KING SUNNY ADE — Juju Music (review)

KING SUNNY ADE — Juju Music album cover Album · 1982 · African Fusion Buy this album from MMA partners
4.5/5 ·
js
In May 1981, when Bob Marley passed away, it left a huge void in a fast growing market for world beat music. Island records just missed signing Fela Kuti, so they decided to opt for long time Nigerian guitarist/singer King Sunny Ade instead. The early 80s was Ade’s era. Rock and RnB were on the wane with an aging baby boomer crowd and world beat was soaring in popularity due to increased exposure from big name rock stars like Peter Gabriel and Paul Simon. Ade’s early tours of the US and Europe were successful and his record sales were very high for an African artist. Fortunately Ade was far more than a trendy flavor of the month, his music was intricate and sensitive, and was based on centuries of Juju music tradition in Nigeria amongst his Yoruba people.

Describing the music of Sunny Ade is not easy. Despite sporting a huge 20 person ensemble, Ade’s music remains extremely delicate and light, like many intertwining silk threads that make a colorful tapestry. The five guitarists and eight percussionists interweave careful syncopated lines that keep the beat moving forward in a shifting kaleidoscope of small sounds. Along with this syncopated backdrop, Ade and his band add floating psychedelic melodies on the steel guitar, colorful synth accents, echoed guitar riffs and spaced out dubbing effects. In other words, Ade brings the richness of the Juju music tradition up to the modern age through very tasteful use of electronics. Tasteful is the key word here, because Ade never lets the electronic effects trample the delicacy of the original music. This is important because Ade’s deal with Island would end after a few more records because Sunny would not agree to westernize his music.

This record was very popular with the fast growing dub crowd in the early 80s. I’m surprised Ade’s Island records didn’t get a second life with the fans of retro electronica/grooves, this music deserves another rebirth. Juju music is designed to cast a spell, or Ogede, give this record a listen and I think you will find that easy to believe.
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Jazz Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

JMA TOP 5 Jazz ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
A Love Supreme Post Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
Kind of Blue Cool Jazz
MILES DAVIS
Buy this album from our partners
The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady Progressive Big Band
CHARLES MINGUS
Buy this album from our partners
Blue Train Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
My Favorite Things Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners

New Jazz Artists

New Jazz Releases

Modern Standards Fusion
BILL EVANS (SAX)
Buy this album from MMA partners
Echoes of Time Eclectic Fusion
CHRISTOPHE MARGUET
Buy this album from MMA partners
Songs My Mom Liked Post Bop
ANTHONY BRANKER
Buy this album from MMA partners
Behind The Voice Post Bop
CLARENCE PENN
Buy this album from MMA partners
Influences Post Bop
JARED HALL
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Jazz Online Videos

Jean-Pierre (feat. Darryl Jones)
BILL EVANS (SAX)
snobb· 32 minutes ago
Magic Box
CHRISTOPHE MARGUET
snobb· 38 minutes ago
The Peacocks
ANTOINE DRYE
js· 6 hours ago
??·??·?·???·?·????
SADAO WATANABE
snobb· 1 day ago
"Miles Between" // by Shawn Schlogel & Nancy Erickson Lamont
NANCY ERICKSON LAMONT
js· 1 day ago
More videos

New JMA Jazz Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Jazz News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed