Femi Kuti
Day by Day
£12.99
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Seun Kuti
Many Things
£12.99
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Tomorrow is the climax of the Felabration festival in Lagos, where western and African stars will be joining the celebrations of the life of Nigeria's legendary rebel and Afrobeat star, Fela Kuti. His sons Femi and Seun will both be taking part, and both have new albums showing how they have developed their father's style. Femi's offering is the most distinctive, simply because he has begun to develop his own form of afrobeat, mixing light, sturdy melodies with funk and jazz. It's been seven years since his last studio set, and his keyboard and brass work has massively improved. Best of all is Do You Know, a thoughtful, personal and gently funky tribute to his American jazz heroes - and to his father. Seun Kuti's set, recorded with members of his father's last band, features a punchy mix of tight brass lines, line-and-response vocals and angry lyrics. Rousing stuff, even if much of it sounds like a slick imitation of Fela.
