Annotated Bibliography

Bessman, Jim. “ King Sunny Ade Offers a Tribute to Democracy.” Billboard. Vol. 112, Issue 26-2000.

      This review of King Sunny Ade’s (the popular Nigerian Juju artist) album “Seven Degrees North,” helps the average listener understand the politics behind Ade’s music. This is a useful tool in understanding what drives a Nigerian artist, like Ade and what inspires his music. This review also talks about the Yoruban influence on Ade’s music.  

Beier, Ulli. Art in Nigeria 1960. London: Cambridge University Press, 1960.

            This book goes into detail on how traditional art in Nigeria plays a role in the contemporary art of Nigeria. Beier goes in depth on how Christianity, Europe, and commercialism play a role in modern Nigerian art.

Moore, Carlos. Fela, Fela: This Bitch of a Life. London: Allison & Busby, 1982.

    In this book the controversy and reputation that follows the Nigerian artist, Fela, is discussed in depth. With personal interviews this biography gets a good look at what fuels the artist to do many of the notorious things he does.

Ottenburg, Simon. New Traditions From Nigeria: Seven Artists of the Nsukka Group. Washington, D.C. Smithsonian Institution Press, 1997.

      This book goes into great depth on the contemporary art in Nigeria with emphasis on the Nsukka Group and Uche Okeke and seven other artists in this artistic group. This book has full color images of modern art from these Nigerian artists and  has biographies of each one.

Planet, Janet. (1995). The African Music Encyclopedia. http://www.africanmusic.org/index.html. (2002, March 20).

        This is a complete Encyclopedia of African musicians with sort biographies on each. Nigerian artists such as Kin Sunny Ade, I.K. Dairo, Fela, and Ebenezer Obey are included.

Stewart, Gary. Breakout: Profiles in African Rhythm. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1992.

      This book outlines the essential styles and key players in African music today. Descriptions of these styles, and the artists that perform them, help the reader to understand the influences and beginnings of contemporary African music, namely Nigerian.

Thomas, T. Ajayi. History of Juju Music: A History of an African Popular Music from Nigeria. Jamaica, N.Y.: The Organization, 1992.

        In this book Thomas takes the reader back to the roots of Juju music and discusses the influences that were combined to make what has become one of the most popular styles in Nigerian music today.

Twins Seven Seven. A Dreaming Life: An Autobiography of Twins Seven Seven. Edit. by Ulli Beier. Bayreuth, Bayreuth African Studies 52. 1999.

        This is an autobiography essentially put together by Ulli Beier from conversations with Twins Seven Seven. These conversations help the reader to understand the many talents and fields of Twins Seven Seven including his poetry, artwork, music, and much more.

Waterman, Christopher Alan. Juju: A Social History and Ethnography of an African Popular Music. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1990.

        This is an outline of the history of Juju music, its roots, influences, and major players. This book discusses the roles that politics, economy, and culture have played in the progression of its evolution.

Veal, Michael E. Fela: The Life and Times of an African Musical Icon. Philadelphia, P.A.: Temple University Press, 2000.