After a second try, Nigerian musician Femi Kuti successfully broke a saxophone world record for playing a single note for over 51 minutes.
He used a circular breathing method to sustain the note for 51 minutes 35 seconds last Sunday which he gladly posted on his Twitter page.
“Done. proven. #circular breathing tonight at the Shrine 51 mins 35secs 83mili secs . Now to focus on great song/melodies/tunes,” he said.
This record will not make its way into the Guinness World Records because it has been discontinued, the record body announced.
@4eyedmonk Hi Henry, this record category was rested several years ago unfortunately – we now only accept claims not using circular breathing
Femi Kuti’s first attempt was at an event last week when he played the note for 46 minutes 38 seconds and celebrated for breaking American musician Kenny G’s record of 45 minutes 47 seconds in 1997.
His celebration was cut short after it was pointed out to him that another musician Vann Burchfield had broken Kenny G’s record in 2000 by playing for 47 minutes and 5.5 seconds.
Kuti promised to make a comeback which he did.
Femi is the son of music legend and Afrobeat music pioneer Fela Kuti who died in 1997. They both tackle political and social issues through their music.