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Antibalas

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Antibalas

Antibalas (Spanish for "bullet-proof") came onto my radar in 2012 with their self-titled release, their fifth album. This Brooklyn Afro-beat band is full of rhythmic and powerful tunes. Music full of splashes of colorful sounds. On top of that, the band doesn't shy away from addressing political themes. What do they sound like? Consider this: opposing horn sections, in stereo, trading off with any given lead instrument at any given time; guitar, clavinet, organ, or even percussion! Of course you'd be doing yourself a favor just to go and listen to them or dare I say- see them live. Let's get down to the brass tacks- and when it comes to this band- I do mean BRASS! They have released six albums: 2000's Liberation Afrobeat Vol. 1 (re-issued by Nina Tune in 2001), 2002's Talkatif, 2004's Who is This America?, 2007's Security, 2012's Antibalas, and 2017's Where the Gods Are in Peace. The band formed in 1998, and with a long-lasting collective like this, you best believe there have been multiple line-up changes. The three main players in my opinion are composer and tenor saxophonist Stuart Bogie, guitarist Chico Mann and lead vocalist Duke Amayo. Let me do my best sales pitch for this band: If you like elements of jazz, funk, dub, Latin, and improvised music alongside traditional drumming from Cuba and West Africa- you will love this band. Calling Antibalas is selling them short- they are more than just a band- but rather- a UNIT- playing together with an efficiency that lives and breathes taking on a life of its own. It's world music via Brooklyn... It's this... It's that... it's not just for girls... it's not just for fellas... It's...

Antibalas


* Fun fact: The horn sections from both The Dap-Kings and Antibalas performed on the song "Uptown Funk" (and live on SNL).

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