Watch footage here of Hiatus Kaiyote performing live at Byron Bay’s Sonic Architects’ National Conference… The inclusion of three back-up singers in their live performance ( Loreli+ Jace+ Jay Jay) – two of them vocalists in supporting group Kirkis – adds something extra wholesome to Hiatus Kaiyote’s sound which although usual to find in soul/R&B groups from the States (almost every international act at Australia’s recent Soulfestfestival for example), is unfortunately not so commonly found in Australian music. In witnessing the spunky Nai Palm breathe life and passion into those songs with every single one of her movements and unique, soulful scatting-to-operatic-like vocal sounds, it was absolutely clear that Australia’s Nai Palm has a well-deserved place in that group called ‘the world’s greatest contemporary music divas’. Whilst hearing Hiatus Kaiyote perform those songs live in all their fresh glory and witnessing the incredible ‘multi-dimensional polyrhythmic’ chops of its instrumentalists, it was also plain to hear that I can count Simon Mavin (keys/synths), Paul Bender (bass) and Perrin Moss (drums/percussion) amongst my favorite contemporary musicians in the world to listen to. With all the music that’s been made so far in our long history of music, that unique sound in 2014 is a special thing. The second clear thing at the show was that every one of those Hiatus Kaiyote songs old and new, in all their sonic diversity, sounds like no other music in the world. New tracks played live from their just-released (digitally only 🙁 ) EP By Fire, a teaser to the upcoming album Choose Your Weapon, were similarly but differently diverse, innovative and fluid blends of jazz, soul, funk, electronica and hip hop in which you could blink to find that the sonic vibe within a song had delightfully morphed into another.
HIATUS KAIYOTE BY FIRE FULL
Old songs performed from the debut album Tawk Tomahawk sounded fresh – dynamically recomposed to create innovative new versions of the originals full of wonderful sonic surprises. To get a taste of just what Fela sounds like in the hands of a truly reverent fan, take the band’s song “Jekyll” for a spin.Nai Palm – Hiatus Kaiyote live at Byron Bay Brewery The band’s second album, Choose Your Weapon, is one of the decade’s most sonically adventurous albums and here’s the kicker, Nai Palm has actually come out to confirm that one of the album’s major influences was Fela’s life and music. They are Australia’s most successful R&B export, being the only band from the continent to get nominated for not one but two Grammy awards for best R&B performances with two albums that have received global critical acclaim and mainstream success. But none have interpreted Fela’s influences quite like Hiatus Kaiyote.įor the uninitiated (and seriously, what are you doing with your life), Hiatus Kaiyote is an Australian Future Soul band started by Naomi ‘Nai Palm’ Saalfied.
There is the critically acclaimed broadway musical, several hundred covers on Youtube and new tribute bands popping up every day. But it would be naive to assume that his influence starts and ends in Africa. His music has been sampled by Timaya and Tuface, his lyrics have popped up in songs by Olamide and Terry G, his songs have been covered by Falana and Somi in her spectacular The Lagos Music Salon.
There is no contemporary Nigerian musician who isn’t inspired by, or doesn’t eventually get compared to Fela. His music has endured three decades and the man has become a legend all over the world. Fela’s brand of afrobeats revolutionary but not forceful, enlightening but not preachy, and danceable but not brainless is still unrivalled till today. Some by his style, some by his unique sense of political activism, and most by his genre-defining music.
Everyone, and we mean everyone, has been inspired by Fela Anikulapo-Kuti.
0 kommentar(er)
