Ebo Taylor, Adrian Younge, Ali Shaheed Muhammad
Ebo Taylor: Jazz Is Dead 22
**** out of *****
The newest release in Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad's Jazz Is Dead series finds the duo working with a 88 year old Ghanian highlife and Afrobeat pioneer. Ebo Taylor: Jazz Is Dead 22 captures the elder statesmen Ebo Taylor still creating at a high level.
Younge and Muhammad also worked directly with Taylor's son Henry as the foursome are credited as composers on all the efforts here. Ebo is at the age where he is only singing now, the guitar has been put down, but Henry focuses on the Fender Rhodes piano. Younge, Muhammad and a host of other musicians pitch in, crafting upbeat get down jams from the start.
The opening run of four songs are all pumping Afrobeat excellence, starting with "Get Up" which commands listeners to do just that with laser like keyboard work, slinky brass and popping percussion. The drums welcome in "Obra Akyedzi" as the beat keeps moving with snaking guitars, and Katisse Buckingham's divine flute work, all around Ebo's echoing vocals which are supported by a choir of background singers.
The best of this strong bunch is "Kusi Na Sibo" which pairs wah-wah and clean guitars with a mega groove and baritone sax work. Ebo's pleading verses are matched with the upbeat chorus. The low end highlights "Obi Do Wa (If Someone Loves You)" as the bass of Emmanuel Ackone bumps, but it is the percussion from Philip Andy Biney: Drums and Samson Olawe: Congas that keep the motor running around the electro keys, flute puffs and vocals.
When things slow down on "Nsa a w’oanye edwuma, ondzidzi" Ebo and company lose some steam as ballads are not this outfits strong points. Things start to improve with the skittering cymbals of "Beye Bu, Beye Ba" however Ebo's vocals show their age a bit. The finale brings it all back home as "Feeling" pairs slow soft horns with a very active low end. One detriment to Afrobeat in general is the long run time of the songs, however, Younge, Muhammad and the Taylor's keep all of the tracks brief, but "Feelings" sounds as it could keep rolling on forever.
“Collaborating with Ebo Taylor is 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.”
That dream is realized and the resulting Ebo Taylor: Jazz Is Dead 22 is a hell of a fun listen.
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