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Afro-pop pioneer Ade shows he's still king
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Albany Times Union, Afro-pop pioneer Ade shows he's still king >>
There's been some concern that Albany will be without world music now that Mona Golub has decided to finish her run of Second Wind concerts in Washington Park.
Those worries were laid to rest at least a little while on Tuesday night.
King Sunny Ade was in town, and that's not something that can be said every day.
Ade led his huge African Beats ensemble into The Egg for a concert benefit for radio station WRPI (91.5 FM).
The first of fifteen musicians, drummer Tope Adu, strolled onstage a few minutes before 8 p.m. and was soon followed by fellow percussionists Ayanwale Ogungbe, Ademola Azeez, Michael Babalola, Olawale Ogundeyi and Oluwatosin Amuwo.
They established a sinuous, complicated groove that laid a bedd for the other players, who followed suit by strolling out and joining in at their leisure. Each was greeted by warm applause, but when King Sunny himself strode out, the hands of the crowd created something like thunder.
Ade -- born Sunday Adeniyi Adegeye in Oshogbo, Nigeria in 1946 -- pioneered Nigerian Afro-pop in the '60s and '70s then took it to the rest of the world in the '80s and '90s. He did this in part by expanding the sound of the genre -- mostly by adding multiple guitar textures -- and also by adding old-fashioned showmanship to the mix.
Tuesday, when he wasn't picking or singing he was dancing.
So was the crowd. A lone blonde woman braved the floor after a few numbers had passed, but once she broke the ice the space was filled the rest of the evening.
Others braved the stage.
There is a tradition in Nigeria of "spraying" the musicians. Fans come onstage to "spray" the artists with money, and many did so at The Egg. In the epic, second-set ceterpiece "Ije T Mojo Lana," dozens came up to paste money on Ade's sweaty forehead.
He accepted gracefully and just kept singing as band members caught the cash and retrieved it from the floor.
And he deserved it, too.
What a band he has assembled, what a sound he has created, and what joy he brings to anyone in earshot.
He is clearly the star of his organization, but he let others shine at The Egg, too.
"Ja Funmi," for example, was sparked by a fine solo from guitarist Sunday John Apkan, who had to dodge high kicks from the band while he played.
"Kiti Kiti" featured slinky pedal steel licks from Abiodun Fatoke.
And a tune that translates to "My Head Come and Fight for Me" found a trio dancers "backing it up" over slow blues licks that pushed against a relentless groove.
-Michael Eck
04/04/05
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