On the occasion of Femi Kuti's most recent Grammy® Award-nominated album, Africa for Africa, The Los Angeles Times said he 'makes something more than music. His [albums] and hugely popular concerts ('one of the more powerful live shows on Earth,' according to The Onion) are imbued with the weight of family legacy and Kuti's own individual intents.' North American audiences will have the opportunity to experience Kuti's unique artistry and world-renowned live performance when he and his big band, the Positive Force, head out on tour this summer. The shows will feature music from Kuti's new studio album, No Place for My Dream, out June 25 on Knitting Factory Records.
The central aim of No Place For My Dream is getting back to the essence of Afrobeat, the music Fela pioneered in the late '60s. Since beginning his career as a teenager in his father (Fela Kuti)'s band, Femi has struck a delicate balance: carrying his own torch, especially the activist dimension, of Afrobeat while developing his own sound. Kuti crafts his music with the utmost care, practicing sax for six hours a day, testing each melody, beat, and groove in the club-meets-laboratory of The Shrine.