damn!

fela kuti is one of the greatest musicians ever. comparisons to bob marley are understandable as fela, like marley, spread both populist politics and soulful music from his troubled country to everywhere else in the world, but even these don't capture fela's greatness. unlike marley's reggae, fela's music was entirely his own - he was the first to play afrobeat, and he was the best. his music is far more fun (upbeat, danceable) than that of marley, and, unlike the majority of reggae, it can be enjoyed by almost anyone whether or not they are "smoking the cheeba."

open and close and afrodisiac were two of fela's strongest records, and the single-cd reissue of the two is one of the best available introductions to fela and to afrobeat in general. these are also fairly early recordings, and fela's youthful energy is prominent on almost every track, especially "open and close." though some of the tracks are quite long (the former runs about 15 minutes), they are generally less complex than fela's later work. still, jazz influences are everywhere (killer horns), as are traditional nigerian sounds (fela sings in several african dialects). in short, this is fela at his energetic, funky peak, before political persecution left its damaging marks. essential.

available in the world section of any decent music store.