FELA! Heads to Broadway

A little over a year ago, a musical called FELA! premiered off-Broadway in New York City. Featuring choreography by Bill T. Jones and musical arrangements by Aaron Johnson and members of New York-based Afrobeat ensemble Antibalas (members of which also appear in the musical), FELA! tells the story of the life and music of Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti.

The off-Broadway production of FELA! was received so well by audiences and critics alike that it is now making the big move to Broadway. Opening for previews at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre on October 19, the show officially opens November 23. Visit the official FELA! website to learn more about tickets and other information.

In related news, Knitting Factory Records recently bought the rights to the entire Fela Kuti catalog, and is in the process of remastering and releasing the whole shebang. As a predecessor to those releases (which begin with a reissue of Black President on October 27), the Knitting Factory is sponsoring a string of "Felabrations" throughout the country, which began on October 12 - check the Giant Step Media website to see if there's one in your city.

The moral of this story? Fela Kuti is about to be a very big name. If you already know the broader points of his life story and can discuss his music with a certain amount of authority, you're a big step ahead of a lot of people. If you're behind on that stuff, quick! Catch up! You've still got a few days!