During its legendary decade-long run at the Zanzibar in Santa Monica, Afro Funke' parties were renown for their spontaneity and eclecticism. Boasting the globe-spanning, crate-digging resident DJs Jeremy Sole (KCRW) and Glenn Red (La Junta), you could expect the unexpected on any given Thursday night. ⁠
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70s Afrobeat classics blended into mid 2000s Baile Funk... Bob Marley vocals layered on top of tribal house beats... all fair game. The African diaspora was the cultural through-line, but those traditions were in a state of constant flux: endlessly remixed, reinterpreted, and recontextualized into a potent dance music experience that transcended borders, genres or eras. Live drummers and brass players would often accompany the DJs while Afro Funke’ co-founder / roots reggae star Rocky Dawuni would host, his verses and ad libs guiding the crowd energy higher and higher. ⁠

⁠These were the kinds of parties where you would lose yourself on the dance floor, only to be reborn again drenched in sweat.⁠

This past Saturday, Grand Performances and KCRW were proud to cohost Afro Funke’s glorious reunion. The thousands in attendance would agree that the legendary crew did not lose an ounce of their spontaneity and eclecticism during their hiatus. Flanked by live percussionists and several mesmerizing dancers, Jeremy and Glenn once again put on a genre-spanning back-to-back DJ set as openers.

Next, guest performers Buyepongo brought the crowd to their feet with their infectious brand of tropical funk and cumbia. Their tight uptempo set was a true crowd pleaser for an audience comprising of fans of all three LA music institutions: GP, KCRW and Afro Funke'.⁠

Our headliner Rocky Dawuni kept the momentum going with his impeccable stage presence and 8-piece reggae band. Just like in the Zanzibar days, his singing was naturally uplifting, while he and the other performers on stage never stopped moving. The crowd too, never stopped bouncing. From top to bottom, California Plaza was a mass of positive energy and rhythmic flow - Afro Funke’s legacy still standing tall two whole decades later.⁠

You can relive the magic on our YouTube channel and the photos we posted on our Facebook page.