Upcoming Gigs:
6/21/2013 SHRINE w/ The Sol Power All Stars @ Tropicalia
7/12/2013 Elikeh w/ The Sol Power Allstars @ Rock and Roll Hotel
8/2/2013 SHRINE w/ Special Guest RICH MEDINA @ Tropicalia
Stylus.Meistro.Deep Sang with Hermon Farahi on percussionThe Sol Power All-Stars are twice-monthly residents at Tropicalia in Washington, DC
Booking:
info [at] solpowerdc [dot] com
Video reblogged from Dynamic Africa with 17 notes
On this day, October 15th, 1938, the late Fela Anikulapo Kuti was born in Abeokuta, Ogun State, in south-western Nigeria.
Today, we remember his life and the power of his music through this pivotal documentary, Music is the Weapon.
Let the FELABRATION begin!
Sol Power All-Stars vs. Rich Medina / Jump N Funk THIS SATURDAY @ ESL
If you like all things Afrobeat (and beyond), Eighteenth Street Lounge is the place to be this Saturday. Sol Power All-Stars will hold down the Main Room while Rich Medina’s Jump N Funk, his Fela Kuti tribute party, will run the Gold Room. Start loosening up those tight ham strings. It’ll be a sweaty one.
Top Ten Sol Power Joints #2: Cousin Culo - Enemies Get No Water
Fela’s classic, “Water No Get Enemy,” has been remixed and re-edited quite a few times, but at Sol Power, Cousin Culo’s moombahton reigns supreme. It’s one of those crossover jams that everyone likes. Mainstream crowds love it as much as the heads. In the two years since Cousin Culo (aka Cousin Cole) made this, I think we’ve played it at almost every Sol Power. You can scoop the release here from DJ Sabo’s Sol Selectas label, and check the SC player below…
Top Ten All-Time Sol Power Joints: #5 Luisito Quintero - Gbagada, Gbagada, Gbogodo, Gbogodo (Louie Vega EOL Mix)
#5 Luisito Quintero - Gbagada, Gbagada, Gbogodo, Gbogodo (Louie Vega EOL Mix)
There’s so much I could say about this record, but none of it can really describe what it feels like to ease it into a mix and envelop a dancefloor with it. When I drop this, it’s a signal that I’m in a zone.
There’s more to this 12 minute slice of afro-house perfection than how it rocks a party, and you know we’re all about context over here. “Gbagada Gbagada Gbogodo Gbogodo” was originally recorded by Fela Kuti and derived from a Nigerian folk song. He even says so in the lyrics, recreated exceptionally well by vocalist Francis Mbappe on percussionist Luisito Quintero’s cover version.
Quintero’s cover hews pretty close to the original, until Louie Vega got his hands on it to apply his impeccable remixing touch. With his band Elements of Life, Vega transformed “Gbagada” into a deep, sexy, churning house burner with bubbling keys and rolling percussion. You can get it at the usual spots (Amazon, iTunes) or head over to Traxsource for all of the versions to add to your DJ tool kit.
Video with 1 note
Chris “Daddy” Dave, aka Young Tony Allen grooving on Fela’s “Zombie”.
