With ancestry from Benin, West Africa, Wally Badarou became a key figure as an unofficial "fifth member" of Level 42, co-writing and co-producing many of their tracks. His reputation for futurist pop saw his fingers jam the synth melodies that grace some of the most memorable and irresistible songs in modern music. From Fela to Mick Jagger, Robert Palmer, Gwen Guthrie, Jimmy Cliff, Herbie Hancock & James Brown alongside works by Grace Jones and Talking Heads as part of the Compass Point All Stars, it’s way easier to talk about the musicians Badarou hasn’t worked with!