The SoulJazz Orchestra Gets Jazzier with Rising Sun
16 Feb 2010 02:24 PM / Filed in: Music
During the last few years the Afrobeat musical genre, which was created back in 1960s by Fela Kuti and fellow drummer Tony Allen, has garnered quite a lot of attention and numerous bands have sprung up to take the flame of that really interesting genre that blends Jazz and Funk higher up. The SoulJazz Orchestra is certainly one of the most interesting bands out there nowadays.
In early 2008 I blogged about Insurrection, a very groovy song featured in the SoulJazz Orchestra. Back then, I dared to write:
I've never heard something as innovative in the Afrobeat landscape as Insurrection, save for Antibalas. It has a very Funky tone made of an elaborate intertwinement of African and Occidental Drums with warm Saxophones. The Musical genre created by Fela Kuti is alive and kicking!
That same year, the band released another album, Manifesto. I blogged about that one as well and my words were dithyrambic:
They have recently released a new album called Manifesto and I think it’s even better than Freedom Go No Die. This album is actually redefining Afrobeat in my humble opinion. The Afrobeat landscape has exploded in the last few years. Seun and Femi Kuti, sons of the late Fela, released amazing albums. While Seun kept the sound rather close to the original Afrobeat, Femi intertwined it with Jazz. But when it comes to innovation, musicality and an excellent sense of Funk, The SoulJazz Orchestra is the top dog.
A few days ago, I heard that they were releasing a new album, Rising Sun and I finally got it yesterday. Yesterday? Well, you may think that it isn't enough time to review an album. Mind you, I spent almost all evening and my morning commuting time listening to it. And guess what? OK, that ain't hard... I just dig it!
The SoulJazz Orchestra continues to surprise me as this album is more jazzier than the previous releases, more grounded and laid-back with the occasional explosiveness I've witnessed while listening to their previous releases sprinkled here and there.
While Agbara and Negus Negast are amazingly groovy, Lotus Flower and Serenity are very fine pieces of Jazz and dot not really sound like Afrobeat. They remind me of Build An Ark. The remaining songs are somewhere in between. This is a very welcome diversity.
All in all, Rising Sun is a very strong release, a release that has more soul in it and less just-groove-till-the-end-of-night attitude that makes you vibrate but only for a short period. Rising Sun is here to stay!
You can listen to song samples on the band's official website. You can also watch this official videoclip of Agbara:
In early 2008 I blogged about Insurrection, a very groovy song featured in the SoulJazz Orchestra. Back then, I dared to write:
I've never heard something as innovative in the Afrobeat landscape as Insurrection, save for Antibalas. It has a very Funky tone made of an elaborate intertwinement of African and Occidental Drums with warm Saxophones. The Musical genre created by Fela Kuti is alive and kicking!
That same year, the band released another album, Manifesto. I blogged about that one as well and my words were dithyrambic:
They have recently released a new album called Manifesto and I think it’s even better than Freedom Go No Die. This album is actually redefining Afrobeat in my humble opinion. The Afrobeat landscape has exploded in the last few years. Seun and Femi Kuti, sons of the late Fela, released amazing albums. While Seun kept the sound rather close to the original Afrobeat, Femi intertwined it with Jazz. But when it comes to innovation, musicality and an excellent sense of Funk, The SoulJazz Orchestra is the top dog.
A few days ago, I heard that they were releasing a new album, Rising Sun and I finally got it yesterday. Yesterday? Well, you may think that it isn't enough time to review an album. Mind you, I spent almost all evening and my morning commuting time listening to it. And guess what? OK, that ain't hard... I just dig it!
The SoulJazz Orchestra continues to surprise me as this album is more jazzier than the previous releases, more grounded and laid-back with the occasional explosiveness I've witnessed while listening to their previous releases sprinkled here and there.
While Agbara and Negus Negast are amazingly groovy, Lotus Flower and Serenity are very fine pieces of Jazz and dot not really sound like Afrobeat. They remind me of Build An Ark. The remaining songs are somewhere in between. This is a very welcome diversity.
All in all, Rising Sun is a very strong release, a release that has more soul in it and less just-groove-till-the-end-of-night attitude that makes you vibrate but only for a short period. Rising Sun is here to stay!
You can listen to song samples on the band's official website. You can also watch this official videoclip of Agbara:
I've also found Negus Negast on YouTube.
EDITED TO ADD: I forgot to mention that they are going to be in concert at Le Cabaret Sauvage in Paris on April 15, 2010 and I'm going to be there ;-)