Sunday, November 24, 2002

We went to see Femi Kuti, "Afro-beat star" (according to the Guardian), on Friday night. His performance was part of the London Jazz Festival. A bit odd to have West African acts as part of a jazz festival, but this has certainly been a multi-cultural event. The week before we saw Chuco Valdes, legendary Cuban pianist, and in another concert Faudel, French/Arab rai singer, with nojazz, dance jazz from France, in support. I'd never heard of Faudel before so was a bit surprised to see a whole load of French girlies in tow. The concert programme mentioned that he'd been described as a "one man boy band" and I could see why. He looked very young and the rest of the band were pretty anonymus session musicians. Although I quite like that quirky North African sound, I found Faudel too manufactured.

Femi Kuti was lively and bouncy (and preachy). He took time out to spout on about this that and the other. But, he was so overamplified it was sometimes difficult to make out what he was singing or saying. He was quoted in the Guardian yesterday about the Miss World fiasco in Nigeria.

I think I prefer Ali Farka Toure, Baaba Maal or Habib Koite. On the world music scene, we're going to see Salif Keita next year. I think it was probably his album produced by Joe Zawinul of Weather Report that was the first "world music" record that I really liked.

Tonght we're north of the river to see Will Oldham and Sparklehorse as part of the Further Beyond Nashville series at the Barbican. There seems to be a rash of "festivals" about all with pretty odd booking policies. Femi Kuit at a jazz festival? Sparklehorse at a country festival? Well, I don't mind. As long as we get to see good music.

:: Posted by pete @ 16:29