Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti would have been 73 today, and it seems fitting that Hare & Hounds is celebrating the life of such a legendary multi-instrumentalist, with a night of live acts and DJ sets dedicated to his legacy.

Featuring an Afrofunk DJ set from the magnificent Bobbalin' Hot, Felabration kicks off at 9pm tonight, and the party doesn't end until 1am, so make sure you don't miss out.

Former Egypt 80 keyboard player Dele Sosimi will also performing, who's work has been heard on many of Fela's albums.

Tonight, musical director Dele, will front an Afrobeat band, featuring many musicians from the FELA! Musical, which had a stint of shows in London last year.

“[Playing a part in the FELA! Musical felt] great!, acting 'me' in 63 performances!!”, says Dele.

“What more could I ask for? The real Fela, of course, to be on stage every night”.

As well as performing songs from his own albums, Dele will also be covering some of Fela's most well known tracks.

Or as Dele himself explains, it'll be “Afrobeat Vintage and Classic Fela originals, with a hint of Dele Sosimi”.

He continues.“ It will always feel great to celebrate Fela's birthday. His influence on me is such that I have been and always will be celebrating his music”.

Fela's son, Femi, has also played a huge part in the development of Dele's musical skills, as they both formed Femi Anikulapo-Kuti and the Positive Force after leaving Egypt 80, in which Dele became the bandleader for both projects.

And in 1995, Dele moved to London, where his music began to reflect an inspirational multi-cultural environment.

“My role in the Afrobeat scene has definitely grown and evolved with the years”, says Dele.

“Every aspect of life has a musical significance and potential to inspire music making. It is usually a question of do I actualise at the moment, or build it in the air for my personal pleasure, then forget it with the moment”.

Additionally, Dele is an educator and instructor in Afrobeat, and he has even set up his own Afrobeat Foundation.

“We aim to spread the Afrobeat agenda worldwide and encourage younger musicians to participate”, he says.

“It's about keeping Afrobeat alive, real and relevant. Teaching Afrobeat and facilitating symposia and academic debates and studies on it”.

All this, plus more, makes Dele the most active Afrobeat artist to date, therefore, who better to pay a birthday tribute to the amazing pioneer that is Fela Kuti, and his fusion of jazz, funk, high-life, psych rock and traditional West African chants, which in turn developed a whole new genre called Afrobeat.

"This is actually a test on Birminghamians, to see if they will rise to the occasion", says Dele.

Felabration kicks off at 9pm at Hare & Hounds tonight.

By Ross Cotton

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I shall be playing an Afrofunk set at the Hare and Hounds this Friday to celebration the birthday of Fela Anikulapo Kuti. The event will feature a top Afrobeat band (most musicians were in the Fela Musical) fronted by Dele Sosimi - who played keys in Fela's Egypt 80 band. I've seen them several times and Dele is a top performer, great energy, stage presence and musical skills. Everybody say "Yeah, yeah!"

Here are some recent purchases which I cannot stop playing...

Loving this tune at the moment:

It's by a band from Mali called Bida de la Capitale. It's a fisherman's song and has quite a mysteriousness, sad vibe about it. The deep, hypnotic bass line is killer!

Love this track, had to buy it! It's by one of Fela's baritone sax players Lekan Animashaun. Definitely feel the spirit of Kuti in this afro groove.

Love this too:

Hope to see some of you on Friday!

Oh and here's a mix: 

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No, not me, Betty Davis. Actually not sure she was that promiscious, but she hung around with the likes of Sly Stone, Jimi Hendrix and wrote lyrics and music that were provocative indeed.

She was the second wife of trumpeter Miles Davis (they were married for only a year) and is said to have been the muse and driving force behind his musical refocus in Bitches Brew. Anyway, I like her grooves, her voice is incredible: growls, purrs and teases.

It's sunny, I'm struggling to focus on admin so here is a foxy tune for a beautiful sunny day. I read in a Wax Poetics article that she is now a recluse living in the country somewhere stateside. Come out of retirement Betty! 

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What a summer! DJed at Passing Clouds for club night Afrobeat Vibration and caught Dele Sosimi's band play a badass 4 hour set (he was the keyboard player for Fela's Egypt '80 band).

Night before I peeped Alan Weekes' Effra Band at Passing Cloud, such a tight rhythm section and lush trumpet solos. Really wicked vibe at both nights, friendly people, great sounds and lots of smiles.

(.... there was a 60 year old guy there with two very young blonde ladies (looked Russian) they looked a lil out of place....)

Here's some footage I took on my phone:

Went to Paris and found a wicked record shop called Superfly, which I had never encountered before. Was wicked to chat to one of the owners Paulo, who was about to travel to Senegal on a record hunting mission. I think he was politely trying to kick me out ;-) So much good stuff in there!! Must visit again! You can listen to one of his mixes here. 

I tried hard not to, but the inevitable happened, I left France deciding whether to ditch clothes so I could pack records into my suitcase.... what an affliction!! 

Playing an African set for Punch Records Felabration night on the 14th October at the Hare and Hounds. Should be good fun, more Dele, more ass shaking, rum and gingers, pleasant vibes. 

Anyway, here's a new mix for you: 

You can download it on soundcloud here. 

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This tune is ridiculous! Make sure you listen it to with headphones or on a proper sound system cos the bass-line is heavy! Djing at the hare and hounds on the 9th September. This is definitely getting an outing.

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Scorchio! Betty Wright is a top sister funk singer in my opinion.

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Looking at ways of storing my babies and came across a useful blog post. 

The ikea expedit bookcase is an obvious, affordable choice:

For those who haven't given up on wax, what do you think of these bad boys? 

These Handmade LP Storage Box are pretty nice too! Not cheap though. £169 on amazon. 

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Loving the keys on this! Nice groove, psychedelic afrobeat. 

"Moussa Doumbia was a saxophonist, arranger, author/composer who used African American funk as his main inspiration during the 1970's. Living in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, West Africa, the Malian artist recorded an audacious music for a restricted public, with the help of two French American producers based there, Cathy & Albert Loudes.

Moussa Doumbia lived by the scene & had a place in Treichville , not far from the club. He would play there every night for the locals, mostly Dioula people from Northern Ivory Coast & Southern Mali, for which he would sing in his native language, the Dioula. Described as an enthusiast, cheerful person by the people who met him, he was a rigorous professional who wouldn't drink or smoke and could play for hours without a break for his own pleasure. He would hold the microphone, shout, rap & sing, blow his sax, hit a drum&all night long. As original as Nigerian musican Fela Kuti, Moussa Doumbia played a music hardly heard in that part of Africa. Bete, Baoule, Dioula, Mossi peoples who came from all Ivory Coast & the neighbouring countries (Guinea, Mali & Burkina Faso mostly) to Abidjan didn't really enjoy Fela s afrobeat. James Brown would stand as a major artist in record stores and on the radio, but local artists wouldn't play this funk music home. The public usually prefered, when it came to imported music, the Afro Cuban style from New York, Puerto Rico or Cuba. He loved French pop singers like Johnny Halliday, Sylvie Vartan or Mireille Mathieu. Or played international instrumental easy listening by Ray Conniff's or Paul Mauriat's orchestras. But Moussa Doumbia was lucky enough to settle in Abidjan at the same time as the first French speaking West African record company, the Société Ivoirienne du Disque (SID). Even at a small scale, the SID built a recording studio, imported a record press & developped a national distribution network, giving more independance to the local record industry. Both SID owners and their main arranger/co-artistic director, African American sax player Greg Skelton, with their American background, were exactly the people Moussa Doumbia needed to record his music there.

Moussa Doumbia's original synthesis of funk & African rhythms is comparable to Fela Kuti's, Poly Rythmo's or Ebo Taylor's. It reflects what was yesterday's urban culture of a small part of Abidjan's population. Doumbia used to sing mostly in Dioula. His every day life was very African: he would share a small hut with his wife not far from the club where he played. On one hand, he was a cosmopolitan, who had lived in Paris for several years, was fascinated by African American music, and could sing in both French and English. And even when he played his funk over Dioula or Mandingue rhythmic patterns, his sound would still be quite far from Mali's Rail Band or Guinea's Super Boiro afro mandingue pop. His saxophone was always funky, dirty, raw & syncopated. But on the other hand he would choose Dioula to express himself most of the time. An unheard music he would play, giving up sometimes on funk breaks for more hybrid compositions that melted African rhythmic elements to funk or afrobeat arrangements. « Samba » & « Nambara » played on afrobeat/afrofunk tempo, were taken from the Guinean folklore tune made famous by South African singer Myriam Makeba. Most of all, his inspiring themes were African answers to universal questions : relationships between men and women as in « Keleya », greed as in « Wanri », religion with « Faux Marabout ». Even if he could sing in French or in English as in « Black & white », or use funk as a musical background, his lyrics could only be understood by a small scale public who lived the way described in his songs."

Taken stolen from this blog.

Playing an African set in London end of the month, hold tight for details. Love the fact I've been told I can only bring vinyl to said gig :-)

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Thanks to all that came to "Soul of the Movement" on Saturday! Overwhelmed by the positive feedback! It was great to have such a great vibe, hear wicked tunes, having to find more chairs for the film screening, especially when I initially thought I was being generous arranging 12!

Lovely seeing people dancing till dawn, I was so tired I left my party early. Pooper! I think I even have some DJing kudos from Spec and Pecka. Props to all the DJs, Koichi for being amazing and all those who helped me out, including Ian Nae, Spec putting up with me, Friction Arts for loan of their projector and Punch Records! Love you all! 

Anyways, the next Rea River Soul shebang will be in autumn, watch this space. If you wanna be on the mail list drop us a line here. 

Mwah! Ha ha! xx

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Even mi ma is proud! Check her standing outside the graffitti wall. Think she wants to come too! Gonna charge her double.

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Nice liccle mix from Takeover Sound System. 

Soul of the movement by TakeOverSound

and Down by Law:

Jam Fu (DBL) - 90's & Early 2000's Hip Hop Vinyl Mix by JamFu

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Hackney based Ghetto Lounge DJ Koichi Sakai explores the bond he holds with black music and culture, and describes exactly what it means to perform at Soul of the Movement, the closing night for BASS Festival.

“When I came to the UK in 1999, it was the time that Drum 'n' Bass started fading out”, explains Koichi.

“Broken Beats were taking over the music scene in West London.

“Then I started digging the roots music as well, to find out where those beats and rhythm were coming from”.

Though there's a clarity that Koichi's passion lies within all genres of black music.

“I am promoting not only reggae, but also Afrobeat, Afro Funk, Jazz, Latin etc.

“But I must say that reggae is always my roots of music,” he says.

“When my friend in Japan introduced me to reggae first time, I was only sixteen and I could not understand very much.

“I started digging it, Bob Marley influenced me a lot in terms of the history of slavery, discrimination as well as the style of music.

“Soon after, my room became full of Bob Marley posters!”.

By now, Koichi begins to reveal exactly how much reggae culture has touched him, with an indication of main influences, he continues to say, “I respect all the creators of soulful music, but I would like to pay tribute to Gil Scott-Heron who has just passed away.

“I was fortunate to catch up with his concert in South Bank last year.

“People respect him as a musician, poet and activist, I believe he is one of the most influential black artists in the world”.

Not only would Koichi like to pay his respects to such a multi-talented pioneer, he also has plans to collaborate with local Ghanaian musicians.

“I'd love to go to Ghana”, says Koichi.

“I am very much interested in traditional African drumming to create something new”.

While the Japanese-born DJ has a couple of other projects set on the way, it is evident that music is more than just a hobby for Koichi.

“I am currently working with Jamaican MC Clapper Priest to produce his album.

“Our second single Derby/Party will be out this summer from Ghetto Lounge recording.

“I also have another project called Afrobuddha with Japanese producer Kay Suzuki to produce progressive style African music”.

And finally, what does BASS Festival mean to Koichi?

“It is a great opportunity to present the rich street culture of black music in the UK, I am pleased to get involved!”.

Catch Koichi Sakai performing at PST, the closing party for BASS Festival. Soul of the Movement. 25th June, 11pm - 5am.

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Subject to change... Getting well excited! 

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Well, well, well! It's been fun writing up all these Bass Festival/revolution inspired blog posts, can't believe we are already into the last week!

We've already explored funk with Lenny H, but time to say a bit more.... 

Funk originated in the mid to late 60s, an amalgamation of soul, jazz and RnB with a strong rhythmic, rawness that set ablaze the minds, hearts and dance floors of its time. Funk originates from the slang word for "stink," (or the smell of sexy time) "and was the most primal form of R&B". Its structure was loose, often developing into extended jams, "and the most Africanized, built on dynamic, highly syncopated polyrhythms. As such, it originally appealed only to hardcore R&B audiences. The groove was the most important musical element of funk." (All Music)

James Brown stressed his music had a greater affinity with jazz when critics correlated his music to gospel and soul music:

"There was one sound I couldn't hear anywhere but in my head. I didn't have a name for it, but I knew it was different. See, musicians don't think about the categories and things like that. They don't say, I think I'll invent bebop today or think up rock 'n' roll tomorrow. They just hear different sounds follow them wherever they lead." (Craig Werner)

James Brown's music spoke to African-Americans and African audiences alike, the african response "suggests the dual significance of Brown's funk. On the one hand, it affirmed blackness as a core of identity, in Africa as well as the United States. Clearly, blacks needed to take pride in themselves and throw off the shackle of white supremacist stereotypes." (Craig Werner) 

Themes in a lot of funk music were food, love and most importantly social commentary; quashing the negative portrayal of black americans, with conscious, uplifting messages of black power and pride, it was a 'passionate reflection of the black experience. The words signified an association with harsh realities—unpleasant odours, tales of tragedy and violence, erratic relationships, crushed aspirations, racial strife—and flights of imagination that expressed unsettling yet undeniable truths about life.' 

And finally, some baddass funk tunes with a political message, I shall be playing them on Saturday:

I remember hearing this for the first time when sampled by Ugly Duckling back in the day. Nice glokenspiel playing! 

This tune is baaaad! I lurve this!!!!  Ah, the bass line and vocal melody combo, so moody and sorrowful. Right up my street! 

Every funk DJ and his dog plays this but it's relevant and a top tune (nice live version). 

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Stoke born reggae DJ Olbi Iyah talks about the lead up to Soul of the Movement, an event that he will be performing at, which will be the closing party of BASS Festival.

“In Cambridgeshire, where I grew up as a teenager, there wasn't really a Jamaican culture or real reggae scene”, says Olbi.

“I came to Birmingham when I was eighteen and I was immersed in reggae. “There was so much around, you're a small fish in a big pond”.

Since moving to Birmingham, Olbi has certainly established himself in the scene firmly.

Working alongside Jam Jah and Jibbering sound systems, he also collaborates with Matty Garber, under the name Lombard Royale.

“For years, we played at this place called Peckers, that used to be an underground little venue.

“It closed down because they found a different location in Digbeth, now known as PST in its first incarnation”.

Olbi continues, “we did our first night there and it was a ranging success.

“We got the name Lombard Royale because it's on Lombard Street, and it was so far from being royal.

“The classic irony and sarcasm of British humour, there was corrugated iron everywhere!”.

Olbi is also doing pretty well for himself outside of Birmingham and on a wider sphere of England.

“Festivals are always good in the summer, things like Secret Summer I've done in the past”, he says.

“Then Shambala is the big one.

“It's given me the biggest rites of passage out of any of them, I've played to thousands of people before Smith & Mighty and I'm like wow! I've arrived!”.

By now, it's becoming clear that reggae and collecting records has turned into a life long passion for the Stoke born DJ.

“When reggae hit me, it hit me really hard”, he says.

“I feel like I'm married to it.

“Reggae has been the one consistent thing in my life since fourteen onwards”, says Olbi.

“It's the one genre that can convey every single topic.

“There's tunes about every single political stance, every single country in the world, because it's a social commentary, probably before it was even a music type.

“Every possible human emotion can be felt and covered”, he says.

And how will Olbi's DJ set pay homage to reggae music at Soul of the Movement?

“I'm doing a reggae history revolutionary”, he says.

“Playing tunes for people that push the boundaries, revolutionising the way reggae was made.

“So Wayne Smith - Under Mi Sleng Teng produced by King Jammy, those kind of rhythms, the first all computerised rhythms.

“Then you've got tunes like Chim Cherie by Lee Perry which pre-dates that 70s, early 80s scene, which was a very digital rhythm.

“Lee Perry made remix culture”, explains Olbi.

“He'd make one tune and have it in different layers.

“He said he could make 6 million tunes out of it!”.

And finally, what does Olbi have planned for the future?

“Next year I'm going to put in an application for BASS festival.

“It's the Olympics and the Jamaican team are staying in Birmingham!”.

Catch Olbi Iyah performing at PST, the closing party for BASS festival. Soul of the Movement. 25^th June, 11pm – 5am.

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Thanks so much to Ashley Allen for sorting the video for this! I went down PST and asked the owners about the venue, spliced with footage from Friendly Fire and other events. Hopefully gives you a feel for the space and what the owners are trying to do. 

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with your man Rodders. This fella is a serious collector. A magpie for soul and motown 7s. 

Was wicked to hang and listen to tunes. I scored some wicked pressies :-)

I was vibing off this until Rodders chuckled and told me the title:

Still a cool tune!

I really like this soul ditty by Ann Sexton, the verse is superior to the chorus in my opinion:

Check him on the 25th June for an early soul "message" set from 12am. 

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Still got a 'to do' list as long as Rapunzel's hair for the Bass Festival event, but no point in stressing, keep on smiling.

I've been blessed by the kindness and support of many people, especially in terms of spreading the word, loads of banging ideas, oh and props to Stephen and Josh for the pep talk, kicking my proverbial ass into gear. 

Ma check list:

• promotional material printed - done
• promotional material given to punters - ongoing/could do better
• posters - could do better/need to put some in shops
• PA - sorted, well kind of 
• film rights cleared - sorted, ball-ache
• projecting of film - nearly sorted, think a Monseiur Seargeant has saved the day! 
• food for the night - sorted, spoken to Mr. Pecka Don
• punches and tropical cocktails - sorted, we shall be supping sexy juice (yes, really, keep it clean people) and guinness punch! 
• Visuals - being sorted.
• Buy baddass tunes - yes indeed!  

You can buy tickets here. We also have an extra DJ, Rodders shall be playing a revolution inspired soul set! Vibes!!! 

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 After just finishing a tour of Spain, Birmingham's very own Prince Jamo is finally getting the worldwide recognition that he has worked so long and hard for in the Reggae scene.
Now, he returns home to perform at Soul of the Movement, in collaboration with Wes Bowen, as part of BASS Festival.

“To say music runs in my veins is an understatement”, exclaims Jamo.

“When I was six years old, I was in choirs, but my love affair with reggae really took hold when I first picked up an instrument.

“The first thing I learnt to play was a reggae track, I've always had a strong connection with dub music and roots; my generation of kids, that was the in thing”, says Jamo.

Though he feels that the times, and more importantly Reggae, has changed drastically for the worse since growing up in the 70s, something that he hopes to change in the long run.

“There's a lot of evil shit in music that makes me feel uncomfortable nowadays”, he says.

“Reggae frequencies are getting more dark, and sometimes the core structures don't make sense, it's missing hooks.

“Reggae was born out of rebellion, it reports on what happens on the streets, always has done.

“I think nowadays it doesn't and that's the sad thing about it”, continues Jamo.

“It's all very superficial gone for the Jay Z, bling-bling kind of west thing, which doesn't represent me.

“It was all about the music, but this is the war that's going on, its about taking a side.

“Are you going to get the money, sing about the sex and the cash, or are you gonna struggle, sing about realness and inspire people”.

Revealing a clear indentation on which side Jamo has taken, performing from the soul and about real life has definitely not been a walk in the park for him.

“My recent success comes from a long time of hard work, a long struggle, even a gap of not doing it and helping others, watching, waiting and being patient.

“Now, finally its started to take hold”, says Jamo.

“I sat there and had an open objective of where the music is going, especially my genre, it's more square and empty.

“I've had to rival that philosophy, and I've had to offer up a better alternative to win them back.

“A new production form and an old mind set, challenging what they are putting out, I think I'm giving it a damn good go”, exclaims Jamo.

And finally, what are Jamo's plans for the future?

“My mission is to bring back a balance.

“I want to bring a concept album out. I want to make it hard for you to pick the needle up and move it somewhere else.

“You have to listen to it all and it reads a story”, says Jamo.

“I hope to be right at the forefront, kicking ass and bringing back (proper reggae) into the hands of the DJ, where the love of it is more important than the cost of it”.

Catch Prince Jamo performing along side Wes Bowen at PST, as part of BASS festival. Soul of the Movement. 25^th June, 11pm – 5am.

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In the world of R'n'B there has been a long history of musicians who have used the genre not just for expressions of love but for socio-politcal motives, especially during the civil rights movements of the 1960s. Soul music was born out of gospel, the church; expressively using music to testify your devoution to G.O.D.

One of the first artists to have an overtly political message in his music was Sam Cooke. His song "A Change is Gonna Come" became an anthem for the Civil Rights Movement. 

Soul music fuelled the Black Power movement of the 1960s, it helped defy the prejudices of black Americans as lower class citizens. It strove to raise aspiraitons and elevate consciousness amongst those with African heritage. 

Another amazing soul song which held socio-political message was 'Inner City Blues' by Mr. Marvin Gaye. 

Marvin bemoaned the struggle facing those living in ghettos of inner-city America, how the bleak economic situation would make you want to holler and throw up your hands. For it's time it was revolutionary, "as the civil rights movement staged bigger and bigger demonstrations and increased African-American pride, soul music became more than party music for young blacks: it became a rallying flag for the black nationalist movement. While never truly political in nature, soul music's ascent in the pop charts came to represent one of the first (and most visible) successes of the civil-rights movement." (A brief history of Soul Music) 

And lastly, how can we forget Aretha?

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