Chicago Afrobeat Project – Chicago Afrobeat Project (CabP)
Reviewed by Sadie O., 8/24/06
Massive Afro-jazz orchestra, plenty of funk and percussion, and I swear some of the coolest horns I’ve EVER heard. Will appeal to jazz buffs and funk nuts – not much is specifically and solely “African.” Think Herbie Hancock meets Manu Dibango (although they give shouts out to Fela Kuti primarily.) Some of the proceeds go to Journalists Against AIDS Nigeria, one of the worst-hit countries.
No FCCs – all instrumentals except track 6, which SOUNDS like it’s got an FCC but it ain’t. No favorites – they’re all killer.
1. Starts with scratchy vinyl noises and jazzy horns, then into uptempo afrobeat jazz. Repetitive guitar riff makes for sort of high energy trance groove. Plenty of funk, though – think Soul Makossa. Bit of handdrumming at end slides right into next track.
2. starts with handdrums, talking drum. Cool! Uptempo and energetic, great horns, funky wahwah guitar.
3. chanting and talking drum, sweet bit of kora in addition to the usual funky horns and keyboards. Still uptempo, but more mellow than previous tracks. LONG fade.
4. somewhat mellow midtempo hipswiveler, sick cool horns. Devolves and pops back together again in mid-song.
5. song builds slowly from various elements, slightly uptempo funk, lots of changes, battling wahwah pedals!
6. Drumline! Talking drums and hip hop raps. Hey hip hop DJs! This is HOT! (“young bucks” sounds like FCC you-know-what..)
7. uptempo and complex, sweet jazzy groove.