ABOUT CHICAGO AFROBEAT PROJECT
Afrobeat cannot stand still. As the genre’s tempting sounds continue a resurgence across the globe, Chicago Afrobeat Project (CAbP) remains true to its original vision of breathing the intensity of Chicago’s rich music scene into the infectious sounds of afrobeat. Rather than become caricatures of the genre, CAbP slips a reverent nod to the tradition while delivering an energized originality different from any other band on the afrobeat scene today. At each of its 100+ live performances a year, the group’s frenzied songs hit audiences with a big enough one-two punch to tirelessly knock them onto the dance floor time and time again.
Afrobeat’s range of influences — funk, rock, jazz, afro-cuban, high life and juju music – settle into a hypnotic, dance-compelling pulse at the core of CAbP. The group layers a fiery originality around this core through high-energy rock and experimental jazz. The trance-like grooves that hold the floor in the tradition are pushed to new borders in CAbP’s second and self-produced album, (A) Move to Silent Unrest. In it, the group keeps true to the mix of respect to the tradition and forward-thinking experimentation that shine through in their live performances.
The individual players, coming from diverse backgrounds, each hold their own as soloists that ultimately characterize the live shows. Melodic and hard-hitting horn lines create a lyrical flow to the music, delivered by a cutting, driven rhythm section dynamic. Complex call-and-response percussion songs are dispersed throughout the performances. At select shows, African dancers from Chicago’s Muntu Dance Theatre accompany the band. Added up, the music is packaged with original songwriting that explores the stylistic reaches of afrobeat and a few classic covers delivered true to form.
The group currently performs across the country from coast to coast with notable festival dates including Bele Chere Music Festvial (2005, 2006) Wakarusa Music Festival (2006), Chicago World Music Festival (2003, 2006), Vassar College Jazz Festival (2005, 2006), Summer Camp (2005, 2007), Chicago’s Summer Dance Series (2005, 2007), and High Sierra Music Festival (2007).
CAbP was nominated as Best African Artist in the Chicago Music Awards (CMA) in 2004 and 2005, and was nominated for the CMA’s “Award of Honor for Contribution to World Beat Music” in 2006. As a natural extension of the group’s ability to connect diverse musical styles through afrobeat, CAbP has featured many notable Chicago guest musicians such as Howard Levy of Bela Fleck fame, Fareed Haque of Garaj Mahal, seven-time Grammy-winner Paul Wertico, Bobby Broom, Jeff Parker of Tortoise, Kalyan Pathak, Diverse, Ugochi, Morikeba Kouyate and many other Chicago greats.
Hello,I met your trumpet player Matt here in SF,cool guy.I wanted to see you folks at Yoshi's was running late. Thanks for the add you folks sound great.
Can't wait to kick it with you guys at Cervantes Friday July 11th in Denver! Mile High will get mad Windy City love with 56 and CAbP combining forces! Its ON!!!!!!
Hey Garrick! Ex-sax student, Julianna here. I haven't talked to ya in a long time! Just to update I'm officially going to UW Milwaukee so I'll be at any Wisconsin shows you guys have! And if you need help on merch I'd be glad to! Hope everything is rad with you!
Played one of your tracks during the show this week. While I can't confirm this, I'm pretty sure more people were caught rockin' out on their steering wheel than any previous day in the history of Kalamazoo.
looking forward to hangin at High Sierra again. I'll stop by for another drum jam. If I'm not already on my way up, I'll try to make the Temple bar show. that's my hood. peace shannon
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Hey guys – Just stopping by to invite you to our Martyrs’ show this Friday June 13th. We’ll be joined by hometown friends, 56 Hope Road and Eli Jones, and we’ll also be giving away tickets to The Lazy River Music and Arts Festival! It’s our only hometown appearance on the books for the summer, so we hope you can join us for this great night of Chicago music!
You can also catch us at a number of Midwest festivals this summer, from Minnesota to Iowa to Ohio and points in between. Visit our myspace page or website for all the details!
