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London Afrobeat Collective: Esengo
ByIt is now 27 years since Kuti passed and any Afrobeat worthy of the name still serves a political function, although the message has evolved and diversified as the music has spread out from Nigeria and become global. On a macro level, however, the message continues to be about liberation. And because one would have to be made of stone to fail to respond to its vibe, Afrobeat is still the perfect dancefloor music.
London Afrobeat Collective (LAC) has been spreading the message and lighting up dancefloors since 2010. The eight core musicians hail from England, France, Italy, Congo, Argentina and New Zealand and their take on Afrobeat is similarly rainbow hued. Lead singer Juanita Euka is from Congoshe is a niece of Franco Luambo, the godfather of Congolese rumbaand sings in Lingala and English. Opening track "Topesa Esengo Na Motema" translates as "Let us bring joy (esengo) to the heart" and blends Kuti's instrumental style with Luambo's Cuban-derived approach (see the video below). The song is dedicated to the freedom fighters who drove the Belgian colonialists out of Congo in 1960. Overall, the album tends to favor guitar rather than horn solos, possibly another echo of Luambo, arguably the finest African guitarist of his generation. In the ensemble sections, LAC's horns have classic Afrobeat's stabbing riffs down to a tee, and the solos, when we get them, are gritty.
LAC say their goal is to increase the positive energy in the world by making people dance. Esengo hits the spot.
Track Listing
Topesa Esengo Na Motema; My Way; Take Me To The Sea; Freedom; El Ritmo De Londres; De Kinshasa A Sono Bata.
Personnel
London Afrobeat Collective
band / ensemble / orchestraJuanita Euka
vocalsKlibens Michelet
saxophone, baritoneAndy Watts
trumpetAlex Szyjanowicz
guitar, electricAlex Farrell
bassJohn Mathews
bassGiuliano Osella
drumsRichie Sweet
percussionAdditional Instrumentation
Alex Farrell: guitar; John Mathews: bass (2-5); Luigi Casanova: bass (1, 6); Gareth Buckland: piano and organ (5); Pat Kenny: trombone (5); Edmund Swinburn: tenor saxophone (2, 4).
Album information
Title: Esengo | Year Released: 2024 | Record Label: Canopy Records
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About London Afrobeat Collective
Instrument: Band / ensemble / orchestra
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