TRACKLIST: SIDE A Meus Filhos Afrobeat Rework (Featuring Bnegao) SIDE B Meus Filhos Afrobeat Rework (Featuring Bnegao) [Robin Leduc Afrobeatz Remix] “I felt like I was a tree replanted and able to flourish” – Gilberto Gil after meeting Fela Kuti in Lagos, Nigeria. Last May 2012, Tony Allen and his band were touring in Brazil. After their concert in Rio at Circo Voador, Tony Allen, his musicians and the Abayomy crew ended up in a studio in Santa Teresa for a stellar recording session. After two hours of music jam, they recorded live the famous Jorge Ben’s song “Meus Filhos” to celebrate the meeting between Africa and Brazil. Afrobeat rhythms have been a percolating influence in Brazilian music for decades, The last few years have found afrobeat becoming an integral component in the sound of a new generation of Brazilian musicians, working its way into the grooves of hip-hop artists Curumin and Criolo and afrobeat orchestras like Abayomy, Saravah Soul and Bixiga 70. Perhaps this shouldn’t come as a surprise, as the roots of the current Afrobeat movement were planted in Brazil long ago. Brazil is home to the largest population of African diaspora in the world and the musical traditions of Brazil’s African descendants have been surprisingly well preserved through the rituals of the Afro-Brazilian religion candomblé. Tony Allen has long been acknowledged as Africa’s finest kit drummer and one of the continent’s most influential musicians. Together with Fela Kuti (with whom he played for 15 years) Allen co-created Afrobeat - the hard driving, horns rich, funk-infused, politically insurrectionary style which became such a dominant force in African music and such an influence worldwide. “Abayomy” is a Yoruba word that means "happy meeting", and we strongly believe there's no better expression to translate the essence of the Abayomy Afrobeat Orquestra. The AAO is formed by 13 musicians, all strong activists of the Rio de Janeiro's scene within different styles of music. They use their Brazilian references and geniality with bright musical sounds, pressed by the afrobeat strength and with an hypnotic and infinite groove.