Starting life as a small New York event aimed at raising awareness for Fela Kuti’s musical message, Rich Medina’s Jump N Funk party has now been rocking dancefloors across the globe for over 15 years. Honouring Fela’s contribution to music as well as his political and cultural legacy, Medina has made his events a platform to celebrate Afro-Life across the Black Diaspora. With guests such as Wunmi, the cast of Fela! On Broadway, Asiko and Antibalas providing captivating live performances, Jump N Funk is so much more than a club night. In creating this compilation to represent the spirit of his events, Rich Medina has chosen an eclectic selection of undeniably afro-tinged, unashamedly life-affirming music. With most tracks either referencing, sampling or inspired by the great man, the record also includes material by Fela himself, as well as son Seun Kuti and long-time band member Tony Allen the inventor of the afrobeat set drum syncopation that is equally as notorious as Fela and his message… The album’s artwork has been lovingly created by Lemi Ghariokwu, the fabled Nigerian artist who designed some of Fela’s most iconic covers. From the record’s sleeve to the music contained within, Jump N Funk is a cultural artefact with one foot in the past, the other in the future. An echo of Fela’s message: a reminder to celebrate, to empower, to progress.

iTunes: Rich Medina presents Jump ‘n’ Funk Vol. 1 (incl. Mix) – Various Artists