It's interesting to hear Black Thought rock verses to the ethnically-rich sounds and rhythms of Afro beat music, then again it's not that surprising given the vast musical range and appreciation for Black music shown by The Roots over their illustrious career. If you're a fan of The Roots but you haven't yet embraced the sound of Afro Beat, this performance may enlighten you.

Afro Picks is the vision of Roots drummer Questlove who's focus was to present a unique show which offers a contemporary tribute to African musical history through a selection of tracks played by the Afro-Picks Big Band. The ensemble features Tony Allen on drums, Macy Gray, Black Thought, Mamani Keita, and Amp Fiddler, as well as members of Antibalas, the David Murray Big Band, The Roots, the Tony Allen Band, and Fela!, the Broadway musical. Questlove’s Afro-Picks is a unique proposition, straddling tradition and modernity, struggle and liberation, music and politics. This recording come straight from the show's premiere during the Jazz a la Villette festival at Parisienne venue La Grande Halle De La Villette, as part of the Paris stop of the RBMA World Tour 2011.

Listen to Part 2 of the show here.