NIGERIA – NIGÉRIA
King Sunny Adé & His African Beats – Check E – SALPS 26, 1981 (LP)
(b. 1946)King Sunny Adé & His African Beats – Check E – SALPS 26, 1981 (LP)
After recordings of traditional Yoruba styles (Apala, Sakara and Fuji), we now share a brilliant modern pop version of Yoruba music with this forgotten gem by Sunny Adé, the King of Juju music.
On my first trip to Benin in July 1990, I had the good fortune of seeing King Sunny Adé perform at the Stade de l’Amitié stadium in Cotonou on the very day I arrived. There was an incredible feeling of excitement in the air. Sunny Adé was venerated by the Yoruba, an artist both rooted in Yoruba culture and expressive of the modern urban world. He was a marvelous performer, who along with his great musicians who weave innovative polyrhythms and sound textures, gave his all late into the night, putting everyone in a state of pure bliss with his poise, humor, feline grace, generous charisma, and consummate musicianship.
Ronnie Graham (The Da Capo Guide to Contemporary African Music, 1988) writes: “They played a fast and spacey kind of Juju music characterized by tight vocal harmonies and exquisite guitar work, backed by traditional talking drums and percussion. Adé was never reluctant to introduce new instruments into the Juju blend…with lyrics reflecting his concern for the social problems of Nigeria.”
A few days later, I drove to Lagos from Benin and returned with a trove of vintage Yoruba LPs and cassettes, including this album, thus discovering the incredible wealth of Adé’s recorded music, which I listened to for hours on end in the company of Yoruba friends in Benin.
This LP showcases Sunny Adé’s legendary late 70s-early 80s music, with a particularly sophisticated, seamless medley featuring a cool and funky instrumental section for the ages on Side A (starting at 4’46’’), which masterfully blends voices, talking drums and shakers, several guitars, including the fretless "Hawaii guitar," a vibraphone and percussive electronic touches.
Après avoir présenté plusieurs styles yoruba traditionnels (l’Apala, le Sakara et le Fuji), nous partageons maintenant une musique yoruba brillante résolument moderne avec ce joyau oublié de King Sunny Adé, le roi du Juju.
Lors de mon premier voyage au Bénin en juillet 1990, j’ai eu la chance de voir Sunny Adé se produire au Stade de l’Amitié à Cotonou le soir même de mon arrivée. Il y avait une incroyable sensation d'excitation et de grande attente dans l'air. Sunny Adé, à la fois enraciné dans sa culture yoruba et se projetant dans la modernité urbaine, était véritablement adulé par tous les Yoruba. Il avait une présence scénique incroyable, une énergie et une passion doublée d’une grâce féline. Le public était comme dans un état de transe fluide et sensuelle, émerveillé par l’incroyable inventivité musicale du King et de ses formidables musiciens qui tissent des polyrythmes et des textures sonores originales accompagné de mouvements cadencés du corps jusqu’au tard dans la nuit.
Quelques jours plus tard, je me suis rendu à Lagos par la route en provenance du Bénin et suis revenu avec une pléthore d’anciens disques et cassettes yoruba, y compris cet album, me permettant ainsi de me plonger en profondeur dans l'incroyable richesse de la musique de Sunny Adé, que j'écoutais des heures durant en compagnie de mes amis Béninois Yoruba.
Cet album présente la période musicale la plus créative de Sunny Adé allant de la fin des années 70 au début des années 80, avec un medley sophistiqué étonnant comprenant notamment une partie instrumentale marquante très funky sur la Face A (à partir de 4'46''), avec un mélange magistral de percussions et de tambours parlants, des guitares sensuelles entrelacées, y-compris une guitare Hawaïenne fretless, un vibraphone, et des touches électroniques percussives.
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The photograph of King Sunny Adé below is from Annual of Advertising Art in Japan 85-86, Bijutsu Shuppan-sha:
Excellente! Thanks a lot for sharing this rare beauty, MusicRepublic!!
ReplyDeleteHi Lucky. He's such a major artist and there have been very few reissues outside Nigeria. It seems as if he's now almost forgotten. But his many 70's-early 80's LPs are truly impressive. The records he released on Island Records are not nearly as inspired. He's a towering figure of African music from the golden age. Equally impressive Ibo Highlife groups like Oriental Brothers now also seem off the map. These music are intricate side long recordings with a focus on percussion, voice and guitars, and almost need to be listened to in the spirit of traditional music. Have a great weekend.
DeleteThere can be said much against the internet, people sitting in front of the computer instead of living in the real world. But one thing that's really fortunate for niché musics like this is that blogs just like yours are able to re-circulate rare and forgotten musics! Over the years I collected nearly 30 albums by Sunny Ade, one better than the other. The same goes for albums by artists like Celestine Ukwu, Chief Stepehen Osita Osadebe, Ebenezer Obey, Fela Kuti, Haruna Ishola, I. K. Dairo, Kollington Ayinla, Oriental Brothers International, Orlando Julius or William Onyeabor (just to name a few from Nigeria).
DeleteThanks for your sharing your exquisite taste in music!
Amazing music.
ReplyDeleteAlwais looking forward for the next post!
from a soulseeker :)
Thank you for your appreciation. Soulseek is a great community, a true haven for curious and open-minded music lovers.
DeleteAs mentioned by @Lucky, I also very do appreciate your generosity sharing all of those wondrous LPs! Not mentioning the fact that your writing AND YOUR PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH THE EVENTS is simply mesmerizing and making us readers/listeners "being there with you". Thank you!
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