| Fatai
Valentine & His Yankee FUJI Music Band
Photos by William
Farrington |
|
| If the Bowery Poetry club were a ship
on the sea, it surely would have capsized the night of Friday, January 3rd,
as all of the passengers could be found at the rear of the vessel reveling
to the sounds of Fuji Music. |
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| The captain of the ship, Fatai Akanbi
Valentine, led his mates "The Yankee Fuji Music Band" through a two lengthy,
‘tomorrow-be-damned,’ let's live for the moment sets. |
|
| Each piece turned the heat up another
notch until the seats and tables were empty and bodies packed the dance
floor. |
|
| Fatai raised the temperature some more
by performing with an energy that one suspected was impossible to maintain
and confounded us by continuing into the wee hours of the morning. |
|
| It was a party in true Nigerian
fashion. This was the third event in New
Africa Productions first Friday's series at its new location at the Bowery
Poetry Club in the East Village. |
|
| It was a special night from the start
as it was promoter Kiki's birthday. Kiki was joined by artist and WLIB host
Kola Nut, journalist Nya Joy Paxton of the African Magazine, legendary
drummer Ola Jagon, Burkinabe artists Mai Lingani and Martin N'Terry and
others. |
|
| Between set Kiki blew out candles and
cake was enjoyed. Fuji explained Valentine
means to enjoy in the Yoruba language. |
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| It is a percussive and vocal music
that often involves praise singing and the spraying of money. |
|
| The rhythmic music featured
traditional as well as electric instruments in loosely structured jams that
flowed effortlessly behind Valentine's performance. |
|
| The combination of talking drums and
more familiar congas as well as a variety of other hand drums leant a
melodic tonality to the music’s undercurrent. |
|
| Valentine later elaborated on Fuji
music, which is currently very popular in Lagos and compared it more to
western pop idioms such as rap than traditional music. |
|
| Fatai’s brother, Abass Obesere, is
also a well known performer in Nigeria. |
|
| Obesere, because of his dancing
prowess, was compared to Michael Jackson. He was soon dubbed the "King of
Fuji". |
|
| It was in his brother Obesere’s band
in Lagos that Fatai got his start as a choirist. |
|
| Now based in Newark, Fatai and his
group are celebrating the release of their new C.D. here (the C.D. was
released earlier in Lagos and according to Fatai sales have begun to take
off). |
|
| The new release will be entitled 'Obalong'
or 'the next king' in English perhaps as a challenge to his older brother,
but also as a statement that announces Fatai with a swagger. |
|
| The record release party will be held
at The Odudua lounge, a comfortably funky club at 513 Central Avenue in
Newark on Sunday, February 2nd, 2003 where the group appears
every other Sunday night |
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| Band
Information:
Fatai Akanbi Valentine+ his Yankee Fuji
Music Band
Abiola Adeoye - keyboard
Talking drum - Bello Liabi
Tony Adeyanju - guitar
Victor Ebreneyin - Bass
Teulji Acitebi - Drums
Ojo Tanimowo - congas
Contact:
Email:
valentine@hitechclub.com
Tel # 973-642-3052
Tel # 973-642-3242 |
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