Win Tickets to See King Sunny Ade and his African Beats

The Nigerian juju legends play the House of Blues Friday and we have tickets to give away.

The King Sunny Ade and his African Beats show has been cancelled due to travel visa issues. Because of that, this contest is cancelled as well.

King Sunny Ade and his African Beats were scheduled to play Jazz Fest in 2010, but a car accident that killed two members of the band forced Ade to cancel the tour including his stop in New Orleans. On Friday, the guitarist and band leader will return to New Orleans to play the House of Blues. The master of “juju” defined the sound for Perfect Sound Forever’s Jason Gross:

I would say that highlife and juju music are more or less like friends or cousins. In my kind of music, I make sure all kinds of music are in there. Any kind of music in the world, you can find in my music. It's just that I sat down to create and when you hear it, no matter what kind of music you can think about, you will still have the feelings within that band. Really, the aim is to send this particular music to the whole world and let everybody have that feeling. So that if you're a fanatic fan of jazz, it's within this music. If you're a fanatic fan of rock and roll or R&B, you'll find that in my music.

But the music is very unique. When I'm playing it, I feel happy. When people hear it, you'll see them dancing. That's why a lot of people prefer to dance, dance, dance, dance always. It's like non-stop. (laughs). I really like the music myself and believe that (other) people do too.

He’s not fooling around about the “dance” part. In a review of one of his shows in Toronto, Exclaim’s David Dacks wrote:

The show had a P-Funk vibe, with at least 20 to 25 people on stage at all times, although George Clinton's band would never be so tight, sober or deluged with cash. With songs regularly clocking in at over 20 minutes, one simply had to give up the funk for the perfectly executed call and response between Sunny Ade, the four harmonists, assorted band members and well-wishers. When the lights came up after three-and-a-half hours, everyone wanted more. One of the best African shows I've ever seen.

My Spilt Milk has a pair of ticket to give away to see King Sunny Ade and his African Beats Friday at the House of Blues. Register here for a chance to win. The contest closes Thursday night at 5 p.m.