Alternate Vision

Ever since I moved to Pittsburgh in August of last year, thanks to the incredible cost of shipping in this country and my preoccupation with being a professional student, I was separated from my djembe and all things percussive sadly. Atleast chap has been doing it justice in Boston which happens to be where I am now after a well deserved vacation in Nigeria.

Amidst fighting my jetlag, catching up with old friends and pretending to be productive while overdosing on gouda cheese I managed to make it to a six hour workshop with the Grandmaster Famoudou Konate from Guinea. Arguably one of the best percussionists in the world, this guru has the ability to transmit his passion for music like very few maestros of his caliber. Its all about his energy and presence in the room when armed with his djembe. It would make perfect sense ofcourse given that he was the lead drummer of Les Ballets Africains for over two decades. Here's an audio sample to give you a better send of what I am talking about. My body is sore but really the passion to drum has been rekindled in me all thanks to the genius that is Famoudou, especially since I will be taking good old kambala home toPittsburgh tomorrow. Bring the summer on biatch!

Friday 13th, October 2000

On an industrial wasteland of Ikeja, the historic quarter of the late Fela Anikulapo Kuti, it's the dawn of a new era of Afro-beat. Tonight, the new Africa Shrine is being inaugurated in an electric atmosphere of area boys, civilians, musicians and a small contingent of western journalists who have come to cover the event. And what an event this is - after the destruction of the Shrine a year and a half ago, in the mythical club where Fela accompanied the descent of the seventh largest oil power in the world to politico-economic hell - his eldest son is realising a risky dream: the conversion of a warehouse with freshly painted walls into the new temple of Nigerian protest-song... The original shrine in Pebble Street is no more, it's been converted into one of the evangelical churches Fela criticised throughout his lifetime.

On a newly constructed stage, beneath portraits of panAfricanist poets and heroes of Black Power, tonight Africa is witnessing the renaissance of Afro-beat. The new Africa Shrine is rising up, to prove that like the Yoruba proverb, the son of a tiger remains a tiger.

- Uncivilized world

The closest one can come to watching Fela himself. Priceless

Everyone asks about Jesse and how he is doing. And when I tell them he is short-shorting it in Cameroun, they laugh, smile and scream at the same time. Then they say they are not surprised and wish him well. Its rainy season here in Lagos which would be bad news if I were commuting. But if your chillaxing and sipping on chai or star beer most of the day while feasting and reading about Jack Kerouac's tales of bravardo in search of existential truths, then this is the ultimate weather for that. Chapman and I went nuts at the jazzhole yesterday - a quaint little music/book store that carries the best retro and contemporary global jazz music (am talking afro jazz to new age cuban jazz) along with an excuisite collection of books. Apparently, my father's company also boasts of being the largest NGO in all of the country. So I have decided to visit the oga in charge and learn more about their development initiatives, mostly in the rural areas. If we're lucky, we should be able to catch Femi live later this week at the shrine and Lagbaja too. I promised Ibrahim I would visit his school in Ikoyi and maybe attend his economics class too, time permitting ofcourse. Mr. Tanny is set to drop by tomorrow. Oh and I need to call the red cross in Lagos, since she was nice enough to hook me up with a contact for my little pet project. But first, a healthy dose of fresh suya. Its good to be home.

Yet another semester behind me. Many more to come it seems. As long as there is still juice in me, there ain't no stopping me. Off to the fatherland tomorrow. I could go for some fried yam and pepe stew. hell yes.

For too long I have been musically deprived. All that craving for pure clean, infectious live music was building up. Today, I was sated beyong belief. One of my all time favorite music to dance to - afrobeat. Even better, we were treated to live,brazilian influenced, afro-beat at the shadow lounge this evening.

Mifune, an up and coming afrobeat band from Cleveland, heavily influenced by Antibalas. I haven't danced like that in a long time. I could've gone on for a few more hours. Before that we heard Omega love -Nu Jazz mostly.

If your into afrobeat and can make it, you don't wanna miss the afrofest 2006 at the end of this month. Highlight there being kokolo (music on website is worth checking out).

The night ended with DJ selecta spinning some killer world music (house and hip-hop), the kind that keeps you on the floor till your kicked out, which we almost did.