Seven Days: Vermont's Independent Voice

High-Energy Ensemble

They say the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Such is the case with Fela Kuti and his son Femi. The former, a musical icon known for introducing Afrobeat to the masses, was a hard act to follow — but that didn’t stop Femi. After playing saxophone alongside his father, he left in the 1980s to form his 13-member band, the Positive Force. While the Nigerian superstar’s parental influences are evident in his singing, instrumentation and commitment to social justice, his version of Afrobeat incorporates jazz, funk and hip-hop, creating a sound all his own.