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Halifax Jazz Festival: Femi Kuti & The Positive Force

  • Light House Arts Centre 1800 Argyle Street Suite 301 Halifax, NS, B3J 3N8 Canada (map)

BIO
The indefatigable Femi Kuti never stops presenting his dynamic and colorful shows and  committed political messages, whether from his iconic New Afrika Shrine in Lagos, or  from all kinds of world stages and venues.  

2021 allowed him to release the double album, Legacy + on Partisan Records which was so dear to his heart.  

This box set containing his latest album "Stop The Hate”, together with the very first album  "For (e) ward" from his eldest son Made Kuti.  Stop The Hate, radiates the unique Afrobeat sound that Femi has forged throughout his  long career, affirming his sharply political convictions.  The song “PaPaPa” and this album which received rave reviews from the most cutting edge and prestigious international media, has nominated at the 2022 Grammy Awards!  

Femi can’t stop giving his long shows in front of his Lagos-addicted audience who always ask for more!  On May 2017 he was referred to in the Guinness world records with a single note held on a sax and set this records at 51 min 35 seconds.  

It can sometimes be difficult to understand where he draws his energy as the countless fights for social justice he carries out are exhausting. Fortunately, he met up with partners such as Global Citizen who defends the same causes  and who recently broadcast his concert from The New Afrika Shrine as part of the 24-hour  global concert they gave to the entire planet in September 2021.  

Throughout the last few years, we have been able to watch Femi Kuti perform live from  Cairo's stadium in front of millions of viewers, singing the official song of the African Cup of  Nations, or hear him programmed alongside Jay-Z, Beyoncé and Ed Sheeran, while also  seeing his name alongside heavyweights from the new Nigerian scene such as Davido,  Tiwa Savage or Wizkid ...  

Femi is widely in demand for many collaborations and that's how we were able to listen  him on such different projects with Coldplay, the electro music producer Robert Hood, or  the French Hip Hop band IAM.  

For the happiness of all, Femi and his troupe, The Positive Force, plan to travel the world  throughout the year 2022 with their new show, promoting Africa at its best and promising  breathtaking performance, full of surprises.  

Femi Kuti grew up in Lagos, Nigeria, where at 15, he started playing saxophone in his  father, Fela's band, Egypt 80. He was thrown in the deep end when having to replace Fela  as head of the band when Fela was arrested at the airport and jailed just before starting a  US tour. From that day on he’s never looked back. In 1986 Femi formed his own band ”  The Positive Force”. His first record was released in 1995 by Tabu/Motown, and has  followed a long journey since where he continues to expand the diversity of his artistry on  most of his albums and has now received a total of six Grammy nominations after  having released a dozen albums. In 1998, to honour his Father, he opened the “New Afrika  Shrine” where the famous seven-day ‘Felabration” festival now takes place every year,  around Fela’s October 15 birthday.

INFO
19+ || Doors: 7PM | Show: 8:15PM
General admission, standing room only.
Reserved stadium seating (stairs may be required to access).
Valid government photo ID required for entry.

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QUESTIONS
We have compiled some frequently asked questions and some useful information on our FAQ page.  If you have any questions that haven’t been addressed there, please send us an email info@halifaxjazzfestival.ca.

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July 17

Halifax Jazz Festival: Mike Murley Trio Featuring Renee Rosnes