Former Fela Kuti manager to demystify artist management at ACCES 2018

The former Fela manager has had a long career in the field, having managed the late Afrobeat artist from 1983 to 1997.

In the late 1980s, Stein represented several African acts and organised international tours for a number of these acts. He was also personal manager to the Guinean national dance company Les Ballet Africains. "A diligent manager can achieve results that cannot be gotten elsewhere," he once told an interviewer. 

Stein has kept in touch with the music industry on the continent, seeking ways to bridge the gap between Africa artists and the global music audience. He has brokered several lucrative deals involving the Fela catalogue and is involved in the annual Felabration festival, along with advising the All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA), the continental award scheme now in its fifth year.

At the ACCES conference, which takes place at the Kenya National Theatre, Stein would be sharing insights gained from his vast experience. Stein will be joined by prolific Cameroonian musician and entrepreneur Blick Bassy. 

The singer-songwriter toured his country for a decade with his former band Macase and went solo after emigrating to Paris, France, where he released his first solo album, Leman, in 2009. His sophomore, Hongo Calling, followed in 2011. 

Four years later, Bassy's song 'Kiki' from Ako, his third album, was used by the American technology company Apple in a global advertising campaign for the iPhone 6. Ako, said Bassy, was influenced by the American blues artist Skip James. A frequently touring artist, Bassy played the Vancouver Folk Music Festival in July. 

Together, Stein and Bassy bring an extensive knowledge of the local and international scenes from the perspectives of artist manager and artist to the 2018 ACCES event. Attendees will be encouraged to interact with the pair during a session that is certain to be enlightening.

ACCES is a pan-African event for music industry players to exchange ideas, discover new talent and create business linkages. Held in a different African city every year, ACCES attracts active music industry players from across the globe.

The ACCES 2018 will offer a dynamic programme including training workshops, panel discussions, presentations, networking sessions, exhibitions, showcases, concerts and visits to key music industry hubs in Nairobi. This year, iconic Kenyan musician and activist Eric Wainaina has been confirmed as the keynote speaker, following in the footsteps of last year's keynote speaker Baaba Maal. 

ACCES is organised by the Music In Africa Foundation, a non-profit and pan-African organisation, in partnership with Siemens Stiftung, Goethe-Institut, Alliance Francaise, Kenya’s Permanent Presidential Music Commission (PPMC), MagicalKenya and the Kenya Cultural Centre.

For more information, including registration and sponsorship opportunities, visit the ACCES website or download the ACCES 2018 brochure here.