This live document from a 1990 performance of the legendary King Sunny Ade finds the leader and his expanded New African Beats in fine form. Despite having upwards of 15 musicians playing simultaneously, the music never feels cumbersome; the sound of the band is full and complicated without being dense. Throughout, five-part vocal harmonies sing call and response motifs over deeply grooving percussion figures as soaring keyboard and pedal steel melodies find their niches in the arrangements. In fact, one of the greatest ...
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This live document from a 1990 performance of the legendary King Sunny Ade finds the leader and his expanded New African Beats in fine form. Despite having upwards of 15 musicians playing simultaneously, the music never feels cumbersome; the sound of the band is full and complicated without being dense. Throughout, five-part vocal harmonies sing call and response motifs over deeply grooving percussion figures as soaring keyboard and pedal steel melodies find their niches in the arrangements. In fact, one of the greatest pleasures of this relaxed outing is hearing the band explore the many sides of each song. The song structures are, for the most part, loose and unexpected. The listener, when taking in what starts out as a straightforward Afro-pop song, often finds himself in a totally different place as tempos expand and contract effortlessly, cues are hit with remarkable precision, and guitars swirl in and out of the mix in a way that feels organic but must be the result of rigorous rehearsal. The most delightful parts of this record are the instrumental melodies that tend to pop up about halfway through each track. Usually led by a guitar doubled with keyboards (which, unfortunately, often utilize some of the worst synth patches heard in recent memory), they act as almost a song within a song, as the simple pentatonic melodies provide an interesting contrast to the unrelenting swing of the six percussionists. However, these creative, expanded song structures are also ultimately the weakest part of this album, as the unusual forms and extreme lengths of some of these tracks often leave the listener with nothing to grasp hold of. True, their charms are revealed upon repeated listenings, but it can be so overwhelming to the first-time listener that he or she may not ever want to listen to it again. Also, there is a lingering feeling of sameness as one listens to Live at the Hollywood Palace, as the percussion break in "Let Them Say," for example, is almost indistinguishable from the one in "Ayo." The stop-time hits and introduction to "Oba to Laiye" are essentially the same as in "Let Them Say," and so on. A little more diversity in the arrangements, tempos, and dynamics of the set would go a long way toward strengthening this record. Despite this persistent sense of been-there-done-that, this is a strong performance by a super-tight band in front of an enthusiastic audience. "Do you enjoy yourself?" King Sunny Ade asks about halfway through this recording. The answer, in the end, is "Yes!" ~ Daniel Gioffre, Rovi
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Add this copy of Live at the Hollywood Palace to cart. $6.29, very good condition, Sold by Wonder Book - Member ABAA/ILAB rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Frederick, MD, UNITED STATES, published 1994 by Capitol.
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Seller's Description:
Very Good. Very Good condition. audioCD. Case Very Good. Case contains cut-out. Quality guaranteed! In original artwork/packaging unless otherwise noted.
Add this copy of Live at the Hollywood Palace to cart. $6.29, good condition, Sold by Wonder Book - Member ABAA/ILAB rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Frederick, MD, UNITED STATES, published 1994 by Capitol.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Good. Good condition. audioCD. Case Good. Case cracked/scuffed. Disc slightly scratched. Quality guaranteed! In original artwork/packaging unless otherwise noted.
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