here's another performer living off dad's hard work
about a year ago i had saw ravi coltrane in concert
son of 2 famous musicians in john and alice coltrane
at womadelaide this year fela's son seun is headlining
fronting a band made up of musicians from fela's band
though not fela's co-conspirator and drummer tony allen
he's also at womadelaide but at the other end of this day
which has me wondering if there is some animosity there?
seun and band are the headline act on saturday night on stage 1
the crowd is large, the weather perfect and the expectation high
one thing that seems guaranteed at womadelaide is african music
especially big bands on the big stage at the peak performance time
the band ambles on and a tall african chap takes charge at front
he revs up the crowd, cranks up the band and off they go
in typical afrobeat style it's a very repetitive beat
with brass, hand held sticks and percussion laid on top
this tune does not vary in style for a full 15 minutes or so
during which various musicians are highlighted doing solos
at the end of the tune the man out front laps up the applause
he then thanks the crowd, introduces the band and then...
brings on the main man himself who has been in the wings
me and a number of other people thinking we were already watching him
but no - seems seun kuti wants the band and crowd warmed up for his entrance
i must admit i felt this was a bit big rock-star-ish from the big star tonight
he's dressed in matching trousers and shirt just like his father used to
then upon opening up the vocal chords it sounds like a time warp
i probably shouldn't be surprised that it's so derivative of his father
seeing as it's his father's band behind him but to me it's not quite right
my reaction based largely on seeing other kuti son femi a few years back
he also headlining womadelaide with his outfit called the positive force
on that occasion it was still afrobeat but it actually seemed authentic
memories of a bunch of musicians digging in to a filthy afrobeat sound
fronted by a performer totally locked in to the sound they made
the brass section and backup singers looking genuinely inspired
tonight it looks like brother is also into it but it seems to be an act
the movements, the voice, the music all so very clearly fela
this is not a bad thing - this is as close as we'll get to seeing him
but the impression is that everyone involved is ok about a tribute band
which is really what it comes down to - even allowing for the close relationships
i think what really got me was when the political lecture was trotted out
i've only see a bit of fela kuti on dvd but this talk seemed very familiar
updated for today's economic circumstances but still not too convincing
in reality i think i had already decided that i was being manipulated
and also deciding that as a singer, sax-player, leader seun kuti was unoriginal
his father and brother having already cornered the market in afrobeat
i think i was also suspicious that tony allen was not there for a reason
my guess being that he did not want to be part of this scene
respectfully carrying the legacy forward but...but...but
...just not as inspiring as it could have been
maybe i got it all wrong...
