Fela!, the Broadway musical about a prominent Nigerian musician created by a prominent U.S. choreographer, arrived at Sidney Harman Hall this week. Arts Desk theater critic Bob Mondello will have review next week. I’m just here to report that the dancing is, well, awesome.

The touring production is more than simply an evening’s entertainment, thanks to glorious music, compelling acting, and a versatile and effective set. But the dancing provides the energy that keeps the show moving relentlessly forward, and—unlike so many musicals in which the physicality is insipid and half-hearted—it utterly satisfies.

The show’s creator is Bill T. Jones, the renowned New York-based choreographer who most recently brought his tribute to Abraham Lincoln to the Kennedy Center. That piece was an abstract modern-dance performance, which means that the dancing was front and center and there was no need to tell a story. Fela!, of course, is totally different: It's a narrative about the life of Nigerian Afro-beat singer Fela Kuti.

The dance is never secondary. Instead, it’s always there, in the form of the eight women and four men who make up the chorus. They’re onstage for the majority of the show, full of energy and moving in unison. Most of the movement has a West African flavor, with arms and legs constantly flying while torsos swivel and dip. But look closely: Ballet, jazz, modern, breakdancing, and tap all make cameos.

Just about every dance scene satisfies, and a constant change of costumes keeps things interesting. Possibly the most compelling part is Fela’s trip to the underworld, where the dancers—clad all in white—hurriedly swirl, fly, and hover, simulating chaos and overwhelming viewers’ senses.

Jones has achieved something of an optical illusion. Upon close examination, the choreography doesn’t appear all that interesting, and though the female dancers are charming, none in particular stand out. The men are considerably more impressive, in terms of technique and strength, but they have limited stage time.

And yet, none of that really comes across in the big picture, when the music is pumping, the onstage crowd is jumping, and Fela (Sahr Ngaujah and Adesola Osakalumiu on different nights) has the audience in his grip. Then, all the elements come together like a spell that's impossible to shake.

Fela! runs through Oct. 9 at Sidney Harman Hall. Tickets are $25-$120. For more information, visit www.shakespearetheatre.org.

Photo by Monique Carboni

Reid's professional career began at 16 as the house drummer of Harlem's Apollo Theater, with his first recording a year later behind Motown's Martha and the Vandellas. (Reid would eventually play on a number of Motown sessions, including the Vandellas' monster 1964 hit "Dancing in the Street.") From there, however, his work took a sharp left turn; after graduating from Adelphi University in 1965, Reid spent three years studying rhythm and percussion in Africa, working with—among others—Nigerian musician and activist Fela Kuti.

Upon returning to the U.S. he began working with similarly radical (in both music and politics) artists, including James Brown, Randy Weston, Ornette Coleman, Henry Threadgill, Sun Ra, and Miles Davis. After a brief career interruption in 1969, when he was arrested for draft refusal, Reid became an active participant in New York's 1970s loft-jazz scene; he played on the recently rereleased 1977 opus Odyssey of the Oblong Square.

In recent years, Reid gained an appreciative following among post-rock audiences via his collaborations with electronic musician Kieran Hebden—better known as Four Tet. Hebden and Reid were responsible for the two-volume The Exchange Session CDs, as well as two other discs.

Reid's legacy, while not well-known, is tremendous. He will be missed.

This is just one of my favorite Fela clips. Thought I'd share.

Remember Chopteeth? BPB reviewed 'em back in October during the Duke Ellington Jazz Festival. They cook. They dance. The Korgans are fat. The horn section is beastly. And the protest ("Struggle") generally takes a backseat to the party ("Upendo").

Their LP is called "Afrofunk Big Band." It's great. And without giving too much away, I can say that it's a prime candidate for the 2008 iteration of our Year-in-Review Top 10 List. What's not surprising about the disc is the quality of the playing—they're aces, and we've know that for a while. But we didn't know they had the composition to match the chops. (Much of the credit goes to guitarist/singer/principal songwriter/recording engineer Michael Shereikis, though Anna Mwalagho contributes some songwriting alonside her exultant vocals.)

So remember, folks: weigh your blessings. And check out the clips below.

"Struggle":

"Upendo":

"Fogo Fogo" (the lone Fela joint and the album's only cover):

The fifth track, "Dog Days," is available for free download on the Chopteeth website.