King Sunny Ade Albums (11)
What The Critics Say
As King Sunny Ade embodies good humor and unflagging desire to realize a brighter future for Nigeria and its people, the music from his 23 piece band overflows with a buoyant optimism that is indelibly energetic and celebratory. Songs that praise the sacred ("Appreciation" and "Merciful God") and honor the ancient Yoruban King Sijuade Olubuse Okunande ("Sijuade") are interspersed with songs that ask for ("Solution") and offer guidance on such things as finding your path in life or making sure that the string on a dancer's bikini doesn't break ("Ogidan O Ni Se Barber" and "Samba," respectively). The most nimbly played track on the CD, "Ariya," begins with a series of synchronized punctuations, smoothly darts forward at an impressive pace, and then -- about half way through -- breaks down into an even more accelerated percussion jam that highlights a talking drum solo. Signaling the end of the tune with a trail of notes from his guitar, Ade comes back in with the other instruments of the band moments before the tune fades out. Other notable characteristics on the CD include the polished harmonies on such songs as "Appreciation," the tasty guitar melodies on songs like "Solution," and the elastic steel guitar lines by Biodun Fatoke. Seven Degrees North -- which refers the relative equatorial position of Lagos, Nigeria -- is the third Mesa release by the royal Yoruban. Though it has been almost 40 years since he began playing highlife and 30 years since he debuted his sounds for large American audiences, King Sunny Ade's Seven Degrees North does not drag. On the contrary, he and his band crank out good humored, upbeat, intelligent, and smartly constructed tunes that make one want to dance in celebration of Nigeria's determination and future. ~ John Vallier, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Odu is one of King Sunny Ade's most ambitious recordings, finding him drawing from his Yoruba traditions and contemporary African trends to create a rich, diverse album. Like many of his other records, there are layers of percussion and guitars that form infectious, percolating grooves, but there are also unexpected twists in the songwriting that makes Odu a rewarding listen for longtime fans. ~ Leo Stanley, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Like King Sunny Ade's previous albums, E Dide (Get Up) is an infectious collection of juju, featuring a wild array percussion, intertwining guitars, and talking drums. ~ Sara Sytsma, All Music Guide
'Live at the Hollywood Palace'
Release Date 1/1/1992
Tracks 7
Label Sound Wave
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
This live document from a 1990 performance of the legendary King Sunny Ade finds the leader and his expanded New African Beats in fine form. Despite having upwards of 15 musicians playing simultaneously, the music never feels cumbersome; the sound of the band is full and complicated without being dense. Throughout, five-part vocal harmonies sing call and response motifs over deeply grooving percussion figures as soaring keyboard and pedal steel melodies find their niches in the arrangements. In fact, one of the greatest pleasures of this relaxed outing is hearing the band explore the many sides of each song. The song structures are, for the most part, loose and unexpected. The listener, when taking in what starts out as a straightforward Afro-pop song, often finds himself in a totally different place as tempos expand and contract effortlessly, cues are hit with remarkable precision, and guitars swirl in and out of the mix in a way that feels organic but must be the result of rigorous rehearsal. The most delightful parts of this record are the instrumental melodies that tend to pop up about halfway through each track. Usually led by a guitar doubled with keyboards (which, unfortunately, often utilize some of the worst synth patches heard in recent memory), they act as almost a song within a song, as the simple pentatonic melodies provide an interesting contrast to the unrelenting swing of the six percussionists. However, these creative, expanded song structures are also ultimately the weakest part of this album, as the unusual forms and extreme lengths of some of these tracks often leave the listener with nothing to grasp hold of. True, their charms are revealed upon repeated listenings, but it can be so overwhelming to the first-time listener that he or she may not ever want to listen to it again. Also, there is a lingering feeling of sameness as one listens to Live at the Hollywood Palace, as the percussion break in "Let Them Say," for example, is almost indistinguishable from the one in "Ayo." The stop-time hits and introduction to "Oba to Laiye" are essentially the same as in "Let Them Say," and so on. A little more diversity in the arrangements, tempos, and dynamics of the set would go a long way toward strengthening this record. Despite this persistent sense of been-there-done-that, this is a strong performance by a super-tight band in front of an enthusiastic audience. "Do you enjoy yourself?" King Sunny Ade asks about halfway through this recording. The answer, in the end, is "Yes!" ~ Daniel Gioffre, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
When Island Records went looking for a Bob Marley replacement following Marley's death in the early 1980s, someone at the label noticed the growing popularity of Nigeria's juju music and tapped King Sunny Ade (who was at the time in a running battle with Ebenezer Obey for juju primacy) as the Next Big Thing. Several fine albums resulted from that marriage, but juju turned out not to have reggae's global appeal, and King Sunny Ade was dropped from Island within a few years. Thus, this very nice live album is on the Rykodisc label, and it makes a fine complement to the more commercial studio albums from the mid-1980s. Juju music is based on the interplay of multiple guitars and talking drums and features cascading melodies and rippling rhythms that will be familiar to fans of Ghanaian highlife or South African township jive. The live setting of this album allows Ade and his band to stretch out rapturously in a way not possible when making a ten-track album for first-world consumption, and the result is entirely winning. Some listeners may lose patience with the long intros and drum showcases, but those who persevere will be well rewarded. Highlights include the lush and gorgeous "Kira Kira" and the guitar-driven "Ase." ~ Rick Anderson, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
The third and last of Ade's breakthrough Mango releases from the early '80s, Aura features more of the juju master's infectious blend of talking drum beats and multi-guitar weaves. Though not as strong as his earlier Juju Music and Synchro System albums, Aura still includes six high-quality originals with some drum machine and Clavinet flourishes added for good measure. Once again, Ade and a battery of guitarists are particularly impressive, laying down a wealth of nicely integrated solos; as with earlier Ade recordings, the pedal steel work is especially stunning. And, adding star power to this already spectacular material, Stevie Wonder contributes some typically playful harmonica lines to the title track opener. Coming on the heels of a slew of incredible releases that date back to the late '60s, Aura may not represent one of the peaks of Ade's career, but it certainly qualifies as a must for fans of the master guitarist. ~ Stephen Cook, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
From the king of juju came this release of 1983, making use of some extra synthesizer-type sounds, as the title vaguely suggests. The sound is the general form of the new juju held up by Sunny Ade. There are no big surprises here, but it's a good album nonetheless. The music is performed well, and written pretty well to boot. Add to that a veritable army of musicians, and the result is a nice run of Nigerian pop with a special dose of keyboard work. As a special treat, there's a half-hidden track between four and five showcasing some work on the talking drums (dundun). ~ Adam Greenberg, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
After nearly 15 years as Nigeria's biggest musical draw and juju music's reigning monarch, King Sunny Ade went global in 1982 with a brief but fertile stint on the Mango label. The three albums that resulted -- Juju Music, Synchro System, and Aura -- gave Ade unprecedented exposure on the Western market and introduced a slew of music lovers to the sounds of Afro-pop. Juju Music was the first of Ade's Mango titles and remains the best of the lot. Over the course of seven extended cuts, King Sunny Ade & His African Beats lay down their trademark mix of talking drum-driven grooves, multi-guitar weaves, lilting vocal harmonies, and pedal steel accents; for this major-label debut, the band also chucks in some tasteful synthesizer bits and a few reggae-dub flourishes. Besides classic juju pop like "Ja Funmi" and "Ma Jaiye Oni," Ade and his 20-piece entourage serve up percussion breakdowns like "Sunny Ti de Ariya" and a heady blend of soul, dub, and synth noodlings on "365 Is My Number/The Message." Throughout, Ade deftly inserts Hawaiian slide guitar licks and Spanish-tinged lines reminiscent of Hendrix' "All Along the Watchtower." Juju Music should not only be the first-disc choice for Ade newcomers, but for the Afro-pop curious as well. ~ Stephen Cook, All Music Guide
