lee (02/14/83)
#N:rochester:800002:000:1663 rochester!lee Feb 13 22:50:00 1983 The King Sunny Ade Band played here in Rochester a few days ago. Although the band is rather unknown here in the U.S., they have been fantasticly popular in their home country of Nigeria. The form of music that they play is called "Juju Music" and it is a blending of native sounds with Western instruments such as electric guitar and pedal steel guitar. King Sunny Ade is traveling with eighteen (18) of the twenty-two (22) members of his band (called the African Beats). About half the band members play some sort of percusion instrument and therefore they have a very rich rythmic sound. The concert here was amazing. The band has so much energy that I thought the roof would blow off. First-time listeners (like myself) and veterans (mainly local Nigerians) danced the night away. The following comments come from a review of the band's concert in New York City that was published in last Monday's N.Y.T: "The Talking Heads, David Bowie and a number of American and British new wave bands have been heavily influenced by African and especially Nigerian pop music during the last few years, and they have been teaching their fans to hear and respond to complex rhythms and densely woven ensemble counterpoint. And since Bob Marely's death in 1981, adventurous pop music listners the world over have been waiting for the third world to produce another international star and innovator of Mr. Marley's caliber. Sunny Ade's album suggested he might be the man. After his show he at the Savoy, there can be little doubt that the crown is his for the taking." Should this group hit your town, don't delay in getting tickets! They sold out here. =lee
pag (02/15/83)
I was recently given a King Sunny Ade tape by a friend. This music is fascinating, inventive, and downright cooks! Highly recommended. --peter gross