Wiken Recap

I had the pleasure of catching "Soul Power" on Saturday...highly recommend it! If you have seen the Fania Live in Africa video, then you have seen the performance before-but this film gives you a lot of behind the scenes that add to your appreciation of the magnitude of the entire concert. The star of the show was James Brown,as he was the headliner, but what I felt and enjoyed most was Bill Whiter’s performance, the Fania All-stars along with B.B. King doing a parrandaesque performance on the13 hr flight from NY to Zaire (which of course lend itself to the fact that we make a party wherever we go-and that we are loud), Pacheco teaching a few ladies how they do it in the Bronx, Hector screaming “Africa” while feeling the love from within the crowd, Barretto’s impromptu performance with the local congueros, Mohammad Ali in his essence, and all the social commentary about what the trip meant. Dope movie.



On Sunday I went to check out Fania Live, and if you weren’t there you missed out on magic. Ilu Aye, Laylo, Bobbitto and Sake all esharon el adobo all over Santos! It was a multi-generational, multi-ethnic parade of dancing, chanting, singing, and respect for a label that gaves us so many memories and that is so many ways defined a sound and a culture. I am already looking forward to next years! Much respect to Laylo for making this happen! Vaya!