Open & Close/Afrodisiac

Fela Kuti

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 17, 2001)
• Original Release Date: July 17, 2001
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Mca
• ASIN: B00004XT21
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #9,009 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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  Music > World Music > Africa > Nigeria

Track Listings

1. Open and Close

2. Swegbe and Pako

3. Gbagada Gbagada Gbogodo Gbogodo

4. Alu Jon Jonki Jon

5. Jeun Ko Ku (Chop'n Quench)

6. Eko Ile

7. Je'nwi Temi (Don't Gag Me)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Glad to see a new reissue of this material, November 15, 2001

By	J. Christmas "joshua-one" (New Brunswick, NJ) - See all my reviews

I first heard the track "Open and Close" on WKCR (NYC/Columbia U.) on their late night soul, funk, and afro-beat program Night Train. I was just getting into Fela, and I was completely blown away by this particular track, which I still think contains some of Fela's best vocal work. Unfortunately, the album of the same name was only available on a fairly rare import reissue.

Now Open and Close appears together with the enormously funky album Afrodisiac (I don't remember what it formerly appeared with), and the pairing combines to make what is probably my favorite Fela disc. The horns are bright and fiery, the grooves are tight, and they range from super fast funk to molasses-slow grinds. When Amazon finally gets around to making an "Essential Fela" list (it's about time!), I recommend they include this.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I heard this music in the movie "The Visitor" and fell in love, May 31, 2008

By	R. Kyle (USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Unfortunately, there was only one drum number from this CD, Je'nwi Teni (Don't Gag Me) on the movie soundtrack. Since this recording was described as seminal, I grabbed the CD. The performances are from the 1970's and much of the music protests the conditions in Nigeria. The sound's very good

I don't pretend to be an expert on Fela Kuti, but I will say his music is inspiring, both joyous and powerful. You've got strong horns, organ, and drum rhythm with some singing in both Nigerian and English (Open and Close, specifically for the latter). Mr. Kuti lays down a fine groove whether it's sweet and slow or fast and hot.

If you love African music, drums, just plain good stuff, this CD is one you should listen to.

Rebecca Kyle, May 2008

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Kicks Out Some Serious Jams, August 8, 2005

By	Scott McFarland (Manassas, VA United States) - See all my reviews

The tunes on "Afrodisiac" are the older ones on here, they date back to just before 1971 when both of these albums were apparently recorded. The two on Side 1 are probably (I won't pretend I'm any type of authority on Fela - I'm just a beginner at this point) fairly typical of his early "Afrobeat" sound. They stay on the same chords and generate a boatload of tribal rhythmic intensity. Well-recorded, nothing wrong with them at all, good but not great music. But then the two tracks on Side 2 - holy cow! James Brown in space on amphetamine or something like that. Absolutely great, intense, imaginitive stuff.

"Open and Close"'s 3 tracks are of a similar level of quality and imagination (and intensity). Track 2 is the most amazing of the three; when Fela got those horns going on creative lines, there's nothing quite like his band. This probably is a good place to start investigating Fela's music. It's an extremly fine collection of music, and the sound on this reissue is clear and strong and beautiful.