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A BIT OF AFRICA COMES TO THE ‘HOOD’

FOUR STARS FOR LAGBAJA’S SOUTH SIDE CONCERT

(CHICAGO)-He has been called “the best thing to happen to the African music scene” since Fela, and when Lagbaja and his 15-member band swept into Chicago recently, it was clear why.

Lagbaja brought a bit of Africa to the ‘hood’ during his end of summer concert at the Hayes Center, 4859 S. Wabash Ave. sponsored by Chicago’s African think tank “The Circle of Alafia.

Some 500 African and African-American fans turned out for the 9 p.m. concert, packing the Hayes Center to the tune of fans spilling out near the State Street corridor.

Combining a sophisticated, heady blend of Yoruba music, Highlife and Jazz with a dynamic stage show of elaborate mask and costume, Nigeria’s most exciting contemporary artist kept fans dancing on their feet until 2 a.m.

On this particular Friday night, the air was filled with the sound of joyful music as opposed to the usual Friday night ruckus surrounding the nearby State Street housing projects.

Lagbaja truly lived up to his billing of a vocal prowess matching that of the late Afrobeat icon Fela Kuti. But his music-and his enchanted saxophone-was what grabbed and lifted the audience to uniform rocking and swaying as his saxophone flowed effortlessly from one complex rhythm to another.

While sustaining the essential traits of the Jazz genre with complex harmonies, convoluted and original melodic lines, and involved rhythms, Lagbaja’s unique sound had fans bumping, grinding and shaking their booties under his masterful guidance through a range of rhythmic influences from Highlife, Juju, Pop, Funk, Hip- Hop, and more—spliced in true Fela fashion of course with uplifting and socially conscious lyrics emanating themes of freedom, spirituality and wisdom.

Performing completely masked during the four-hour concert that left fans sweaty and hoarse from chanting choruses and screaming for more, the more than 6-foot-tall musician seemed unphased by the heat under his elaborate sheath, leading fans on a hypnotic, magical and healing journey paying homage to the faceless in African and in all societies. Lagbaja’s South Side performance was appropriately titled “The Dance of Healing. “

A stunning saxophonist, composer and producer, his concert selections spanned generations of African tradition-with traditional Nigerian instruments such as Rata and Dundun drums updated with contemporary sounds of strong horns and keyboards.

The audience, was sent into trance by the, purely instrumental numbers, Lagbaja interplaying saxophone, talking drum, traditional percussion and chants. But lyrics of such songs as “Coolu Temper” and “Bad Leadership,” sung in a colloquial blend of Yoruba and English, forced their way into our consciousness-his facelessness forcing focus on the message.

But then Lagbaja took us from serious to sexy with such songs as “Feyin E” (smile) and “Konko Below” (meet me down there), coming down offstage to join the audience in a free for all, shake your booty to the ground dance party. I must say he had many women entranced as he walked up to several and provided a personal saxophone performance.

Rich in continental traditions but spiced with international cosmopolitan attitude, it was clear why this artist who this year won Nigeria’s Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, Producer of the Year, Cross Over Music of the Year, and Best Afro Beat Artist at Nigeria’s equivalent of the Grammy A wards, has been driving audiences into frenzy at home.

His North American debut recording, We Before Me, recently released by IndigeDisc, should have no problem garnering major attention stateside, especially accompanied by live shows such as this on his current promotional tour. It is a show people talked about for some time. It is a show Chicago’s African community won’t soon forget! We danced and we healed!

Thanks, Circle of Alafia! If you missed this legendary performance, you missed out, and will have to wait until Alafia brings him back next fall.

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