Scare Tactics

Harmonized

Does the world really need another Tower of Power? Fans of Scare Tactics, a new CD by The Afromotive may say the comparison is unfair. Tower of Power plays high-energy funk shows and Afromotive is world-beat and Afropop. But there are plenty of similarities. Afromotive, led by West Africa native Kevin Meyame, is a group of jazz and classically trained musicians. They produce technically superb music, full of heavy rhythm and jaunty horns, accessorized by Meyame’s French, English and Baoule vocals.

Afromotive’s superb musicianship must be the calling card that won them collaborations with Erykah Badu. But while Badu and Tower of Power practically drip musical passion, Afromotive’s music is sterile. The challenge Meyame faces is to inject zest into this top-notch sound machine.