A new film on the life of Nigerian Afrobeat musician Fela Anikulapo Kuti is set to hit UK cinemas tomorrow. Directed by Academy Award winner Alex Gibney, the film follows the historic journey of Fela! as the first Broadway musical to make its way to Nigeria, combined with archive performance and interview footage of the man himself. Fela’s family, friends and bandmates are also interviewed as the film gives a broad overview of the life and times of the musical pioneer-turned-revolutionary, along with footage of preparations for the Fela! show’s opening at the Kuti family’s New Afrika Shrine, and at the large Eko Exhibition Centre in Lagos where the full production received a triumphant reception. Watch the trailer above.
The film has been preceded by this week’s release of the soundtrack and vinyl reissues of six classic albums. The double-disc Finding Fela soundtrack includes 15 tracks, with cuts from Fela’s groups including Nigeria 70, Africa 70, Egypt 80 and Koola Lobitos (dating back to his days as a student in London in the late 1950s). The album also includes an interpretation of ‘Zombie’ by the cast from the Fela! musical, and a previously unreleased live version of ‘Colonial Mentality’, recorded at the New Afrika Shrine by the cast and featuring Fela’s son Femi Kuti on saxophone.
Also out now are individual vinyl reissues of the albums Live!, with Ginger Baker, Confusion, He Miss Road, Expensive Shit, Sorrow Tears And Blood and Teacher Don’t Teach Me Nonsense through Knitting Factory Records. The albums follow last year’s extensive reissue campaign of 50 original Fela albums on CD to mark what would have been his 75th year and all come with a download card. Watch a video for Sorrow Tears And Blood‘s title track below, and head to Knitting Factory’s shop to get hold of the records.
