Cityzen.tv: Live Review- Femi Kuti w/ Brazilian Girls (CPSS)

World Sounds Bring
New Yorkers Together
The Brazilian Girls and Femi Kuti

The line outside the venue was long, but moved quickly. As Brazilian Girls took their places on Central Park's SummerStage, the sun was fighting its way through the clouds, offering concertgoers a brief respite from the gloom of the day. Before the first song had a chance to finish, the sun had already retreated, and the rain began again.

The Brazilian Girls sound can best be described as a fusion of trip-hop groove, languid South American lounge and modern French Jazz. Quirky lead singer Sabina Scuibba appeared wearing a white hat resembling a birds nest and a white gown. Her voice was soulful with a Bjork-like tinge of youth. Scuibba chanted a French rap song with her romantic drawl, and the entire crowd began to dance in the rain. The Brazilian Girls ended their set with crowd pleaser “Pussy,” before telling the entire crowd to get drunk and stoned.

The rain stopped once more before Femi Anikulapo Kuti and band hit the stage to deliver their signature Nigerian Afrobeat. Progeny of one of the forefathers of the genre, Fela Kuti, Femi's take on the sonic palate blends jazz, jamming, and symphonic soul with a stiring rhythm section pounding out African dance beats. Femi had dancers and background singers on the stage wearing green grass skirts. In fact, at times the entire band began dancing with their instruments. The energy level was as high as I’d ever seen, and spread like an infectious disease to the entire crowd.

The organ, drum, and sax played a major role in the performance, even though the vocals were a bit monotonous; almost an afterthought. His lyrics stress unity and progress, and his performance was designed to bring the entire audience together with the beat. Watching him perform was magical, as Femi’s entire body vibrated on the stage. There is nothing that can compete with Femi's vitality in the myriad musical offerings available today.

The third generation of the Kuti family to follow in the footsetps of the legendary statesman is Femi’s young son who took to the stage with sax in hand to lend support to his father. The best parts of the performance were the gorgeous saxaphone solos. Femi played the soprano sax, and another band member played a baritone sax. The crowd was mesmerized – even during the slower solos. These solos showed off Femi’s superior technical skill and the vast musical knowledge fueling his artistry.

Femi would be the complete package, were it not for his slightly weak vocal skills. However, most of the songs are not lyrically-oriented. The beats were solid and the energy was enough to keep the crowd packed solid on a rainy Sunday in Central Park.

Femi played booty-shaking music, and the crowd felt the rhythm. I recommend catching a Femi performance the next time he comes into town. Remember to bring your dancing shoes – you will need them.