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Alma Afrobeat Ensemble

Alma Afrobeat here and around the world...

About Me


El Alma Afrobeat Ensemble (AAbE) empezó hace cuatro años en New Orleans, y después en Chicago, como un homenaje a la música de Fela Kuti para demostrar la influencia multiétnica y mundial que había aportado este mago místico del funk, jazz, y high life. Originalmente instrumental, el grupo en su versión actual tiene la suerte de tener a John Kwame Adzraku tocando la batería y cantando en algunas canciones también. Kwame, como es conocido en el escenario, conoció e incluso pasó tiempo con Fela en The Shrine en Nigeria, la casa del legendario Fela, y también compartió el escenario con él en algunas ocasiones.
La historia reciente del grupo es que el fundador, líder y compositor del grupo, Aarón Feder, se mudó para Barcelona en búsqueda de un entorno en el cual pudiera seguir su afán de practicar y estudiar más la música Afrobeat. Después de tres días en Barcelona, conoció a Kwame y formaron varios grupos juntos. Aarón siempre tenía la idea de combinar su grupo de Chicago (AAbE) con gente en Barcelona, uniendo los tres continentes (África, Norte América y Europa) bajo la bandera del Afrobeat y el principio de justicia social a través de la música.
En la versión del Afrobeat que toca el AAbE, la improvisación figura prominentemente. La comunicación musical es sumamente importante, pero siempre con el fin de que el público esté bailando primero y pensando después.
Los músicos actuales son:
Aarón Feder (de Chicago)- guitarra “tenor”
José Molonqwa Efeme (de Guinea Ecuatorial)- guitarra
Kwame Adzraku (de Ghana)- batería
Gustavo “Tato” Sassone (de Argentina)- percusión
Fernando “Dinki” Redondo (de las Canarias)- bajo
Lucila Ciocoletto (de Argentina/Chicago)- saxofón
Audun Waage (de Noruega/Chicago)- trompeta
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My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 2/19/2006
Band Members:
Alma Afrobeat Ensemble provides a jazzy, energetic, and instrumental 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.
Influences: Everyone from Fela Kuti to Miles Davis, West African Music to East African Music, funk and soul, improvisation and orchestration. You can hear traces of Santana as well as James Brown, 70's Funk from Mali, and hip-hop and dance music.
Sounds Like: From Jambase.com, about Summer Camp 2006: http://www.jambase.com/headsup.asp?storyID=8616"...the pulsating rhythms and screaming horns of the Alma Afrobeat Ensemble from Champaign, IL. Many bands claim the Afrobeat title without really coming through with an authentic sound, but this beefy band of five horns, keys, two guitars and three drummers/percussionists tears through...like a thresher."
Record Label: what, what, what?
Type of Label: None

My Blog

entrevista en radio 3

today Aaron did an interview on Radio 3, a national radio station in Spain, pretty much the only cool station in the country! so check it out from 8-9 pm on friday on the program "en un mundo feliz"!...
Posted by Alma Afrobeat Ensemble on Tue, 15 Jul 2008 04:18:00 PST

Alma Afrobeat en El Pais

Miren este artículo sobre el Verano Afrobeat en España, incluyendo el Alma Afrobeat Ensemble! http://www.elpais.com/articulo/Tendencias/Africa/estado/ment al/elpeputdc/20080712elpepitdc_2/Tes...
Posted by Alma Afrobeat Ensemble on Mon, 14 Jul 2008 04:10:00 PST

techmology

So, AAbE goes internet...interesting...anyone care?
Posted by Alma Afrobeat Ensemble on Wed, 22 Feb 2006 11:28:00 PST