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Sample Track 1:
"Emi Won Ni Leyi O" from Baba Mo Tunde
Sample Track 2:
"Baba Loun Sohun Gbogbo" from Baba Mo Tunde
Layer 2
Album Review

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All Music Guide, Album Review >>

Bábá Mo Túndé
King Sunny Ade
by Chris Nickson

It's been 10 years since King Sunny Ade last released a studio album, so this is a welcome return for Nigeria's finest, backed up by a vigorous young band on a double CD set that gives him plenty of time to stretch out. There might not be too many tracks, but that's because they all receive plenty of air, especially the half hour plus of "Baba Mo Tunde," which takes wing halfway through and soars like a Grateful Dead jam for the remaining 15 minutes. The production is lovingly crisp, with the percussion well to the fore. King Sunny himself seems happier to play a background role, although there are moments when he comes to the fore and his delightfully incisive guitar work rolls out like a bell, as on part of "Eyi Ma Dun To." That's one of two jokers in the pack here, beginning in a very folksy way, with plentiful flute, before capturing the eternal groove. The other anomaly is the King Britt remox of "Baba Mo Tunde," shorter than the original and eminently dispensible next to the real thing. Americans Wayne Horvitz and Joe Doria both add keyboard, with "Oro Yi Bale" a virtual Hammond-fest that adds Transatlantic soul to the Yoruba mix. This is Ade at his finest, not even losing a yard of pace over the last decade. Now we should all just hope that we don't have to wait 10 more years for his next work.

 10/20/10 >> go there
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