Antibalas (Spanish for "bulletproof") is a Brooklyn-based afrobeat band that is modeled after Fela Kuti's Africa 70 band and Eddie Palmieri's Harlem River Drive Orchestra. Although their music uses afrobeat musical architecture and language, it incorporates elements of jazz, funk, dub, improvised music, and traditional drumming from Cuba and West Africa.
Founded in 1998 by Martín Perna as "Conjunto Antibalas", the group first performed on May 26, 1998 at St. Nicks Pub in Harlem at a poetry night organized by renowned visual artist Xaviera Simmons. Over the course of the next few months, the group solidified with a core of eleven band members and expanded their repertoire of original songs. For the first year of the group's existence, they performed exclusively at non-commercial venues such as block parties, lofts, and public parks, before securing a Friday night residency at the now-defunct NoMoore in August 1999. Called Africalia!, the residency lasted from August 1999-April 2001, when the club was shut down by fire officials during the Giuliani administration's crackdown on nightclubs and cabarets. Guitarist and producer/engineer Gabriel Roth wrote several of the earlier tunes and oversaw recording and production of the first three records.
Over the next few years, the band's presence grew; by summer 2000 Antibalas had released their first album "Liberation Afrobeat Vol. 1" and had toured twice in England, all the while continuing to play at venues throughout New York City. Recording with the group in the early day was Cameroonian drummer Jojo Kuo who can be heard on the studio recordings of "Uprising" and "Machete."
By early 2002, the horn-driven outfit had released their second album, "Talkatif," and were continuing to tour throughout the United States. In summer 2004, their third studio album, "Who is This America?" was released. Antibalas' most recent album, "Security", was produced by John McEntire and released on the ANTI- label in 2007.
Antibalas has performed in 23 countries, from Japan to Turkey to Portugal, and throughout New York City, from Central Park Summerstage to the Rikers Island prison facility.
The group has received guest visits from several musicians from Fela Kuti's Afrika 70 and Egypt 80 bands, including Tony Allen (drums), Femi Kuti (alto sax), Seun Kuti (tenor sax), Tunde Williams (trumpet), Oghene Kologbo (guitar), Nicolas Addey (congas), Dele Sosimi (keyboards), Ola Jagun (drums/percussion), and Jojo Kuo (drums) among others.
In the summer of 2008, Antibalas was featured off-Broadway in Fela!, a musical celebrating the life of Fela Kuti. The group arranged and performed the show's score of music originally performed by Kuti. In the fall of 2009, Fela! opened on Broadway at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre, once again with Antibalas
Band * Stuart D. Bogie -- Tenor Saxophone (2002-) * Martin Perna -- Baritone Saxophone (1998-) * Jordan McLean -- Trumpet, Flugelhorn * Eric Biondo -- Trumpet * Aaron Johnson -- Trombone (2000-) * Victor Axelrod -- Organ, Electric Pianos, Clavinet, Electric Celeste, Synthesizers * Luke O'Malley -- Guitar * Marcos J. Garcia -- Guitar, Vocals * Nick Movshon -- Bass * Chris Vatalaro -- Drums * Duke Amayo -- Vocals, Congas * Marcus Farrar -- Shekere, Vocals
Albums * Liberation Afrobeat Vol. 1 (2000, Afrosound, reissued by Ninja Tune in 2001) * Talkatif (2002, Ninja Tune) * Who is This America? (2004, Ropeadope Records; Daptone) * Security (2007, ANTI-; Daptone)
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THANK YOU DAPTONE GOLD!!
GadSammit 6 months ago