The Best of the Classic Years

King Sunny Ade | Format: MP3 Download

Product Details

• Original Release Date: June 7, 2005
• Label: Shanachie Entertainment
• Copyright: 2005 Shanachie Entertainment
• Total Length: 1:11:29
• Genres: Dance & DJ/World Dance
• ASIN: B000QZVVTS
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #12,144 Paid in MP3 Albums (See Top 100 Paid in MP3 Albums)
  • #25 in MP3 Downloads > MP3 Albums > Dance & DJ > World Dance

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars raw Juju, August 21, 2003

By 

J. Christmas "joshua-one" (New Brunswick, NJ) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Best of the Classic Years (Audio CD)

If you like the groove of Juju but are put off by the over-production of Ade's 1980s albums that brought him renown in the states, or even if you're just a fan of Juju music in general this is a good collection. Apparently culled from his recordings between 1967-74, the tracks here have a funkier sound, with some of the production sounding like a distant cousin of dub reggae or acid rock.

The first five tracks (out of 10) comprise an 18 minute medley from one album, a choice I find slightly strange considering the producers supposedly had 12 albums of material to choose from. In addition, track 6 is the complete 18 minute version of Synchro System, later rerecorded and made into something of a hit in the US. Still, the medley really burns, and seems worth including in its entirety. The other four tracks are solid as well, and in all, the CD provides more than 70 minutes of the best Juju ever recorded.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Juju Juju, November 27, 2005

By 

Jason Gubbels (San Diego, CA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Best of the Classic Years (Audio CD)

This is dance music of the transcendent variety, with swaying rhythms and the lilting, heavily-channeled guitars the Nigerian style known as juju became famous for. These are early recordings, taken mostly from the late 1960s and early 1970s, long before he landed a record contract in the West and briefly made inroads via the emerging "worldbeat" movement of the 1980s. Largely sung in Yoruba, with two tracks pushing past 17 minutes in length, and instrumental more often than not, it's easy to see how Ade was a harder sell than Bob Marley. But don't let any small cultural differences keep you away from the delightful artistry of King Sunny. The music both lifts your spirits and moves your feet.

5.0 out of 5 stars Nice compilation!, December 21, 2007

By 

Paris Treantafeles (New York USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Best of the Classic Years (Audio CD)

I love this release. As others have mentioned, these are older recordings, simple and raw without too much production. The sounds are sometimes psychedelic, sometimes upbeat and sometimes relaxing and mellow. A very good range of tracks to enjoy.