With a globetrotting 20-year career renowned for being a voice for the people across four decades of political and societal upheaval from the late ’90s to today, Antibalas celebrates its 20th Anniversary with a stark return to their Williamsburg roots on its latest Daptone Records studio album, Fu Chronicles (Release Date: February 7, 2020). Pre-gentrified Williamsburg serves as the backdrop for Fu Chronicles — voyaging back to the early days of when Antibalas and revered soul label Daptone Records spawned out of lead singer Duke Amayo‘s kung fu dojo. A senior master of the Jow Ga Kung Fu School of martial arts, Duke Amayo along with Antibalas founder/baritone saxophonist Martín Perna guide listeners through an epic journey of where kung fu ingeniously intersects with Afrobeat on Fu Chronicles.
Check out the first single -“Fight Am Finish” (below) featured on Fu Chronicles. Duke Amayo comments, “We have arrived at a time when we must be ‘Seshat in Red Gloves’ and punch throw the sand curtain of lies and deceit. We must fight for truth, sustainability, peace, our dreams, and we must Fight Am Finish and never give up, for the destiny of truth is exposure.”
To manifest the utopian visions of where kung fu meets Afrobeat, one must enter the world of Duke Amayo who rose from his upbringing in Lagos, Nigeria to become a prominent football kicker at Howard University, and ultimately, a kung fu master and Afrobeat superstar. At age 12, Amayo began his kung fu practice while simultaneously witnessing the spiritual leader Fela Kuti perform at his famous nightclubs the Afro-Spot and Afrika Shrine in Lagos. Living in the same neighborhood of the Afro-Spot and sneaking into the clubs to experience the force of nature that was Fela Kuti, a young Amayo was enlightened on his path destined for greatness in America.
Attracted to the cosmopolitan lifestyle of fashion, dance, martial arts, and music, Amayo moved beyond the highlights of his football career (which led to tryouts with the Washington Redskins and Montreal Concordes) to launch a singular clothing brand and open a kung fu dojo in Williamsburg, dubbed the Afro-Spot Temple. Upon opening the dojo, Daptone co-founder Gabe Roth and Martín Perna inquired about classes, and soon invited Amayo to join Antibalas. The dojo became the headquarters for the band and label with Antibalas‘ classic sophomore album, Talkatif (2002), being recorded onsite at the dojo’s recording studio. Coming full circle, Fu Chronicles sees Gabe Roth in the producer’s chair with Antibalas laying down the tracks at Daptone’s House of Soul in Bushwick, Brooklyn.
ANTIBALAS — WINTER & SPRING 2020 TOUR DATES
Tuesday, February 11 — The Siren — San Luis Obispo, CA
Wednesday, February 12 — Moe’s Alley — Santa Cruz, CA
Thursday, February 13 — The Regent — Los Angeles, CA
Friday, February 14 — The Independent — San Francisco, CA
Saturday, February 15 — The New Parish — Oakland, CA
Sunday, February 16 — The Independent — San Francisco, CA
Thursday, February 20 — Neptune Theatre — Seattle, WA
Friday, February 21 — Rickshaw Theater — Vancouver, BC
Saturday, February 22 — PDX Jazz — Portland, OR
Sunday, February 23 — The Olympic — Boise, ID
Wednesday, February 26 — Knotty Pine — Victor ID
Thursday, February 27 — The Commonwealth Room — Salt Lake City, UT
Friday, February 28 — Washington’s — Fort Collins, CO
Thursday, March 19 — The Sinclair — Boston, MA
Friday, March 20 — Brooklyn Bowl — Brooklyn, NY
Saturday, March 21 — Brooklyn Bowl — Brooklyn, NY
Thursday, March 26 — Terminal West — Atlanta, GA
Friday, March 27 — The Grey Eagle — Asheville, NC
Saturday, March 28 — Cat’s Cradle — Carrboro, NC
Friday, April 3 — Sleeping Village — Chicago, IL
Saturday, April 4 — SPACE — Evanston, IL
Friday, April 10 — Lee’s Palace — Toronto, ON
Saturday, April 11 — Lee’s Palace — Toronto, ON
Friday, April 17 — Theatre of The Living Arts — Philadelphia, PA
