Chicago Afrobeat Project - "Off the Grid" EP

Chicago Afrobeat Project's EP "Off the Grid” features three new tracks as well as a remix of Media Man by Backseat Bingo.

1. (A Warm) Global Warning
2. Ich Fumbus Grossen
3. Nobody Likes a Prima Donna
4. Media Man (radio edit)
5. Media Man (Backseat Bingo remix)

As the world’s cultural and political climate evolves, so does its music. Rooted in the turbulence of social change, afrobeat coalesced decades ago from a fiery political landscape of Nigeria in the ‘60s and ‘70s. Now, with the polarized state of the world since the turn of the millennium, afrobeat again grips the world – this time, the American musical climate.

Melodic and hard-hitting horn lines create a lyrical flow delivered by a cutting, driven rhythm section dynamic. The group disperses complex call-and-response percussion songs throughout the shows. African dancers from Chicago’s Muntu Dance Theatre accompany the band at select performances. Combine these organic musical and visual elements together, and the overall presentation contributes further to the impact and originality of the band’s music.

The band was nominated for the Chicago Music Award’s (CMA) “Award of Honor for Contribution to World Beat Music” in 2006, 2007 and 2008, and was nominated as Best African Artist in the CMAs in 2004, 2005 and won the CMA in 2010. As a natural extension of the group’s ability to connect diverse musical styles through afrobeat, CAbP has featured many notable Chicago guest musicians at its live performances including 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.

“[CAbP] ratchets up the "holy fuck!" factor by drawing on the twin traditions of their hometown progressive jazz scene and killer, fuzzed-out guitar tone… CAbP are on the vanguard of the new globalist tradition, where all cultures are fair game for appropriation and re-modification in the name of furthering the funk.” – NashvilleScene.com

Released 2008