Shakara ［LP+7inch］

フェラ・クティの大名盤がカラー盤+エズラ・コレクティブREMIX7"仕様で限定リリース!

アフロビートの創始者フェラ・クティが残した作品の中でも、レアグルーヴ方面からも人気の高い『Shakara』がフェラ活動50周年を記念したリイシュー・シリーズに登場!他の70年代初期作と同様、それぞれのサイドで1曲ずつを収録。長尺の演奏でじっくりと深いグルーヴを作り出し、腐敗した植民地主義やその後遺症について隠喩を交え糾弾する内容は強烈の一言。今回のこのスペシャル・エディションでは、グライム、ヒップホップ、アフロビート、ジャズを取り入れたサウンドで、UKジャズを代表する存在となりつつあるエズラ・コレクティブがリミックスしたスペシャル7INCHも付属。

Fela Kuti was often described as "the James Brown of Africa," but one could also argue that he was Africa's equivalent of Miles Davis or John Coltrane. Truth be told, either description is valid. Kuti was highly eclectic, and his innovative, visionary music contained elements of funk/soul, jazz, and blues, as well as African music. That eclectic spirit proves to be a major asset on Shakara, which consists of two 13-minute performances by Kuti's Africa 70 band: "Lady" and "Shakara (Oloie)." Performed in English, "Lady" finds Kuti criticizing modern African women in a humorous way for becoming what he sees as overly westernized and embracing a western view of feminism. You might agree or disagree with the song's viewpoint, but the groove and the beat are irresistible. Equally addictive -- and equally sarcastic -- is "Shakara (Oloje)," which is sung in both Yoruba and English and makes fun of the type of pompous, loud-mouthed braggarts who can never make good on their empty boasts. ~ Alex Henderson