Fela Ransome-Kuti and The Africa ’70 with Ginger Baker - Live (2001)

Fela Kuti also known as Fela Anikulapo Kuti or simply Fela, was a Nigerian multi-instrumentalist, musician, composer, pioneer of the Afrobeat music genre, human rights activist, and political maverick. Over a decade after his death, vindication has come to Kuti, Africa's musical genius. AfroBeat, his gift to the world, is now an international staple.

Throughout his life, Fela contended that AfroBeat was a modern form of danceable, African classical music with an urgent message for the planet's denizens. Created out of a cross-breeding of funk, jazz, salsa and calypso with Juju, Highlife and African percussive patterns, it was to him a political weapon.

Here Kuti is captured live recording with a world-class guest artist, Ginger Baker (Cream). The album includes Fela's Africa '70 backing band consisting of two large choruses (male and female) around a core of over a half-dozen musicians on horns, guitars, and percussion from the world over. Fela's music is a high-energy, rhythmic concentration of influences distilled from jazz, funk, and traditional African forms.