The souljazz orchestra parasite fela kuti

THE SOULJAZZ ORCHESTRA PARASITE FELA KUTI SERIES

And the way he wrote for specific players - I do that, too.' ChrГ©tien also cites Puerto Rican Willie Colon, who combined jazz, soul, funk and salsa to help create boogaloo in the sixties. 'His music has those amazing rich colours. ThereвЂ™s also Duke Ellington, whom CrГ©tien adores.

THE SOULJAZZ ORCHESTRA PARASITE FELA KUTI SERIES

((Christophe Depernet/Souljazz Orchestra))Д¬hrГ©tien says the SJOвЂ™s influences include Herbie HancockвЂ™s early seventies material, particularly the awesomely funky music to Bill CosbyвЂ™s cartoon series Fat Albert. The Souljazz Orchestra performs in Marseille, France in 2007. Bringing the funk further to the foreground is where we get Afrofunk and the Souljazz Orchestra. Funk then became part of Afrobeat, after Brown performed in Zaire during the seventies, making the music more propulsive. Moving on to the sixties, James Brown became interested in highlife music, which he fused to his own brand of soul to create the first funk single, I Feel Good. ItвЂ™s been a back-and-forth rapport: Africans transplanted to America during slavery led to the creation of jazz, which in turn became a component of West African highlife music in the twenties it blended indigenous pop with improvising horns and multiple guitars. Musically, however, Kuti and many other African artists have been nourished by American music. Some of KutiвЂ™s ire toward NigeriaвЂ™s government was directed at the United States, too, because Abuja, NigeriaвЂ™s capital, and Washington both seemed uninterested in African continental unity. His rejoinder was to bring his motherвЂ™s casket to the steps of Nigerian parliament. The Nigerian army responded by beating Kuti up and burning down his house while his mother was still in it. 'Africanism' means continental and class co-operation, with a return to African religions and original tribal systems. 'Neither capitalism nor communism, but Africanism,' was KutiвЂ™s oft-repeated slogan. Nigerian legend Fela Kuti wrote a song comparing his nationвЂ™s corrupt military to zombies, and capped his protest by declaring his house to be an independent state. African songwriters are often responding to governmental horror shows. And we donвЂ™t necessarily sing about the things Africans sing about, because our situation is completely different here.'Д«y 'here,' ChrГ©tien means Canada, where the infrastructure is in pretty good shape. No one can push us into that little corner. An African trek is presently in the works, with help and encouragement coming from some of the continentвЂ™s elite players, including keyboardist Dele Sosimi.Д¬hrГ©tien says that the Souljazz Orchestra has turned down a number of requests from companies wanting to use the bandвЂ™s music in commercials. Tight, fluid and infectious, the SJO have proven their mettle as a touring band in Europe and America. Their newest disc, Manifesto, is the orchestra's third full-length recording, and it's ferociously accomplished. We had to trailblaze.' The Souljazz Orchestra boasts a melange of heritages - African, European and North American. When we started, there was already an established rock scene, an established classical scene, but nothing like us. 'ItвЂ™s still weird,' says bandleader Pierre ChrГ©tien.

The explosive energy ofВ Ottawa's Souljazz Orchestra hardly jibes with our notions of CanadaвЂ™s asleep-by-10 p.m.В capital.

The souljazz orchestra parasite fela kuti