In Drumming for Fela at the Lens Blog, NYT photojournalist Ozier Muhammad talks with Jojo Kuo, who played percussion with the legendary Nigerian musician Fela Anikulapo Kuti in the 1980s.

The success of the current Broadway hit musical Fela! -- it opened in the fall, produced by actors Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, and has 11 Tony nominations -- has shone the spotlight on Afrobeat. Jojo Kuo, who lives now in New York City, producing, and fronting JoJo Kuo and the Afro Beat Collective, is one of its veterans. At his personal MySpace page, Kuo lists James Brown among his heroes.

Fela led what is arguably the best dance band ever and Kuo was part of it. He tells the Times,

The first night of my return with the band, we were warming up at Fela's club, the Shrine (in Lagos). Every time my name was called to solo, I'd say to myself, "Jesus be with me now." So now I am starting to sweat. This is late at night, and Fela gave me a pattern to play in front of the audience. He pointed to a section in the crowd and said: "Those are all drummers: They came to see you play." I did all right. I knew how to play Fela's music.

In the clip here of Kuo doing vocals on Kokolo's single "Africa Man" you can hear the late Fela's sound, toned down but reminiscent of the classic 1977 Zombie album by Fela Kuti & Afrika 70, whose title track is below.

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The Broadway show's current tour dates bring it no closer than Philadelphia yet, but new dates may still be added. It would be wonderful to see it at PPAC, and the music so much better than Frankie Valli's.