February 7, 2013

Fela Kuti | The Best Of The Black President 2

ARTIST: Fela Kuti
TITLE: The Best Of The Black President 2
LABEL: Knitting Factory
This is the second two-disc “best of” release in Knitting Factory’s Fela reissue series – they’ve also made available just about everything in Universal’s Fela catalog while co-producing the FELA! musical and serving as the American home for Femi and Seun Kuti’s releases as well. Where The Best Of The Black President 1 presented his most famous songs, the second volume digs a little deeper, primarily into Fela’s most fertile period, the mid 1970’s. Of special note here is “Sorrow Tears And Blood” (disc 1-track 6) with six minutes of previously unheard material. Other key tracks are 1-4 (the original Afrobeat ballad), 2-1 (one of the first Afrobeat tracks, featuring Cream’s Ginger Baker on drums) and 2-6 (with Art Ensemble of Chicago trumpeter Lester Bowie).  Allaboutjazz.com’s Chris May contributes very informative track commentaries, making this much more than just another greatest hits compilation. Of course, we’re talking Fela here – his greatest hits really are the greatest. Essential listening.
TOP TRACKS:    Disc 1 – 1    4    5    6    Disc 2 – 1    6
ALSO RECOMMENDED:    Disc 1 – 3    Disc 2 – 2    3    4

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