Sunny Ade
Band members Related acts
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line up 1 (1967-) - Sunny Adé (aka Sunday Adeniyi) -- guitar, keyboards, vocals
supporting musicians (1983) - Fatoke Abiodun -- percussion, agogô - Shina Abiodun -- conga - King Ademola Adepoju -- steel guitar - Jacob Ajakaye -- vocals - Moses Akanbi -- drums - John Akpan -- guitar, rhythm guitar - Rasaki Aladokun -- African drum, talking drum - Gani Alashe -- percussion, shekere - Michael Babalola -- maracas - Elder Osei Bonsu -- guitar, percussion, motimo - Jonah Bonsu -- keyboards - Tunde Demiola -- vocals - Niyi Falaye -- vocals - Segun Hori -- guitar - Jelili Lawal -- bass - Martin Meissonnier -- keyboards - Bob Ohiri -- guitar, Alhaji - Timmy Olaitan -- drums, African drum, talking drum - Matthew Olojede -- vocals - Elder Osei -- guitar - Femi Owomoyela -- vocals
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- none known
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Genre: Juju Rating: **** stars Title: Synchro System Company: Mango Catalog: MLPS
9737 Country/State: Nigeria Grade (cover/record): NM/NM Comments: still in shrink wrap (opened) Available: 1 Catalog ID: -- Price: $
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In the mid-'80s a friend of mine introduced me to one of his college buddies. Jim and his friend were about five years older than me and both were rabid music collectors. The friend worked for the State Department (well, that was his cover story) and had just returned with his wife and family from a three year assignment to South Africa. Over the next couple of years we hung out from time to time and I got schooled on the world of African music - the late Johnny Clegg, Fela Kunti & the Africa '70, Ebo Taylor, etc. Another act he was a big fan of - King Sunny Ade and His African Beats.
So here's one of the things about Ade - he is prolific. Starting in the mid-'60s through 2024, his recording catalog includes close to 125 albums. I wonder if there's anyone who's actually heard them all, let alone owns them all?
Having introduced Bob Marley to Western audiences, it was only natural that in the wake of Marley's death, Chris Blackwell and Island Records would start looking for the next "big thing". Depending which reference you subscribe to, King Sunny Ade was brought to Blackwell's attention by the late Island recording artist Robert Palmer (who spent part of his early life living on Malta where he became familiar with African radio). The other story is Ade's manager, French producer/promoter/journalist and filmmaker Martin Meissonnier was responsible for bring Ade to Island Records..
Released
by Island's Mango subsidiary,1983's "Synchro System"
served as his sophomore released for the label. Credited to Sunny Ade
and His African Beats (the liner notes listed twenty-one supporting musicians), the album was recorded at Music Works Studios in London with
Meissonnier producing and playing keyboards. I'm certain
Backed by an American our and positive reviews the album sold reasonably well, peaking at # 91 on the US Billboard charts. Ade subsequently won a 1983 Grammy nomination for Best Ethnic Or Traditional Folk Recording. He lost out to Clifton Chenier & His Red Hot Louisiana Band's album "I'm Here". Still, Juju wasn't the massive hit reggae had been with Western audiences.
The album featured different cover art throughout the rest of the world.
"Synchro
System" track listing: 1.) Synchro Feelings - Ilako (Sunny Ade) - 5:36 rating: *** stars Admittedly Juju isn't going to be for everyone and even if you get into the groove, it isn't something you'll want to hear all the time. Still, 'Synchro Feelings - Ilako' was as good a place as any to start. Hard to describe it, but perhaps imagine an African version of go-go music, but with Yoruba vocals, Ade's laconic voice, group call and response chants and Segun Hori's brittle lead guitar. 2.) Mo Ti Mo (Sunny Ade) - 5:31 rating: *** stars Simply because it got away from the standard Juju sound, the ballad 'Mo Ti Mo' served as an album highlight. The song was another remake from his 1975 "Vol. 2" album, albeit with a slightly different title (it was originally entitled 'Moti Mo' - translating as "I don't know". Meissonnier gave the song an updated mix and slightly modified lyrics - 'Mo Ti Mo' translating as "now I know". YouTube has a slightly ragged April 1983 performance of the song from a concert in Essen recorded for the German Rockpalast television program: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hIleqCgm2Q 3) Penkele (Sunny Ade) - 4:00 rating: **** stars Meissonnier's updated sounds were quite apparently in the form of synthesizer burps and gurgles on the chant 'Penkele' To be honest, his additions had a very '80s feel which means they haven't aged very well. Shame since it was one of the album's better grooves. I'm sure everyone wants to know what the song was about - It was apparently a tribute to the late Nigerian politician A song praising a late politician in Nigeria Adegoke "Penkelemesi" Adelabu. Prior to his 1958 death in a car accident, Adelabu was an advocate for Nigerian independence from England. His nickname "Penkelemesi" stemmed from his use of the term "peculiar mess" to describe some of his political opponents. Backed by at least twenty performances, YouTube has a live performance from the 1983 Rockpalast show. Kudos to King Ademola Adepoju for a killer pedal steel solo. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m14iB4PPEpA 4.) Maajo (Sunny Ade) - 4:10 rating: **** stars Starting out with just Ade and a little guitar, 'Maajo' (think it translates as "dance on"), opened up with one of the album's most distinctive melodies. It then exploded into a group call-and-respond aural hug. Once again Meissonnier's updated sounds updated sounds including synthesizers and syndrums didn't add much to the track. YouTube has a 1983 performance of the song filmed in Montreux, Switzerland: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GK0Oq-ERnKg
(side
2) The title track was another updated remake - in this case a 1974 Nigerian hit off his "Synchro System Movement" album. Probably the album's funkiest tune, YouTube has a clip of Ade and company playing the song at Capitol Radio's 1984 appearance at the Splashin' the Palace Reggae Music Festival. The English explanation of how to dance to the song is hysterical. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaV7G9nxOfI The track was released as a single throughout the world
- 1983's 'Synchro System' b/w '' (Mango catalog number MLPS 7807) 2.) E Saiye Re (Sunny Ade) - 3:29 rating: **** stars The haunting 'E Saiye Re' was my pick for standout performance. Wish the album had included a lyric sheet translating the Yoruba into English. Jelili Lawal's bass and the lead guitar riff were killer. 3.) Tolongo (Sunny Ade) - 3:19 rating: **** stars 'Tolongo' was a good example of the group's intoxicating rhythms and one of the tracks you wished would have gone on longer. The backing vocals are sweet !!! The track had another killer King Ademola Adepoju pedal steel solo. 4.) E Wele (Sunny Ade) - 5:03 rating: **** stars Yeah, another track with a nice groove that picked up energy as it bounced along. It was also a good track to hear King Ademola Adepoju's pedal steel and Rasaki Aladokun and Timmy Olaitan going to town on African talking drums. Here's a link to a thundering Rockpalast performance of the song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NoQpVrdCuLs 5.) Synchro (Reprise) (Sunny Ade) - 1:27 rating: ** stars 'Synchro (Reprise)' shifted into a percussion heavy instrumental with a dub flavor. Guess it was intended for the dance floor, but it wasn't particularly interesting to my ears.
© Scott R. Blackerby January, 2025
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ly
no Juju scholar, but it's pretty clear that Meissonnier and Island pushed
Ade to modify his trademarked sound for Western ears. With Ade penning
all eight tracks (the lyrics sung in Yoruba) , perhaps the biggest change
came in terms of song lengths. On Ade's African releases, once the
band found a groove, side long tracks
weren't uncommon. On this set the longest song, the title track,
clocked in at under seven minutes. Ade's "sound" was also
modified. On tracks like 'E
Wele' and 'Penkele'
pedal steel and Hawaiian steel guitar
remained a big part of the sound, but this time they were supplemented by
more lead guitar, syndurms and irritating synthesizers. In spite of
the modifications, the basic Juju sound remained in place. The focus
was on Ade's easy-going, laconic voce and above all groove. That was
supported by waves of guitar (Ade and four others), waves of percussion (two
drummers and at least four percussionists) and at least five backing
singers. Quick warning - to a casual listener (like myself), it can
start to get monotonous, but material like the title track, 'Maajo'
and 'Tolongo'
provided enough good grooves to get through the set. Several of
the songs were remakes from early Ade sets. As an example, the ballad 'Mo
Ti Mo' was a remake of 'Moti Mo' from his 1975 "Vol. 2"
album. It may not be Ade's best album, but it's a good starting point
for exploring his catalog.
