Fela Anikulapo Kuti: Army Arrangement

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Fela was brilliant. Band leader, singer, lyricist, xylophone player, keyboard player, sax player, creator of his own political party and candidate for the presidency of Nigeria.

He lived a huge life--huge with artistic glory, and huge with mistakes. But in many ways he's a hero to me: part Duke Ellington, part Rick James, part Thomas Sankara.

Some say that James Brown influenced him, but experts and witnesses claim that Brown's drummer copied the work of Tony Allen (Allenko), co-creator of Afrobeat and Fela's drum/percussion leader.

Enjoy "Army Arrangement." Typical brilliant Fela.

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