Monday, April 23, 2012

Ebo Taylor Is A Legend



Ebo Taylor is a bit of a legend in his native Ghana. Taking Afrobeat and making it global is no easy task, but Ebo Taylor is part of a small group of musicians who have been lucky enough to take their unique sound around the world. His latest album, Appiwa Kwa Bridge, illustrates why. Combining African sounds with jazz and funk, Taylor has created a sound that is truly all his own and, it's awesome stuff.

Perhaps sounding a bit older than you might expect, Appiwa Kwa Bridge, has a groove to it that keeps the record in a constant state of movement. At times sounding like the soundtrack to a Dirty Harry movie and at others sounding like a classic Afrobeat album, Ebo Taylor keeps the flow of this record in a constant state of jazzy flux. It works perfectly because he blends Western jazz with this home sound so well that the two influences become one. Appiwa Kwa Bridge is awesome stuff as a result of all that.

In listening to Appiwa Kwa Bridge we learn that Ebo is a fantastic song writer, likes a bit of a groove, and has one of the best horn sections on the planet. Really a jazz album with African flavors, Appiwa Kwa Bridge is a perfect blend of traditional sounds with western ones. Appiwa Kwa Bridge is beautiful, funky, optimistic stuff that features fantastic songwriting and even better musicianship.

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