Recorded at Metamorphose in Tokyo Japan

Ghana

Though most often bad for business, the ramifications of the internet for the music industry have indeed been a boon for music fans. Never before has there been a time where so many fans could easily access such a wide variety of music. We routinely see rare “lost classics” of yesteryear served up on blogs - often prohibitively obscure records in earlier years, only whispered about by collectors. And while some of what is “rediscovered” these days is not up to snuff, there have truly been some amazing finds. Case in point: _(artist-name)Ebo Taylor_. The Ghanaian guitarist cut his teeth during the highlife movement in the 50s and 60s, playing with pioneers like _(artist-name)ET Mensah_. After a trip to London, _(artist-name)Ebo Taylor_ began experimenting, adding jazz, funk and Nigerian afrobeat elements to his brand of Ghanaian highlife. The result were some seriously funky records released throughout the 70s on the small Essiebons label. With the recent resurgence of all things afro, _(artist-name)Taylor_’s records have routinely been fetching $500 and up. After appearing on a number of contemporary afro-beat compilations (and being sampled by _(artist-name)Usher_!), it only made sense for _(artist-name)Taylor_ to record again. Though a wizened man in his seventies, _(artist-name)Taylor_ recently teamed up with Berlin based collective, _(artist-name)The Afrobeat Academy_ (comprised of members from _(artist-name)Poets Of Rhythm_, _(artist-name)Kabu Kabu_, and members of _(artist-name)Marijata_) to release _(album-title)Love And Death_ on Strut in 2010. Despite his age, _(artist-name)Taylor_ proves that he still has the charisma and flavour to keep this particular brand of high-energy afro-beat afloat.

• Facebook