Ezra Collective Covers Fela Kuti

Fela Kuti is one of those artists I'm embarrassingly unfamiliar with. Ezra Collective might help change a lot of that with their new single, an instrumental cover of Kuti's "Lady." This is a thrilling Afrobeat/jazz track that will be perfect for fans of Ezra Collective and fits right in with their November 2022 album Where I'm Meant to Be. It's the type of high energy that we don't normally associate with jazz, but we really should. Ezra Collective take the bones of the original and inject it with their own energy. It's also the perfect reminder that we need to start getting into Fela Kuti, since we don't have any good excuses not to at this point in our lives.

Bandleader Demi Koleoso says of the cover and original:

"When I was a child my Dad had a collection of Fela Kuti CDs he would play in the car; at the time I didn’t know who what it was, but I always knew it was my favourite music to listen to. Fast forward two decades and nothing’s changed - Fela remains my musical hero and a foundational inspiration for Ezra Collective.  From our very first gig we’ve been playing tribute to his music.  To now be able to celebrate his legacy on a vinyl is a dream come true.  Thank you to Kinetika Bloco for being a part of the horn section.  The original remains unbeatable, but I hope this remix makes you dance as well.”

You can listen to Ezra Collective's version of "Lady" below. It will be out physically on yellow 7" vinyl on January 13 with another Fela Kuti cover: "Shakara." Also out on Friday is a reissue of Fela Kuti's album Shakara. For more on Ezra Collective, check out their website.

Ezra Collective featuring Kojey Radical - "No Confusion"

Photo by Aliyah Octhere

"No Confusion," the latest single from Ezra Collective, is not what we typically bring you. According to the press release the song is "... both a celebration of Nigerian style and culture, as well as a tribute to one of the country's musical heroes; the late, great drummer, Tony Allen [musical director of Fela Kuti's band]." (Tony Allen was a mentor to Ezra Collective's bandleader Femi Koleoso and was known as "Uncle Tony.") "No Confusion" is an Afrobeat jazz track with rapper Kojey Radical providing vocals. This is a jazz song that is truly exciting. It's a fun, energetic song that has a laid back vibe while still being thrilling to listen to. This is a hard one to describe since it's so far out of my normal musical comfort zone, but even if jazz has never been your thing, you owe it to yourself to check this one out.

Femi Koleoso says of the new song:

"Drum lessons with Uncle Tony didn’t just change my life, but Ezra Collective's. The most valuable thing he ever taught me was, always be yourself. Be who you are. Be proud of who you are. When you truly are who you’re meant to be, you have no confusion. Confusion by Fela Kuti is one of the only recorded drum solos by Uncle Tony - it’s so him, no one else could have played it. This track is so us. We’re at a place where we really know who we are as a band - and there’s No Confusion about it."

You can watch the video for "No Confusion" below. Where I'm Meant to Be is due out November 4 on Partisan Records. The album can be pre-ordered/pre-saved here. For more on Ezra Collective, check out the artist's website.