Motown

When it comes to think about Motown, you can easily imagine the number of great artists such as Jackson 5, Michael  Jackson, Stevie Wonder, The Supremes, Boys II Men, The Martha & Vandellas, etc. Motown sound is still loved today.

The history of Motown all started in the late 50’s Detroit. The history of Motown is reflecting a social situation back then.

Black music used to be treated as “race records” in the market in the 1920’s.

Around 1958 Jazz music was thriving in Detroit and best artists were gathered. There was still a line in terms of racial obstacles in the music industry. As Motown came out in the music industry, the situation changed greatly. The founder of Motown is Berry Gordy Jr. He founded Motown in Detroit n 1958 with an $800 loan from his family. His goal was to unite what was considered to be music for Blacks, and music that was traditionally associated with Whites. It didn’t take long until Motown’s soul music conquered America and the world. It’s a remarkable fact that the record company founded by a Black had a great success just in a decade.

What is called “Motown sound” has the roots in funk, jazz, blues, gospel music, basically black music. One of the important elements of Motown sound is The Funk Brothers. It’s a nickname of session musicians who performed the backing to most Motown Records recordings from 1959 to 1972.

Motown sound still has big influence on today’s musicians such as Mariah Carey, Amy Winehouse, Duffy, etc and many Motown songs are often covered.

In 2011, Motown has been reactivated under The Island Def Jam Music Group division of Universal Music Group.

Fela Kuti -Afrobeat-

Fela Kuti is an African musician, composer, and a liberationist

He is a multi-instrument player (vocal, saxophone, keyboard, trumpet, guitar, and drums) and also known well as the pioneer of Afrobeat, and “the black president”.
 
He was born in Nigeria in 1938 in a colonial Christian family.

He studied music in University in London and around this time he experienced discrimination against blacks. Finally it influenced his whole life and his music style.

In the late 60’s, his music started to change through the tour in the USA as he got a political influence by such as Malcolm X, and Black Panther Party. Also he was musically inspired by James Brown’s funk music. Then he began to call his music “Afrobeat”.

Afrobeat has roots in Yoruba, jazz, highlife music, which means Western African music, and of course funk music. As a distinction, it always includes political contexts.

He devoted his life to change Nigeria’s situation and fought for the rights of black people against corrupt government as an anti-imperialism/anti-establishment.

In 1976 he released the album “Zombie”. In the song “Zombie” from this album, he called army ironically as zombies.

Although his political movement was oppressed by the government again and again, his fans who found hope in Fela’s music kept supporting him.

In 1997, he died from AIDS.

His music still has big influence on today’s Nigeria.

Many artists admire him, such as Sade, Macy Gray, Common, etc.
In 2008, his life was reenacted as a musical and won popularity.
Now his son Femi Kuti inherit his music style.