Artistes to celebrate Ebo Taylor tonight

Serveral Ghanaian artistes have come together to put on a show tonight  in celebration of veteran highlife star Ebo Taylor at the +233 Jazz Bar and Grill in Accra.

The show, which takes off at 9.00p.m, is in honour of Taylor, a man who has been an influential figure  on the popular music scene in this country for about 60 years, for turning 80 on January 7.

Artistes billed to perform at the concert  at +233  in honour of Ebo Taylor are Paapa Yankson, Okyeame Kwame, M.anifest,  Gyedu Blay Ambolley, Pat Thomas and Amandzeba.

The rest are  Ralph Karikari,  Ben Brako, Bisa Kdei, Elivava, Yaa Yaa, Roy X, Paulina Oduro, Nana Yaa, and Gasmilla.  They will all be backed by the Bessa Band led by Bessa Simons. 

Ebo Taylor was a significant force behind several highlife bands in the 1960s. In 1962, he took his own group, the Black Star Highlife Band, to the United Kingdom, which led to collaborations with the late Afrobeat king, Fela Anikulapo Kuti.

Returning to Ghana, he worked as a producer, crafting recordings for Pat Thomas, C.K. Mann, Jewel Ackah, Gyedu Blay Ambolley and others. He also found time to explore his own projects, combining traditional Ghanaian material with Afrobeat, jazz and funk rhythms.

A graduate of Eric Guilder School of Music (London, United Kingdom), Ebo Taylor’s music has inspired many musicians both in Ghana and elsewhere. The famous American singer, songwriter and actor, Usher, is one of the prominent artistes who  have sampled Ebo Taylor material into their own works.