Confusion (album)
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Confusion is a studio album by Nigerian Afrobeat musician Fela Kuti and his band the Africa 70. It was arranged, composed, and produced by Kuti, and released in 1974 by EMI Records. He recorded the album after choosing to emphasize his African heritage and nationalism in his music. Confusion is a commentary on the confused state of post-colonial Lagos and its lack of infrastructure and proper leadership at the time. Kuti's pidgin English lyrics depict difficult conditions in the city, including a frenetic, multilingual trading market and inextricable traffic jams in Lagos' major intersections.
A one-song Afrobeat album, Confusion begins with an entirely instrumental first half, which features free form interplay between Kuti's electric piano and drummer Tony Allen. It leads to an extended mid-tempo section with Allen's polyrhythms and tenor saxophone by Kuti, who subsequently delivers call-and-response vocal passages. In retrospective reviews, the album was praised by music critics, who found it exemplary of Kuti's Afrobeat style and recommended it as a highlight from his extensive catalog. In 2000 and 2010, Confusion was reissued and bundled with Kuti's 1973 album Gentleman.
Background
During the 1970s, Fela Kuti began to emphasize his identification with Africa and its culture in his music over the colonial mentality of identification with Western powers such as the United States and United Kingdom. His albums during this period expressed aspects of his idealogy such as his African heritage and nationalism. On his 1973 song "Eko lie", Kuti declared that Lagos was his home rather than New York City or London, where he had performed earlier in his career.[1] Lagos and its landmark events became common themes in his songs.[2] He revisited the theme on Confusion in 1974 to acknowledge that he identifies with the city despite its problems.[3]
Composition
Confusion is a one-song album,[4] with a duration of 25 minutes and 36 seconds.[5] The album's first side is entirely instrumental.[6] It begins with a free-form introduction,[5] which musically depicts the disorienting impact of Lagos' problems.[3] Although he occasionally used amplified instruments, Kuti rarely employed elaborate electronic effects and instead relied on more natural sounds.[3] Kuti, who plays electric piano, and drummer Tony Allen start the introduction out of tempo and exhibit abstract musical techniques,[3] including dramatic free jazz interplay between their instruments.[7] Kuti, who was known for his critical background in classical study, allowed only Allen to improvise in the Africa 70 band's rhythm section. He viewed him as a drummer with the mind of a composer and "one who composes on the spot."[8]
The introduction's keyboard fantasia gradually opens the band's languid, expansive interplay.[9] The song's groove is established with the introduction of a bass guitar ostinato at 4:50. Rhythm and tenor guitars and a horn section are played in the next two minutes.[10] During the bridge, Allen's drumming intensifies within the song's seven-minute mark, which leads to a fully developed Afrobeat section.[11] Afrobeat, which Kuti coined as a term for his own sound, is a loose funk music embellished with African syncopation, R&B-styled horn instruments, and improvisatory solos.[12] Confusion's extended mid-tempo section has complex arrangements of danceable grooves,[7] multiple solos, and Allen's polyrhythms.[5] Kuti plays tenor saxophone, which he had learned after Africa 70's original tenor player Igo Chico left in 1973.[11] The intricate music is complemented by Kuti's outspoken call-and-response vocal passages.[13] The song's final 10 minutes comprise raucous trumpet, tenor saxophone solos, and Kuti's lead vocals.[10] Its closing section revisits the abstract interplay of the introduction.[3]
Lyrics
The album is a commentary on the confused state of post-colonial, urban Nigeria, particularly Lagos, and its lack of infrastructure and proper leadership at the time.[7] Kuti comments on his social reality with the opening lines to "Confusion": "When we talk say confusion / Everything out of control".[14] His lyrics decry what he viewed as the colonial mindset of some Africans,[12] and employ pidgin English, which was the lingua franca of most people in English-speaking West Africa;[15] "pafuka" means "all over" or "finished". Kuti also used the interjection "o" to add emphasis.[16]
According to Nigerian historian Toyin Falola, "Confusion" addresses the "infrastructural nightmare of Lagos and the continued hegemony of the West in all aspects of African life", and depicts the complicated, frenetic, and multilingual market of the Ojuelegba crossroad.[17] Kuti makes reference to three dialects and various currencies that make trading in urban Nigeria difficult:[7] "Dem be three men wey sell for roadside-o / Dem three speak different language-o / Dem speak Lagos, Accra, and Conakry / One white man come pay them money-o / He pay them for pounds, dollars and French money-o / For the thing wey he go buy from them / He remain for them to share am-o / Me I say, na confusion be that-o / He go say he pafuka o."[17] E.J. Collins of African Arts interpreted the latter verse as a reference to the protracted nature of transactions in Lagos.[18]
Kuti uses ironic humor to express pride in Nigerians' ability to drive and work within difficult conditions: "Before-before Lagos traffic na special, eh / Number one special all over the world / You go get Ph.D. for driving for Lagos, eh / You go get M.A. for driving for Lagos, eh / You go get M.Sc. for driving for Lagos, oh / For me for me I like am like that, eh / Ah-ha-ha-ha, na my country - why not? / For me for me I like am like that, eh."[19] He subsequently describes major intersections throughout Lagos, including Surulere, Ojuelegba, and Ogogoro Centre, which lack the supervision of a traffic officer. They are characterized by aggressive, temperamental drivers, who force their vehicles into inextricable traffic jams: "For Ojuelegba, moto dey come from south / Moto dey come from north / Moto dey come from east / Moto dey come from west / And policeman no dey for centre / Na confusion be that-i o / He go say he pafuka o."[19] According to The Rough Guide to World Music (2006), the album uses a "hectic crossroads in Lagos ... as a metaphor to explore the problems of an entire corrupt nation."[20]
Release and reception
Confusion was first released in 1974 on vinyl LP,[10] and was reissued on cassette in 1984 by EMI Records.[21] In a retrospective review for Allmusic, Sam Samuelson gave it five stars and called it "a highly recommended 25-minute Afro-beat epic". He wrote that it shows Kuti and his band "at the heights of instrumental prowess and ambiguous jibes", which he felt became more "direct and heated" on 1977's Zombie. Samuelson found Confusion to be exemplary of Kuti's "genius" formula, in which he strikes musically "entranced" listeners with his commentary.[7] Music journalist Peter Shapiro called it a lyrical "masterpiece" and said that the bridge following the song's "cosmic" introduction is "pretty much the pinnacle of Afro-futurism".[11] Piero Scaruffi cited it as one of Kuti's "most challenging tracks".[22] Nic Harcourt recommended Confusion as "a good place to start" for new listeners of Kuti's music.[23]
In 2000, Confusion was reissued and bundled with Kuti's 1973 album Gentleman by MCA Records.[7] It was the last installment in a 10-CD, 20-album reissue project for Kuti. Rob Brunner of Entertainment Weekly gave the album's reissue an "A" and viewed it as one of Kuti's best works,[13] and All About Jazz's Derrick A. Smith cited Confusion as one of his "best statements on any instrument".[8] In a four-star review, Down Beat praised his combination of "raw energy and sophistication", and found it "as remarkable today" as when it was first released.[24] Robert Christgau of The Village Voice gave the reissue an "A–",[5] indicating "the kind of garden-variety good record that is the great luxury of musical micromarketing and overproduction."[25] He called Confusion "one Fela song/track/album it would be a waste to edit" and "the proof of Africa 70's presumptive funk."[5] Christgau ranked the reissue number 80 in his dean's list for the Pazz & Jop critics' poll in 2000.[26]
In 2005, New Nation ranked Confusion number 91 on their list of the "Top 100 Best Albums by Black Artists".[27] In his 2008 book 1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die, music journalist Tom Moon wrote that it is both one of Kuti's best albums and "a demonstration of just how rousing Afro-Beat's deftly interlocked rhythms can be."[12] In 2010, the album was bundled again with Gentleman by Knitting Factory Records as a part their extensive reissue of Kuti's 45-album discography. Michaelangelo Matos of Paste magazine gave it a score of "9.3/10" and cited it as the essential release in both the reissue and Kuti's catalog: "an oasis in a sandpaper-like catalog."[9]
Track listing
All songs were arranged, composed, and produced by Fela Ransome-Kuti.[28]
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Confusion Pt. I" | 14:08 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 2. | "Confusion Pt. II" | 11:28 |
- "Confusion" was released as a single track on the album's CD reissue.[10]
Personnel
Credits adapted from liner notes.[28]
- James Abayomi – sticks
- Tony Allen – lead drums, solo drums
- Africa 70 – band
- Lekan Animashaun – baritone saxophone
- George Mark Bruce – bass guitar
- Segun Edo – tenor guitar
- Henry Kofi – first conga
- Daniel Koranteg – second conga
- Tony Njoku – trumpet
- Emmanuel Odenusi – engineering, mixing
- Isaac Olaleye – maracas
- Remi Olowookere – graphics
- Fela Ransome-Kuti – arrangement, tenor saxophone, piano, production, vocals
- Tutu Shoronmu – rhythm guitar
References
- ^ Fairfax 1993, p. 248.
- ^ Olaniyan 2004, p. 92.
- ^ a b c d e Fairfax 1993, p. 249.
- ^ Greenberg, Adam. "Gentleman/Confusion - Fela Kuti, Fela Ransome-Kuti and the Africa '70 : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Archived from the original on 24 February 2013. Retrieved 24 February 2013.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ a b c d e Christgau, Robert (20 June 2000). "Shuffering and Shmiling". The Village Voice. New York. Archived from the original on 10 February 2013. Retrieved 10 February 2013.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ Falola & Salm 2005, p. 329.
- ^ a b c d e f Samuelson, Sam. "Confusion - Fela Kuti : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Archived from the original on 10 February 2013. Retrieved 10 February 2013.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ a b Smith, Derrick A. (1 June 2000). "Tony Allen: Black Voices". All About Jazz. Archived from the original on 24 February 2013. Retrieved 24 February 2013.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ a b Matos, Michaelangelo (16 February 2010). "Fela Kuti: Knitting Factory Reissues". Paste. Decatur. Archived from the original on 24 February 2013. Retrieved 24 February 2013.
{{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ a b c d May, Chris (11 March 2010). "Part 8 - Knitting Factory rolls out Fela Kuti reissue program (continued)". All About Jazz. Archived from the original on 22 April 2013. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ a b c Shapiro et al. 2009, p. 99.
- ^ a b c Moon 2008, p. 436.
- ^ a b Brunner, Rob (2 June 2000). "Confusion/Gentleman and Stalemate/Fear Not for Man Review". Entertainment Weekly (543). New York. Archived from the original on 10 February 2013. Retrieved 10 February 2013.
{{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ Ambrose, Robert (2001). "Confusion and Courage". The Beat. 20. Los Angeles: 26.
- ^ Fairfax 1993, p. 223.
- ^ Fairfax 1993, p. 433.
- ^ a b Falola & Salm 2005, p. 328.
- ^ Collins, E.J. (1977). "Post-War Popular Band Music in West Africa". African Arts. 10 (2). Los Angeles: 60.
{{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help) - ^ a b Fairfax 1993, p. 251.
- ^ Broughton, Ellingham & Lusk 2006, p. 302.
- ^ "Afro Hot 20". Blues & Soul (419). Croydon: 47. 1984.
- ^ Scaruffi, Piero (1999). "Fela Anikulapo Kuti". Piero Scaruffi. Archived from the original on 24 February 2013. Retrieved 24 February 2013.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ Harcourt 2005, p. 13.
- ^ "Review: Confusion/Gentleman". Down Beat. Elmhurst: 76. 2001.
{{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help) - ^ Christgau, Robert (2000). "Key to Icons". Robert Christgau. Archived from the original on 10 February 2013. Retrieved 10 February 2013.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ Christgau, Robert (2001). "Pazz & Jop 2000: Dean's List". The Village Voice. New York. Archived from the original on 10 February 2013. Retrieved 10 February 2013.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help); Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help) - ^ "Top 100 Best Albums by Black Artists". New Nation. London. 2005.
- ^ a b Confusion (gatefold LP). Nigeria: EMI Records. 1974.
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Bibliography
- Broughton, Simon; Ellingham, Mark; Lusk, Jon (2006). The Rough Guide to World Music: Africa & Middle East (3rd ed.). Rough Guides. ISBN 1843535513.
{{cite book}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help) - Fairfax, Frank Thurmond (1993). Fela, the Afrobeat King: Popular Music and Cultural Revitalization in West Africa. University of Michigan. OCLC 713128918.
{{cite book}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help) - Falola, Toyin; Salm, Steven J. (2005). Urbanization and African Cultures. Carolina Academic Press. ISBN 0890895589.
{{cite book}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help) - Harcourt, Nic (2005). Music Lust: Recommended Listening for Every Mood, Moment, and Reason. Sasquatch Books. ISBN 1570614377.
{{cite book}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help) - Moon, Tom (2008). 1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die. Workman Publishing. ISBN 0761153853.
{{cite book}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help) - Olaniyan, Tejumola (2004). Arrest the Music!: Fela and His Rebel Art and Politics. Indiana University Press. ISBN 0253110343.
{{cite book}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help) - Shapiro, Peter; et al. (2009). Young, Rob (ed.). The Wire Primers: A Guide to Modern Music. Verso Books. ISBN 1844674274.
{{cite book}}: Explicit use of et al. in:|author=(help)
External links
- Confusion at Discogs (list of releases)
- Confusion / Gentleman at Discogs (list of releases)