From the minute you walk into the theater, you’re greeted with the winding, sultry sounds of Antibalas and suddenly realize you’ve stepped into a new kind of Broadway musical. Fela! is a show where the audience is the unexpected character that is swept into the performance – dancing, singing and responding to the energy bouncing off the stage and into the aisles. What else did you expect from a show that takes place at Fela’s legendary Shrine nightclub in Lagos, Nigeria in the late ’70s?
Before you know it, the tempo of the music picks up, the dancing begins and you’re officially welcomed to hear the “story of how things are” by Fela, this night being played by Kevin Mambo. As he begins to tell the story, we are warned of the many tragic elements surrounding Fela’s life at this time. But before we hear of the tragedies, Fela begins to break it down – Afrobeat, that is. He not only explains the influences of jazz, funk, latin and highlife but also how he reworked certain aspects to create a new sound, HIS sound.
This musical also touches on the context and political climate in which Afrobeat was created and Fela’s lyrics were written. The influence of his fearless mother, Funmilayo, played by the incomparable Lillias White, serves as the source of Fela’s strength and conviction. From the rampant government corruption financed by multinationals that have taken over Nigeria’s natural resources to the persecution and harassment ultimately leading to torture and deaths in his family, the picture is clear. It’s a place where protest is thwarted, corporations exalted, individual rights trampled and everything is Upside Down. It’s as if Fela had foreseen the corporate greed and political influence of the AIGs, Halliburtons & Blackwaters of today.
Undoubtedly, the best part of this show is seeing the brilliant choreography by Bill T. Jones and hearing live renditions of classic Fela – Shakara, I.T.T., Zombie, Expensive Shit, Water Get No Enemy – in a theater where Yoruba deities, civil rights leaders and the music’s ancestors are a constant reminder of the its richness and depth. It is no surprise that Fela! garnered the support of Shawn “Jay Z” Carter, Will and Jada Pinket Smith as producers. Fela Kuti’s musical contributions, revolutionary spirit and historical legacy is one that we must all be reminded of. It is especially rewarding to experience it as a night at the legendary Shrine, even if it’s on The Great White Way. – review + photo by Moni Pineda
Friends We Love highly recommends seeing Fela! and we’re making it a bit easier by providing a great discount AND a chance to win 2 tickets!
BEST OF 2009!
The New York Times, Time Out New York, USA Today, Time Magazine
FELA! uses stirring Afrobeat music (a blend of jazz, funk and African rhythm and harmonies), to tell the story of Kuti’s controversial life as artist, political activist and revolutionary musician. Featuring many of Fela Kuti’s most captivating songs and Bill T. Jones’s visionary staging, FELA! is the most original new musical on Broadway.
For more discount information: http://www.felaonbroadway.com/friendswelove.php
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Why do I love Fela?
WHY do I LOVE Fela?
It is not just because of the Nigerian heritage, I so proudly claim and identify with.
It is not just because it conjures up memories of a happy childhood, family gatherings and visits to my home village.
It is not just because his musical genius is now talked about in classrooms, played and referenced by contemporary musicians, and performed in theaters for the world to see and hear.
Granted, it is for all those reasons, but also quite simply because like Fela, I am an artist. And it is an artist’s obligation to cultivate his or her craft, to share it with passion, and–God willing–to touch and inspire others. Fela’s music inspires me. It makes my heart beat faster, it makes my hips gyrate with frenzy, it makes my lips curl into a defiant smile, and it speaks to the rebel inside me. The rebel in me that seeks to fight for justice, to chastise corrupt politicians, to proclaim my right to free expression, to make love… to make change.
In 1926 New York City passed a law that states that any place having “three or more people moving in a synchronized fashion” (in other words, dancing) must have a valid cabaret license. A license that is expensive and very difficult to obtain. Believe it or not, in 2010, that law still stands. Through classes, workshops, panel discussions, performances, movement, dance… I try to educate people about these antiquated and racially-motivated laws that affect our ability to enjoy music and dance freely in a city as diverse and progressive as New York. Fela would have done the same. To refer to his own words: “My brothers, make you no follow book-o, Look am and use your sense.”
As a dancer, music is the lifeblood of my art. And Fela’s music, well it has profoundly influence my life… and it now lives in my blood.
Hi Mike & Moni!
Here is my Fela Kuti story.
11 years ago I moved to NYC from CA with 2 bags, hopes, excitement and a dream.
I arrived here knowing only a few people but not knowing NYC other than the touristy bullshit from vacations past. I definitely did not know Brooklyn, where my home and heart now reside.
A few days after exploring the City and being a bit homesick I stumbled upon a sushi spot in the East Village. After ordering my Spicy Tuna roll I heard this music that mesmerized me. It had this drum beat and horn section that was so inviting and it kept calling me deeper into the rhythm. It was intoxicating and encapsulating and I spent the next 10 minutes not only feeding my body but feeding my soul with what was known to be Shakara by the one and only Fela Kuti.
Needless to say I was hooked. I became an avid fan and devoured all that I could.
These days after being “cultured” and a bit jaded here (I am a NYer now after 10 years right?!), I always think of that Fela experience and I am humbled and renewed. When the stress becomes too much and the Bitch known as NYC that we love to hate and at times, hate to love becomes overwhelming, I take the Q or B train over the Manhattan Bridge and blast “Shakara” by Fela Kuti in my earphones. It’s therapeutic, grounds me and connects me back to that hungry, aspirational young buck that I used to be.
And that is my Fela story.
Amen.
Joseph