EBO TAYLOR, PAT THOMAS & SUPER SOUNDS (Ghana/1981)

Here is a great record to start 2013. In this album, recorded in Togo in 1981 under Super Sounds' name, is featuring the two biggest stars of Ghana: Pat Thomas and Ebo Taylor. This record is rare but known for its wonderful aofrobeat piece: "Yes Indeed".

Ebo Taylor is a figure in Ghana Highlife music. His career reflects his artistic vitality. During the 50s and 60s, after the explosion of pioneers highlife bands like E.T. Mensa, Taylor became a figure of this movement, beginning with bands like Stargazers and Broadway Dance Band. Highlife music appeared to Ghana in the 20s, it was born from the meeting of portugese guitars, western brass bands, african rhythms, american big bands and carribean styles like calypso. Thus in the mid-70s and 80s, Ebo Taylor recorded a number of solo projects, exploring unique fusions and borrowing elements from traditional Ghanian sounds, Fela's afrobeat, to jazz, soul and funk.

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Voici un excellent disque pour commençer l'année 2013. Dans cet album enregistré au Togo en 1981 sous le nom de "Super Sounds", figurent les deux plus grandes stars du Ghana: Pat Thomas et Ebo Taylor. Cet album est rare mais connu pour son redoutable morceau afrobeat: "Yes Indeed".

Ebo Taylor est une des figures de la musique Highlife au Ghana. Son parcours témoigne de sa vitalité artistique. Pendant les années 50 et 60, après l’explosion des orchestres de highlife pionniers comme E.T. Mensah, Taylor est devenu une figure de ce courant en se faisant les dents avec des grands groupes comme les Stargazers et le Broadway Dance Band. Courant apparu au Ghana dans les années 20, le highlife est né de la rencontre des guitares portugaises, des fanfares occidentales, des rythmes africains, des big bands américains et des styles caraïbes comme le calypso. Ainsi, au milieu des années 70 et 80, Ebo Taylor enregistre un certain nombre de projets solo, explorant des fusions uniques et empruntant des éléments de sons ghanéens traditionnels, de l’afrobeat de Fela, de jazz, de soul et de funk.

The End ?

Oro ne sera jamais mort.

On peut censurer la musique mais pas les mots,

Oro n'est pas mort, il est le souffle des ancêtres.

Oro will never be dead.

They can censor music but not words,

Oro is not dead, he is the breath of ancestors.

Pour survivre aujourd'hui, voici le souffle du Ghana. J'ai trouvé des extraits de ces trois albums sur Ebay. Je n'ai pas noté le nom du vendeur de ces disques mais j'espère qu'il se reconnaitra pour que je puisse le remercier. 

To survive today, here is the breath of Ghan. I found those rips on Ebay. I did not notice the seller's name so I hope he will recognize so that I may thank him.

RIM AKANDOH & HIS PRINCE SPARROWS BAND (1979)

Rim Akondoh est un artiste de highlife méconnu. Il est était connu à son époque pour être un redoutable chanteur sur scène.

EXECUTIVE 012 (side 1)

Rim Akondoh is one of the forgotten classic highlife musicians in Ghana. In this days, he was a crowd puller at concerts in Ghana.

OBIBA COLLINS & HIS SUPER STARS (1981)

Obiba Collins est connu pour avoir joué, comme bassiste et percussionniste, avec Fela Ransome Kuti.

SFLP 2001 (side1)

Obiba Collins used to play bass and percussion with Fela Ransome Kuti.

PAT THOMAS

Cet album enregistré sur le label GAPOPHONE est très rare. Voici la Face B, "One More Time"  un bijoux highlife chanté en anglais.

GAPO LP 773  (side2)

This rare album was recorded on the label Gapophone. I only have Side B ("One More Time") a jewelry highlife sung in english.

MARIJATA (Pat Thomas Introduces Marijata)

Born in 1951 in Kumasi, Ghana, the highlife vocalist, Pat Thomas, made his name with his band the Sweet Beans. He began his carreer in 1969 with the Broadway Dance Band, leaving a year later to join the Uhuru Dance Band. Then he played with Ebo Taylor's Blue Monks and finally formed the Sweet Beans in 1973. They released "Faise Lover" in 1974, then split and-reformed as Marijata, releasing Marijata and Pat Thomas Introduces Marijata. What a story to resume this rare and famous album that can be sold more than one thousand dollar.

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Né en 1951 à Kumasi, Ghana, le chanteur de highlife, Pat Thomas, s'est fait connaître avec son groupe les Sweet Beans. Il commençe sa carrière en 1969 avec l'orchestre Broadway Dance Band, et rejoint un an plus tard la formation Uhuru Dance Band. Puis il accompagne Ebo Taylor et ses Blue Monks pour enfin créer l'orchestre Sweet Beans en 1973. Ils sortent l'album "Faise Lover" en 1974, se séparent pour se reformer sous le nom de Marijata et le célèbre album Marijata et Pat Thomas introduit Marijata. Tout une histoire pour parler de ce rare et fameux vinyle qui peut atteindre une valeur de plus de mille Euros.

Pat Thomas (Ghana/1979)

Pat Thomas was Born in 1951 in Kumasi, Ghana. The wave of disco and reggae that swept Africa in the mid-70s created differing responses: some musicians pulled away from playing imported music entirely, others adopted it and adapted it to their own purposes. One of the latter category is highlife vocalist Thomas, who made his name with his band the Sweet Beans. He was brought up by his uncle, Onyina, a celebrated local band leader and the owner of a record store in Kumasi.

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In 1969 he joined the Broadway Dance Band, leaving a year later to join the Uhuru Dance Band for a tour of the UK. Returning to Ghana, he played with Ebo Taylor’s Blue Monks, spent a year in the Cote D’lvoire and then formed the Sweet Beans in 1973. Like many Ghanaian bands, the Sweet Beans received sponsorship from a government body, in this case the Cocoa Marketing Board. They released False Lover in 1974, then split and re-formed as Marijata, releasing Marijata and Pat Thomas Introduces Marijata, after which Thomas released two reggae-influenced solo albums, Let’s Think It Over and Asawado.