Perceptive Travel,
Album Review
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So let's get it out of the way off the bat that these guys are American, not African. From staid Washington, D.C. even. They lay down such infectious grooves, however, that you've got to let their place of birth slide. The Chopteeth members have gone well past Fela Kuti 101 and have the musical equivalent of masters' degrees in percussion-driven African funk. They live up to the "big band" part of the name as well, with an ensemble of 12 people on stage at one time: the usual rhythm section, some extra percussion, and the kind of horn section that hits you with a blast of sound.
A few different spots in Africa make and appearance here, including Ghana, the Congo, and Senegal, but few of the audience members who go ga-ga over this band will recognize the specific heritage—or care. Many of the orginal songs were obscure to start with, found by band member collectors while searching through dusty record bins. The enthusiam shines through on every track and becomes infectious, however, even after a nine-minute jam like "J.J.D." or "Question Jam Answer." (Amazingly though, vocalist Michael Shereikis knows these songs so well he can sing them with ease in whatever language they were recorded in.)
What really puts this band above so many other afro-beat enthusiasts, however, is the killer horn section. Think Tower of Power backing Rufus and Chaka Khan in their heyday, or James Brown's J.B.'s band really kicking it hard on his early 1970s classics. Add in some driving percussion that never quits and this is one sweaty, infectious, no-holds-barred live album that will make many listeners want to plan a road trip to wherever Chopteeth is playing next.
02/01/11
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