|
"Take these feelings you have in here into the outside world. Take these feelings and bring them to your family and friends and neighbors and co-workers. Spread these feelings that you have right now to everyone outside, so that we may no longer have fear, fear of each other and fear of the world around us." - Martin C-Perna
Antibalas, translated literally means Anti-bullets. The bullets of fear, complacency; the bullets of ignorance and apprehension, these bullets will never penetrate the skin. Antibalas shall not be penetrated and neither shall those who share in their spirit and their soul. Messages of awareness and inner-consciousness sent forth by this fourteen-piece revolutionary force come from deep inside the heart, such as the one on this night from baritone player and bandleader Martin "Doctor" C-Perna. Realism and perceptibility are the foundation of his words, stated so everyone may follow and listen and learn.
"We must stop those who bank on our fears. The ones who make locks and train Doberman Pinschers to bite us, the ones who build prisons, implementing a modern form of slavery in this country. We must build ourselves a world without fear." These words and ideas come from "WWF - World Without Fear," a gliding Afrobeat number illustrating the sensational music of Antibalas and their distinct tribute to the musical movement founded by Fela Anikulapo-Kuti as he became exposed to America’s Black Power Movement. Combining elements of James Brown style funk breaks, African "highlife" dance rhythms and jazz, Fela fathered this musical movement powered by a strong ideological force of political awareness and accountability. Antibalas is guided by these philosophies, these words and the messages they speak. They have a formidable strength about them, certain facets of their manner separating them from the rest of the musical world, the weight of their message.
An Antibalas show is unparalleled. It may be recommended to sleep until 2 pm the previous day before hitting a show, and one can be sure that you will be sleeping ‘til 2 the next day. In the personification of Fela’s movement, in which the shortest recorded song is nine-and-a-half minutes, Antibalas songs may incur twenty minutes in length with sets only containing maybe five songs. But there is no stopping, no matter how tired or winded or dehydrated, you will move this. The band’s energy is without equal, often wearing out the audience well before a call of encore is made. The spirit is alive.
On this, the final night of a some-seven week run at the Wetlands where the band had maybe a few days off in the last two months, there was a fire of anticipation about the room. Taking the stage, the band filled the air with the beauty and serenity of Afrobeat rhythm. "WWF-World Without Fear" spoke of such a thing often blocked put of the mind because of the status quo, but those who believe and carry those beliefs with them everywhere shall succeed in achieving a truly free world. Paying tribute to their g-dfather, Fela’s "Man Miss Road" telling the tale of a man who misses his opportunity in life during which the band invokes a call and response from the Wetlands listeners, getting them up to get involved. Completing the first set with "Nesta," an especially groovy track with hip-hop inspiration compelling thoughts of Bill Withers. The second set began with Martin letting the band know to keep the vibe and tempo up, and they did just that. "Resurrection of Courage" fused traditional Afrobeat with a JB’s break hitting all the hips in the room. A cover of Fela’s "Colonial Mentality" invoked another call and response session with Amayo, the enigmatic conga player and vocalist. A weary and elated audience called for more, and the band took the stage for the last time (until two weeks from now when they play a day show at Pier 54 in Brooklyn). Martin wants it fast and funky and starts the count. The band explodes into "Musicawa Silt" a number off the Daktari record on the Desco label of which Martin was a member. The hard Afrobeat styles of this number was a perfect finale, the band was explosive and the crowd was floored, the perfect Antibalas experience.
Never has one heard the funkiest three-note rhythms or the hardest three-note trumpet solo. Space is essential to the Antibalas sound as the cyclical progressions move forward, the ostinato of the guitar and bass lines hold down the foundation for blaring horn solos and spoken word. Mirroring cultural gatherings and religious ceremonies, the spirit is raised far above and inspiration is found within. Antibalas is the key.
Stay aware of what is being created around you and be attentive to all that is occurring, this is a message that Antibalas sends to you. For the residents of NYC, there is a project to develop a garden area into low-income housing, then condos,says Martin. The band is opposing the development of this housing project in favor of the gardens and brought petitions to fight the developers to the Wetlands last night. They hope to not only move your body, but to move your mind as well. Make yourself part of this experience, become aware and conscious of the world and your fellow peoples and what is involving them because it involves you too. This world is OURS to love and to share and make better for US. Antibalas carries this message in a musical tradition supported by a their truth addiction to make it known to all.
Rob Krevolin
JamBase New York Correspondent
Go See Live Music!
|
