Fela Kuti/Ginger Baker: Live! [KNITTING FACTORY]

Why you'll love it

Knitting Factory's reissue comes with a Fela poster and liner notes. Rolling Stone named Live! one of the 50 greatest live albums of all time, and it sits in 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.

This edition

• Poster included
• Liner notes included
• Stereo mix

About the album

Ginger Baker didn't just turn up for this one; the former Cream drummer had driven into Africa in a Land Rover to learn its rhythms, a trip filmed for Tony Palmer's Ginger Baker in Africa. By the time he sat in with Fela Ransome-Kuti and the Africa '70 in London on July 25, 1971, he knew exactly what he was walking into.

Producer Jeff Jarratt recorded the band live at EMI Studios, now Abbey Road, and the four tracks stretch out to between eight and fourteen minutes each. "Let's Start" and "Black Man's Cry" lock into Tony Allen's endlessly rolling groove, with Fela on Hammond organ and electric piano and a horn section of Tunde Williams, Igo Chiko and Lekan Animashaun riding on top. Baker joins for "Ye Ye De Small" and "Egbe Mi O," two great drummers circling each other while the congas, sticks and shekere keep the whole thing spinning.

It came out that August on EMI and has stood as one of the great Afrobeat documents ever since. Paul McCartney's Wings were recording Wild Life in the studio next door at the time, which must have made for a lively queue at the kettle.

Also at Kops: more Fela Kuti on vinyl · browse World

Tracklist

Listen

On Knitting Factory / Regal Zonophone (cat# KFR2003-1), a reissue of the 1971 live album.