Brooklyn-based ensemble Antibalas will treat the Sunset Strip to an “Afrobeat Orchestra” at the Troubadour on Wednesday night. These New York favorites are internationally renowned, yet relatively unknown on the West Coast.
The Antibalas sound is mostly instrumental, with hypnotic up-tempo rhythms, funky trumpets and plenty of cowbell. The group mixes 1970s Afrobeat with 1980s freestyle and Afro-Cuban music, creating a brand of controlled chaos they’ve been perfecting for 14 years.
The groove is infectious. Think of it as theme music to enhance your daily grind. Really. Try it. Listen as you drive, ride, walk or run. Even the most menial chores become a breeze.
With 14 core group members to keep track of, things can get a little tricky, but here it goes:
Martín Perna (band founder and saxophonist), Amayo (lead singer, percussionist, and shaman), Jordan McLean (lead trumpeter), Victor Axelrod (multi-instrumentalist, producer, and engineer), Aaron Johnson (trombone), Stuart Bogie (horn wizard and composer), Luke O’Malley (guitar), Chris Vatalaro (drums), Marcus Farrar (shekere and vocals), Marcos Garcia (guitar), Nikhil Yerawadekar (bass), Eric Biondo (trumpet), Miles Arntzen (drum kit), and Yoshi Takemasa (percussionist).
Still with me?
Now you see why they call themselves an orchestra.
The sound is intense and inspirational, and the crowd is always involved, whether cheering or dancing. The whole place comes alive. Even if you are ‘too cool to dance,’ Antibalas won’t take ‘no’ for an answer. So show up ready to move.
Antibalas, Spanish for “bulletproof,” is the title of the band’s newest album and is the group’s fifth full-length release. Group members agree that it is their best work to date.
The group is a tighter unit than ever before. That allowed them to record their latest album the hard way.
Instead of using a standard 16-track recording set up, Antibalas used only eight tracks and captured most of the album live. By comparison, your favorite popular musicians often complete an album after many small takes recorded on different tracks. Each track is designated for each instrument or musician. The best takes are spliced together like a puzzle to form the final song.
Antibalas does the opposite, choosing to record each song live as a group. They keep the best bits and then fill in any remaining gaps afterwards.
The result is organic. It’s improvisation at its finest, much better than the over-produced, auto-tuned fabrications we hear on the radio.
Most bands can’t record in this fashion. The musicians must be in their prime. They must fully understand and trust one another, playing in perfect concert. They even need to breathe at the same moments.
For those who are music purists, come witness some of the best world music around. Or perhaps you simply want to shake it with a room full of strangers.
