VIP Film Screening: “Finding Fela”

Fela Kuti, the Nigerian musician who defined Afrobeat, influenced everyone from Paul McCartney to Michael Jackson. Now, with Finding Fela, Academy Award-winning documentarian Alex Gibney (The Armstrong Lie) sheds new light on the politically fiery artist with never before seen footage and documents, including Kuti’s report card (there’s a reason he wasn’t a doctor like his brothers). By framing the biography of the musician (Kuti died from AIDS-related complications in 1997) through rehearsals for Bill T. Jones’ Tony-winning musical Fela!, Gibney presents two stories in one – the staging of a complicated production and the life of a dissident legend.

New Yorkers, Stephen and Ruth Hendel along with investors; Jay-Z, Will and Jada Pinkett Smith, and the show’s director and choreographer, Bill T. Jones kept the Fela brand alive on Broadway and executive produced the film “Finding Fela.”

Our Interview Host – Robin McBride

Since 1955, Robin has been in and around the Music Business as label manager, talent executive, record producer and an appreciator of all kinds of recorded material. With a BA in Music from Amherst College, he worked at Columbia Records, and others in New York, then moved to Mercury Records in Chicago in 1968.

In his career he has produced over 75 albums from Rock to Funk to Folk to Jazz and even Poetry. For over 20 years Robin served the Grammy Awards organization as Chicago Chapter President and as a National Trustee. His radio experience started in college where he broadcast “Robin’s Roost” for over 4 years. When WRHC started regular programming a resurrected “Robin’s Roost” jazz program was the first regularly scheduled show on the station. The comedy show

“The Wilbur Fibble Comedy Hour” is also Robin’s creation drawing upon his extensive collection of comedy recordings. Newly elected to the Board, he has served for several years on WRHC’s Program Committee. Robin and his wife, Mariele were introduced to Lakeside in 1974 and now live full time in Stevensville with their dog, Hunter and Robin’s yellow 1930 Model A Ford Roadster.