Thursday 4 March 2010

8pm
Manning Bar

This 11 piece live afrobeat/funk/soul/latin band is simply one of the best live bands in the world and features eleven of the hottest and baddest musicians New York has to offer.

This is high energy, rhythmic, contagious and political music that turns your shoes into dancing machines and your hips into a frenzy. Antibalas has been a fixture at the crossroads of international music since their humble Brooklyn beginnings in 1998. As a group entity, they are largely responsible for reviving and innovating an obscure but dynamic style of music known as afrobeat, tirelessly spreading its gospel to over thirty countries around the world, from New York’s Rikers Island Prison to the stage of Carnegie Hall, from Tokyo to Turkey.

As collaborators, they have worked with artists such as Paul Simon, TV on the Radio, Baaba Maal, Burning Spear, Public Enemy, The Roots, Angelique Kidjo, Sinead O’Connor, and Medeski, Martin and Wood. In addition, members of Antibalas have made their imprint on recordings by Mark Ronson, Ornette Coleman, Amy Winehouse, Beck, The Foals, Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, and countless other bands from underground to multi-platinum, spanning the genres of funk, jazz, soul, rock, and experimental music. In 2009, members of Antibalas have arranged the music for, and are also performing on Broadway in FELA! a musical about the African icon and afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti.

Gilles Peterson is one of BBC1’s favourite presenters, with his blessing deeming an artist worldwide success. From humble beginnings as an acid jazz DJ to hosting one of the most popular radio shows worldwide, Gilles has been responsible for aiding the careers of many of the musicians around today.

In 2006 Gilles launched his most recent record labal ‘Brownswood Recordings’ after the street he used to live on. To date the label has released records by British singer/songwriter Ben Westbeech, 45 piece live act The Heritage Orchestra, Japanese punk jazz band Soil & Pimp Sessions, Brooklyn based pianist Elan Mehler, jazz vocalist José James, and two volumes of a soulful compilation album series called Brownswood Bubblers.

Releasing over 30 mixtape albums to date, Gilles Peterson is perhaps one of the most famous DJs on the planet, and is a regular feature at festivals all over the world.


http://www.antibalas.com/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006wq8d
http://www.gillespetersonworldwide.com/
http://www.nicheproductions.com.au/