From Rio With Love -- The Ultimate Fela Mix

Oct

2008

The sound bites of the great Fela and those paying ode to him are both from the past and present and while they are familiar, the arrangement is not. Today’s master piece comes to us from Brazil’s own DJ Fernando and is another living testimony as to how music transcends all boundaries and remains the true cement that holds humanity together.

Despite the presence of arguably the largest pool of Yoruba’s outside of Nigeria in the Salvador da Bahia area of Brazil, DJ Fernando speaks neither Yoruba nor pidgin making his feat even more impressive. His uncanny sense of rhythm and ear for music rewards us with one of the more original mixes of the year. From the bleating angry Antibalases horns to Seun Kuti sampling of OBJ himself he has packed more into circa 79 minutes than we could fit say into the flag ship of Nigeria Airways.

In 5 different languages he blends contributions from Sade, Macy Gray, Tony Allen and the Intruders,

Victor Olaiya and his International Allstars, Femi Kuti, Tunde Williams and the Africa 70, Bola Johnson, Baba Mal as well a re cooked samples off the Nigerian Gangster project by Chicago’s own DJ Mike Love in to such a delicious stew that we can only hope there will be a part 2.

Please visit DJ Fernando’s Esnips page, turn up your speakers and listen to the mix HERE

Then please take a minute to “Thank Him”.

Note you will need to sign up for an Esnips Acct to do this. Don’t worry it’s free and I think it’s a small price to pay when we consider that he may be wooed over to do not just a Fela part 2 but to actually tackle a High Life mix.

ENJOY!

Your Comments

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Robot

# 1 | 17.10.2008 00:47

Despite the presence of arguably the largest pool of Yoruba’s outside of Nigeria in the Salvador da Bahia area of Brazil, DJ Fenando speaks neither Yoruba nor pidgin making his feat even more impressive. His uncanny sense of rhythm and ear for music rewards us with one of the more original mixes of the year
...Read the full article.

Big-K

# 2 | 17.10.2008 01:36

	Suya, Wow!!..the best Fela mix I've listened to recently. Especially from around 20 mins mins onwards (The Jay-Z / Water no get enemy mix is simply brilliant!) ...I can't believe this guy wasn't familiar with Fela until now..

SUYA

# 3 | 17.10.2008 08:01

	K true to God U know music. Thats right were Antibalases (below) trumpets arrive's with the potency of my Fathers back hand slap. Ist is safe to say that Afro beat has a new pulse and its name is Antibalas.

bobokite bobokite is offline

# 4 | 17.10.2008 08:10

	very good mix. thanks.

perfect perfect is offline

# 5 | 17.10.2008 08:31

	Good mix:cool:

otito

# 6 | 17.10.2008 08:36

	What you sow ,you read, He sowed in pain - imagine someone who does not even speak his language taking his work to this level. Rest in peace OTITO

Ewuro

# 7 | 17.10.2008 10:43

	Big thanks. There are many bands playing Fela's type of music all over the world in the US, Canada, South America and Europe. In Austria the familykuti band is doing a great job of it. Type in 'familykuti' on YouTube for a taste! Fela did something unprecedented to music in general and to Africa in particular. Underpining his great achievement was BOLDNESS to challenge old values and a LOT OF HARDWORK. Fela was a perfectionist when it came to his music. He did not compromise on rehearsals. Several hours daily on his sax and Keyboards. He was hard on himself. Once a record was released he would not play it live. This puts a lot of pressure oh him to create more. He had a leverage and a past in his family and Egba roots. You can see that in all his siblings: Late Prof. Olikoye Ransome-Kuti, the former health minister and senior brother, and his junior brother Late Dr. Beko ransome Kuti. The activism and creativity of his first cousin, Wole Soyinka (mother is a Ransome-Kuti) is well known to all of us. They all imbibed the activism and creativity for which Egba are well known. This artistic spirit of the Egbas is revealed in many artistes from Abeokuta origin: Wole Soyinka(musical!), Fela, Tunji Oyelana, Ambrose Campbell,Yussuf Olatunji alias baba legba, Ebenezer Obey (fabiyi), Idowu Animashaun (Apola king), Prince adekunle, Ayinla Omowura,Sir Shina Peters and many more. I make bold to say that there is no town or city in Nigeria that has produced as many recorded artistes with varying degree of success. Ba wa! Ilu Egba oni baje. Ase! Fela's grandfather was recorded as an accomplished musician. So was his father. The father composed the Egba National Anthem, Lori Oke..... Egbas used to sing this instead of 'God hail the King/Queen' during empire days in the colonial era. The coloniast were irked by this and the indomitable spirits of the Egba. Fela, abami eda, anikulapo, held death in his pouch. He is alive and will live for ever through his music.

Ewuro

# 8 | 17.10.2008 11:18

	=ewuro;280355>big thanks. There are many bands playing fela's type of music all over the world in the us, canada, south america and europe. In austria the familykuti band is doing a great job of it. Type in 'familykuti' on youtube for a taste! Fela did something unprecedented to music in general and to africa in particular. Underpining his great achievement was boldness to challenge old values and a lot of hardwork. Fela was a perfectionist when it came to his music. He did not compromise on rehearsals. Several hours daily on his sax and keyboards. He was hard on himself. Once a record was released he would not play it live. This puts a lot of pressure oh him to create more. He had a leverage and a past in his family and egba roots. You can see that in all his siblings: Late prof. Olikoye ransome-kuti, the former health minister and senior brother, and his junior brother late dr. Beko ransome kuti. The activism and creativity of his first cousin, wole soyinka (mother is a ransome-kuti) is well known to all of us. They all imbibed the activism and creativity for which egba are well known. This artistic spirit of the egbas is revealed in many artistes from abeokuta origin: Wole soyinka(musical!), fela, tunji oyelana, ambrose campbell,yussuf olatunji alias baba legba,tunde nightingale, adeolu akinsanya, ebenezer obey (fabiyi), idowu animashaun (apola king), prince adekunle, ayinla omowura,sir shina peters and many more. I make bold to say that there is no town or city in nigeria that has produced as many recorded artistes with varying degree of success. Ba wa! Ilu egba oni baje. Ase! Fela's grandfather was recorded as an accomplished musician. So was his father. The father composed the egba national anthem, lori oke..... Egbas used to sing this instead of 'god hail the king/queen' during empire days in the colonial era. The coloniast were irked by this and the indomitable spirits of the egba. Fela, abami eda, anikulapo, held death in his pouch. He is alive and will live for ever through his music. x x

tengallons tengallons is offline

# 9 | 17.10.2008 11:35

	Just listened to the whole mix. Straight up and down, this mix is on point! Thank you Suya and thank you DJ Fenando. Most of all, THANK YOU FELA. In terms of projecting Nigeria, Fela has done more than all the career diplomats and ministers of foreign affairs put together. My my my, what a feeling...

SUYA

# 10 | 17.10.2008 11:50

	I make bold to say that there is no town or city in nigeria that has produced as many recorded artistes with varying degree of success. Ba wa! Ilu egba oni baje. Ase! Um arguably Aba may have more.....but sometimes volume does not translate into "success". Fela bar none is and was the Sun of African Music. Till today everyone else borrows his light, just in various forms.

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