Fela Kuti & Africa 70 – Gentleman
Album
Gentleman is a masterclass in dynamic tension and release. Opening with a protracted, jazzy electric piano meditation, the track patiently gathers momentum before the full brass section explodes into life. Fela's lyrics critique post-colonial cultural subservience, supported by Tony Allen's four-limb independence on the drum kit, which continually reorganises the syncopation beneath the main theme.