Considering the worldwide influence that the late Fela Kuti’s Afrobeat music has had on everyone from the Talking Heads to Arcade Fire and modern-day funk and hip-hop, it’s perplexing that the small handful of acts waving the torch for the real thing sometimes fall below the radar. This music is energetic and full of life, often carrying political and social messages of freedom. In other words, all stuff that should appeal to generation after generation. Lucky for us, Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 – Fela’s former band fronted by his youngest son – have proudly waved the Afrobeat flag for decades and continue marching forward with this vital music. On Thursday, May 8th, Kuti brought his band to Portland, Oregon for a lively show at the Aladdin Theater.
While Seun Kuti happily covers his father’s music and proudly upholds the legacy he created through his performances and recordings, he has also injected Afrobeat with fresh vibrancy as he has integrated more contemporary sounds into the music. As he hit the stage in Portland after a lengthy instrumental introduction from his talented band, Kuti announced his presence with a jazzy saxophone solo that made it clear this would not be entirely classic Afrobeat. With last year’s Lenny Kravitz-produced Heavier Yet (Lays the Crownless Head), Kuti rotated between longtime staples and new songs during his ninety-minute performance. Following the rambunctious opener “No Waiting,” the band treated the audience to a couple of Fela Kuti songs with the bright funky groove of “Dog eat dog” and the marching beat of “Everything Scatter,” both of which allowed Kuti to take on runs of scorching saxophone solos in between singing and dancing with revolutionary fervor. On “Dey,” the band locked into a unified explosion of brass and guitars while Kuti’s synths added a vaguely tropical vibe to complement the hypnotic backing vocals.
After spending much of his life performing this music, Kuti is as much a cultural luminary as he is a musician. In between songs like “Stand Well Well” and “Love and Revolution” with its Latin-style horns and gyrating percussion, Kuti proclaimed “All power is with the people” as he showed his gratitude to the fans. He even took on the role of humorous orator as he chided the audience, “Keep the motherfucking kids at home – I am not a child friendly act!” as part of a preachy rant about reactions to his live show from various types of people. This only gave Kuti more rockstar energy as the band eased into a version of the breezy, horn-heavy “T.O.P.” that radiated positivity. Kuti’s revolutionary persona and musical being coalesced with “Na Dem,” a standout tune that saw Kuti raging against politicians with growling vocals over sly rhythm guitar and powerful bursts of horns. By the time the band rounded into the final song “Emi Aluta” with its frenetic horns and guitar groove propelled further by Kuti continuously throwing down fiery saxophone solos, they had stirred the audience into the kind of possessed dancing that happens when the Afrobeat groove completely entrances you.
Throughout his set in Portland, Kuti and his bandmates more than proved themselves to be worthy torchbearers to his father’s legacy. Between Kuti’s uninhibitedly charismatic dancing and showmanship, and the tightness of his band, they reassured the fans that Afrobeat music is alive and well.
