Alma Afrobeat Ensemble - Stolen Sessions

Alma Afrobeat Ensemble provides a jazzy and energetic hip-hop inflected version of Afrobeat music, a polyrhythmic blend of funk and protest, dance and social commentary. The Alma Afrobeat Ensemble started in New Orleans then moved toChampaign-Urbana, Illinois, and later transeferred to Chicago. The band began as a celebration of the music of Fela Kuti, encompassing world class musicians from the music school at UIUC. Due to the success, band leader Aaron Feder started composing tunes and brought the band to the next level. The band quickly became a favorite around central Illinois, playing frequent gigs at the Cowboy Monkey, often times with lines around the corner. The band received major radioplay from WEFT radio in Champaign, in addition to in studio recordings and interviews. Gigs at the JayTV/Jam Productions owned Canopy Club followed, highlighted by an Afrobeat celebration with Chicago Afrobeat Project. Shortly afterwards the band played the Summer Camp festival in Chillicothe, IL, and continued playing gigs in Chicago, including the Kinetic Playground and regular appearances at Morseland. In August 2006, Aaron Feder moved to Barcelona to study with John Kwame Adzraku, a Ghanaian high-life/afrobeat musician who has spent time at the Shrine in Nigeria, and even shared the stage with Fela Kuti on multiple occasions. Upon Aaron’s move, the band has settled into a schedule of shows twice a year, summer and winter, in Chicago and Champaign-Urbana. Since Aaron’s move, highlights include playing Millennium Park as part of the 2007 Illinois Great Performers’ Festival, as well as the Chicago Cultural Center in 2008.

AAbE fully recognizes and accepts the social role that Afrobeat and World music entail, and have played multiple benefit shows, including Shelter From the Storm benefit to ReNew Orleans, the band Goat-a-Palooza, benefit to help rural African families, as well as the Zimbabwe Rural School Fund, and shows supporting the Independent Media Center in Urbana, and the Leftist Lounge in Chicago.

Aaron Feder- “Tenor” guitar/band leader/composer. A lifelong musician, Aaron began serious study with Don Tisch, M.A. and protégé of the legendary Fareed Haque, and is band leader for the Kwame Afrovibes in Barcelona, where he studies with John Kwame Adzraku from Ghana, and Joseph Fermin from Ecuatorial Guinea.

Source @ myspace.com



Tracklist

01. Live Na Yeye
02. Taskmaster
03. Mali
04. Nu School
05. Own World
06. South Africa


The disc can be downloaded for free at their homepage!!!