Product Description

This extraordinary DVD features Nigeria s explosively charismatic superstar, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, at his very best in this historic concert DVD, entitled Fela in Concert, recorded live in Paris in 1981. Fela was not only the most celebrated African musician & composer of his time, but a revolutionary, cultural, and political symbol whose contributions were often overlooked in the Western world. This historic show was recorded in Paris in 1981 during an exclusive, all-night concert. Punctuated by the exotic and suggestive tribal dances and rituals performed on stage by 15 of Fela s wives, this exceptional event was captured by multiple cameras, enhancing this special DVD presentation!

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #30540 in DVD
• Brand: V.I.E.W. INC.
• Released on: 2001-10-30
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Color, Dolby, DVD, HiFi Sound, Live, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .25 pounds
• Running time: 57 minutes

Review
This video is an exceptional document of the live performance experience; if Fela decides to run a second time for President of Nigeria, this should be a mighty weapon in his arsenal! --Reggae & African Beat Magazine

Music Video, A Consumer’s Guide
***** indispensable record of the sound, fury and spectacle is Fela in performance…recommended whether you’ve seen him live or not.

Joe Blum, High Fidelity/ Mini-A-Tour
..Fela’s act is highly visual…Fela's someone Americans need to get familiar with,...video is the best way to his music.

Customer Reviews

Inspired performance, but poor recording quality
A great performance by Fela and the band, but I was seriously disappointed by this DVD. The earlier reviews are of the VHS version, which perhaps is a more forgiving format for a recording of this poor quality.

Yes the music is great, but the sound cuts in and out and the video looks murky. Also, the stage lighting is so dim that you can barely see the horn section, the background singers, or the percussion players. As a result, the cameras focus strictly on what is happening at the front of the stage, basically just Fela and the dancers. It makes the whole experience feel flattened and two-dimensional. You start wondering just what is going on back there in the dark.

Worth buying only as a historical artifact.

Being on DVD doesn't Help this weak sounding Fela Happening
How they could ever rerelease this great "video" release of an obviously great Fela show with the same audio problems. Makes this an extreme rip off for lovers of not only Fela,but for what the format of DVD can do to clean up hurting analog releases. I recomend the 1984 festival DVD and hope for some quality in the archives to be released soon.The 81 DVD is for extreme Fela lovers only. Trust Me, the audio will bum you out........

Transy Trippy Funky Afro Dance Grooves
Ever try to imagine whats going on on those tripped out FELA grooves...? When you listen, you imagine a tribal gathering, perhaps even war rally... with fire, dance, soulful rhythms, chief Fela at the helm... This is not far from the truth. While the video is set in 1981 Paris, the energy transcends all time places and cultures. - - Felas stage presence and charisma are mind blowing. Though the band often sounds like a symphony of chaos, great musical moments occur. The depth of Felas solos are easy to miss amidst the synergy. His dancers gyrate on the floor answering his vocalizing in unison... he prowls the stage bare chested with tribal face paints saxophone in hand - - dances, soloing, rarely standing still, the horns accenting the rhythms. - - This IS a FELA album brought to life and an opportunity to look into the eyes of a firey legend and see the sounds that were and are uniquely his and part of an era. Known as THE BLACK PRESIDENT and THE AFRICAN JAMES BROWN, for sure he lived up to his reputation on the night this video was shot. A MUST HAVE is an understatement.