During the same week as Brasil Summerfest, while tecnobrega, hip-hop brasileira, and forro was pounding out of sound systems all over the city, there was yet more music to catch. After interviewing BNegão in Williamsburg, we hopped the subway to Lincoln Center caught one of the best shows I’ve been to in quite some time, “Red Hot + FELA!”

The show, which was the preamble to an upcoming album of the same name, was a tribute to the King of Afrobeat, Fela Anikulapo Kuti. It was spearheaded by the Red Hot Organization and the Kronos Quartet, which was celebrating its 40th anniversary.

Under musical direction by Stuart Bogie (Antibalas, Superhuman Happiness), the tribute kicked off with a haunting version of “Sorrow, Tears, and Blood” with strings by Kronos Quartet and vocals by Sahr Ngaujah and Abena Koomson (castmembers of the Broadway musical FELA!). A hush fell over the capacity crowd as Ngaujah (who spent years embodying Fela on stage) and Koomson solemnly sang the legendary afrobeat song. Kronos Quartet, Abena Koomson, and Sahr Ngaujah (Photo: Mirissa Neff)

Afterwards Kronos Quartet left the stage, a host of musical luminaries joined Ngaujah and Koomson to sing far-flung interpretations of songs from Fela’s catalog and other selections just inspired by it. The crowd was quickly on its feet and hurdled a sea of white plastic chairs to dance at the foot of the stage. The crowd at Red Hot + FELA! Live (Photo: Mirissa Neff)

A surprise addition to the program was Beninoise singer Angelique Kidjo, who strutted across the stage, fully owning her rendition of “Lady.” While yet another highlight was the hip-hop spin-off of “Africa, Center of the World” as M1 of Dead Prez and Congolese rapper Baloji traded verses. Fela’s drummer, Tony Allen, about whom Fela once said “without [him], there would be no afrobeat” led the charge a few times throughout the night.

With a strict 10 p.m. curfew, there was no mistaking Lincoln Center for Lagos’ storied Shrine, where Fela held court into the wee hours to many times to count. But it was stunning to see how so many musicians chose to invoke Fela’s outsized spirit, each in their own way.

The Red Hot Organization has put out some fantastic compilation albums over the years, and if the live interpretation of Red Hot + FELA! was any indication, the upcoming album (set for release in October on Knitting Factory Records) won’t disappoint.

Below are some additional shots I grabbed at “Red Hot + FELA!”