Doubling as a platform for activism, the music of Fela Kuti was a unique blend of jazz, funk, and African influences. Performed by an African big-band of unusual instrumentation, Fela’s music rolled out in an extended, hypnotic fashion. His political vocals fell somewhere between melody and musical speech. While the Afrobeat music of Nigeria’s Fela Kuti remains singularly unique, it typically fails to gain deserved attention in the world of modern-day performance.

The Music of Fela Kuti Comes to Life project was funded by the University of Michigan MCubed research initiative, which encouraged collaboration of faculty between Ann Arbor, Flint, and Dearborn campuses.

Fela’s music was authentically recreated through the process of transcription, score production, and rehearsal, with a performing ensemble comprised of regional faculty and professional musicians, under the direction of Brian DiBlassio.

The culminating performance took place at The Ark in Ann Arbor, Michigan on December 29th, 2022.