"Obra Akyedzi (Gift of Life)" - Ebo Taylor, Adrian Younge & Ali Shaheed Muhammad
JAZZ IS DEAD (YOUNGE & MUHAMMAD)
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“Obra Akyedzi” seamlessly fuses Black American funk, jazz and soul with the polyrhythmic counterpart of West African breaks. The driving beat hits hard followed by a steady pulse of piercing guitars and Ebo Taylor’s invigorating vocals. From tape echo machines to Adrian Younge’s signature analog sound, this is one of Jazz Is Dead’s most daring recordings to date.
“Collaborating with Ebo Taylor is definitely a bucket-list accomplishment. For me, it is the equivalent of working with musical genius Fela Kuti, because of how much I have studied both of their work and influence on the genre of Afrobeat. Seriously, recording the genius to analog tape while highlighting the raw recording styles of 1970s Africa is a dream I never thought could come to reality! It was also great to work with Ebo’s son, Henry Taylor, who is a true musical force in his own right.” – Adrian Younge
The swirling horns and gritty guitars heard on Ebo Taylor JID022 are reminiscent of his seminal seventies recordings that made him one of Africa’s most prolific and revolutionary artists of all time. Recorded inside of Younge’s Linear Labs studio, this album captures polyrhythmic percussion and twangy, fuzzed out guitars that prove that rhythm is key. The ensemble of Ghanian background vocalists emanates a uniquely spiritual sound that takes the listener back to Ebo’s prime.