Constant Boty at Piano Bar
Lovers of jazz will have the opportunity to enjoy old classic jazz tunes when guitarist/composer, Constant Boty and his group Guru Guru Project take his turn at the Piano Bar, Teshie Nungua on Saturday, July 30.
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One of the most innovative and rising voices in the West African jazz scene today, Constant Boty created the Guru Guru Project as a trio in 2010.
During that time, Boty was trying to redefine his Afro-pop sound influenced by musicians like Youssou N’dour, Salif Keita with added elements of jazz idioms and European classical stylings.
On top of that, Boty fuels the mix with some of the more sophisticated, 80’s rock and Jazz fusion music by groups such as The Police, Genesis, Pink Floyd, Weather Report, Yellowjackets to name a few…
With the Guru Guru Project, Boty combines the talents of fearless, young bassist and vocalist, Steven Arthur, drummer Fred Awuku, pianist and vocalist Nana Boakye, helping to re-draw and extend the boundaries of Afro-pop to jazz.
Boty studied classical guitar, modern guitar and musicology in Ivory Coast at the National Institute of Art (Institut Nationale Superieure des Arts et d’Actions Culturelles (I.N.S.A.A.C).
Boty is a Guro, which is a tribal group of Ivory Coast, also known among the most prolific of African artists.“I spent many years studying our music and I came to like my Guro people’s concept of the Hyena which we call Guru Guru in my language.
“The hyena is known for its daring attitude of breaking common rules and one of the few animals to confront the lion,” he said.
Just like the hyena, Boty has the same idea for music which influenced the establishment of the Guru Guru Project which is to explore the possibilities beyond the common jazz idioms and classical harmony rules to infuse it West African rhythms.
The band released its debut album in September last year under Boty’s label, Mevicon Music. The album was produced by Constant Boty himself and his long time friend from Madagascar, Aina Ramambasoa.m