Fresh off the mighty From Africa With Fury: Rise, Seun Anikulapo Kuti heads up Egypt 80, the extraordinary Afrobeat Orchestra first fronted by his renowned father. The album was not only praised for continuing the musical legacy of his father, Fela Kuti, but also because Seun found his own idiosyncratic voice as songwriter, singer, and band leader, its songs and sonic approach marked by provocative edge and mature self-assurance. Production was provided by the legendary Brian Eno, John Reynolds, Godwin Logie, and Kuti himself. The four worked in unison to masterfully capture Seun and Egypt 80’s extraordinary power, fraught with the scorching rhythms and kinetic funk energy that has earned the band – as ever, under the leadership of musical director/keyboardist Lekan Animashaun – worldwide acclaim as one of today’s most incendiary live acts. With Kuti’s booming vocal stylings at the forefront, songs like “African Soldiers” and “Mr. Big Thief” are fueled by call-and-response hooks, breakneck tempos, and combative, topical lyricism which firmly sets the classic Egypt 80 sound in the modern era.
Born in 1983, Seun first began performing with Egypt 80 at the age of nine, warming up audiences with renditions of his father’s songs. After Fela’s death in 1997, Seun stepped up to the front of the band, leading the celebrated combo as both lead vocalist and saxophonist. While his father’s influence cannot be understated, Kuti was determined to cut his own distinctive musical path, incorporating contemporary influences into the traditional Afrobeat approach.
After a whirlwind summer 2011 tour, Seun Kuti and Egypt 80 return this spring on a mammoth cross country tour – taking in 30+ dates across the breadth and width of the US – distinguished by the variety of venues and events in the tour schedule, with shows in the clubs, theaters, performing arts centers and the spring’s biggest festivals: SXSW, Coachella, New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Fest, Houstin I-Fest, International Festival of Louisiana, Lake Eden Arts Festival and many more.
Brian Eno hailed Seun and Egypt 80 for “making some of the biggest, wildest, livest music on the planet.” While the amazing horns, rhythms, and chants of Egypt 80 are bound to excite listeners young and old, it is Seun’s larger than life soul that is certain to touch the hearts and minds of all who meet him. Together, Seun and Egypt 80 deliver a musical punch of the most incredible force. Audiences are sure to feel adrenaline rush.
Tour Dates:
3/15 – SXSW – Austin, TX
3/16 – Neumo’s – Seattle, WA
3/17 – Mt. Tabor Theater – Portland, OR
3/18 – W.O.W. Hall – Eugene, OR
3/21 – Center for the Arts – Grass Valley, CA
3/23 – Moe’s – Santa Cruz, CA
3/24 – Mateel Cultural Center – Redway, CA
3/28 – Belly Up – Aspen, CO
3/29 – Boulder Theater – Boulder, CO
3/30 – Granada Theater – Lawrence, KS
3/31 – Englert Theater – Iowa City, IA
4/1 – House of Blues – Chicago, IL
4/4 – Variety – Atlanta, GA
4/5 – Duke Performances – Durham, NC
4/6- Soundstage – Baltimore, MD
4/7 – Club Helsinki – Hudson, NY
4/8 – Highline Ballroom – New York, NY
4/12 – UW Madison – Madison, WI
4/13 – Rhythm Foundation – Miami, FL
4/14 – The Cedar – Minneapolis, MN
4/15 – Coachella – Indio, CA
4/16 – Campbell Hall – Santa Barbara, CA
4/18 – UC San Diego – San Diego, CA
4/19 – Zellerbach Hall – Berkeley, CA
4/20 – UCLA Royce Hall – Los Angeles, CA
4/22 – Coachella – Indio, CA
4/24 – KTAOS Solar Center – Taos, NM
4/25 – Albuquerque Museum Amphitheater – Albuquerque, NM
4/27 – New Orleans Jazz Festival – New Orleans, LA
4/29 – Houston International Festival – Houston, TX
5/2 – House of Blues – New Orleans, LA
5/13 – Lake Eden Arts Festival – Black Mountain, NC
