The Fontanelles!

26th January 2018
Pizza Express Live, Holborn
 

Old UKC friend Eldad and his wife invited me to this one. An amazing Afrobeat band (as far as I recall, they evolved from the house band who were involved in the Fela musical), playing in a Pizza Express in North London. The only player familiar to me was Idries Rahman, brother of Zoe Rahman, the extraordinary jazz pianist...I remember seeing both of them playing with another Afro band called The Soothsayers years ago in Exeter. The Fontanelles played, naturally, some Fela, also some Mulatu Astatke plus some convincing originals. The second set was even fatter as a second baritone sax showed up (better late than never). Killer sounds, but weird sit-down restaurant vibes (Dave didn't get it at all). I managed to push two tables apart next to the back wall, just enough space to get up and groove. Just me. The Italian-sounding waitress (a doppleganger of Melski, mother of my third godson, Arthur) observed as we were leaving that I'd had the best time of anyone there. Would love to see this crew outdoors in the summer...Eldad was thinking about trying to book them for his 50th birthday, but sadly that wasn't able to come together.