“Dirty Money” (PDF) from the Antibalas album, Antibalas

The Brooklyn soul-revival band Antibalas combine the New York City trombanga sound of Eddie Palmiere with the Nigerian Afrobeat traditions of Fela Kuti to create protest music for the twenty-first century. Calling attention to gentrification throughout the city, the band’s early popularity had captured the attention of Broadway producers for the jukebox musical Fela! Members of Antibalas were hired as onstage performers, including trombonist Aaron Johnson who took on the role of the show’s musical director.

Following its Broadway run and national tours, Johnson re-located to San Francisco where he became the talent buyer and programming director for music venues and currently serves on the development team at Knitting Factory Entertainment. In an article for the San Francisco Chronicle, writer Andrew Gilbert notes that the Bay Area presence of Antibalas continues to call attention to the housing crisis created by tech-startup culture and expedited in the post-pandemic economy.

Here is a YouTube video of Antibalas performing “Dirty Money” for New York public radio:

Recommended reading: “Anitbalas doubles down on a Bay Area strategy for its Afrobeat” by Andrew Gilbert. San Francisco Chronicle: Datebook. February 8, 2020.