sent me on a very enjoyable Wikipedia rabbit hole.
Enjoyed the energy for sure.
The last song was missing from Spotify but this was totally acceptable funk. Not much else to add
Never been much of a jazz fan but it was a pleasant enough listen. Few tracks but they're very long. Maybe too long.
Very engaging and strangely soothing collection of live tracks.
Overall 5/10 Egbe Mio 6/10
Much funkier than I expected, quite a lot of fun. The 20 minute drum battle isn't really what you need
If you love drums, you'll love this album. If you are on a bike ride, you'll appreciate someone keeping an upbeat, rhythmic pace. It'll keep you going. If you are completely against drum circles, you'll hate this album.
Oh, este afrojazz me gusta, tiene mucha onda.
Good foundational Afrobeats jazz.
I enjoyed listening to this. It would have been something to be at this concert.
Expecting to thoroughly enjoy this, but it was a little more freeform that I was anticipating. Still enjoyable. Amazing musicians and would likely be more enjoyable listening to it in a different setting.
My friend said Fela Kuti is funny name
Good fun live afrobeat. I do love a drum solo. Black Man's Cry is a great track also, and the sing along in Egbe Mu O (Carry Me)
Less of an afro-beat flavour than some of his other work
Legendary performance.
You definitely need to be in the right mood for Fela. You could probably say the same about most music. This is good, and I will listen to more of Fela Kuti's music, I promise
Like a James Brown, similar music. I like it.
Afro jazz, great buzz going on
Great energy and rhythm and hard to imagine this is live too. Seems a bit cobbled together at the end with Ginger Baker seemingly adding credibility to the whole affair when it stands on it's own merits. Just falls short because of this in my view. Leaves me wanting something else but definitely worth listening to.
With Ginger Baker Live! is basically quite good but no AYMHBD. (5/10) FT: Black Man's Cry
So far what I've learned from this site is that anything Kuta is normally fire.
Funky jamz. Goes on a bit though.
Pretty solid album. Definitely enjoyable. Freewheeling and structured jazz at the same time. Really enjoyed this sound but I can't say I'd listen to every track again. Fave tracks: Let's Start and Black Man's Cry. Would give this album 4 stars if I loved all the tracks this much, but knocking off a star for the second half of the album which was less interesting imo.
Long drum solos really aren't my thing!
Long form songs that don't work isolated, but good. Standout tracks Black Man's Cry Ye Ye De Smell
3/5
7/10 Best Song - Ye Ye De Smell
I liked this, but was probably a one time listen.
The songs were initially pretty fun to listen to but were too long and unfocused, losing my interest.
A whole lot of funk! Easy to listen to as background music and some good jams.
This was fun! Great music to work to as it’s upbeat with a nice variation in instrumentation.
I actually didn't mind this nearly as much as I thought I would. Partially because I listen while I'm working, this had some nice rhythm and sound for just having on while working, without distracting lyrics that pulled my attention away from work. I wouldn't choose to listen to something like this, but it was fine as sound in the background. I think it would be worse if my sole attention was on it and I was actively listening, because it's not really my style.
Good African jazz
Great rhythm. I like the vibe of this a lot, but it's not something I would return to--just not quite enough meat.
8th March 2022 Listened in the morning while putting together the weekly briefing. Watched Liverpool Inter in the evening. 0-1. Remember this from watching beware of mr baker. Funky and primal.
I liked it, but I did not fell off my chair. I will certainly try more of Fela Kuti's material
Just knew the artist by name, really impressive performance. This Live definitively fit in this List.
I don't think this is the best place to start exploring Fela Kuti. It is a peculiar live performance but it is not a prime example of the artist.
Fun!
Good beats and a strong energy, but that's about all there is to be said. Glad I listened to it, but I probably won't ever listen again.
5 tracks spanning an hour is a big ask for my millennial attention span. Can't doubt the technical proficiency on show (I didn't hear a bum note or missed beat, despite there being many notes and many, many beats), but all that jamming over the same basic grooves gets a bit tiresome. Enjoyed it as background music though. It's another 2.5, but as a drummer myself I'll pay respect to two giants of the drumming world and round up.
Entretenido y hasta ahí. Como presentación en vivo en su momento debió ser muy divertida, pero como grabación de algo en vivo (que además se parece a lo que ya nos habían puesto de él mismo) se queda en un dato curioso y ya: El baterista de Cream fue a África a grabar.
Some absolutely smokin' jazz. Prior to this my only real exposure to afrobeat was through Talking Heads, and listening to the real deal helps me appreciate Remain In Light more, and having heard RIL helps me appreciate this more. The grooves are immaculate and never let down the entire way through. Favorite Tracks: "Let's Start", "Black Man's Cry"