The label Mr Bongo Records will release the new album, paired with a big press campaign running up to the release.
The album has been recorded in Amsterdam at the Electric Monkey Studio. For the production of the record we invited Justin Adams, known for his work with Robert Plant, Tinariwen, Terakaft and many more. For Ebo and his Saltpond City Band the goal of the album was to use all of the knowledge he gained on Jazz, Funk, Highlife and Afrobeat over the years. To create a masterpiece which includes all of Ebo’s experience both as a composer and as performer. The younger generation of musicians Ebo choose for The Saltpond City Band who grew up under the influence of the Highlife and Afro-beat scene in Ghana started to experiment with combining Highlife compositions with other genres such as Disco or traditional African percussions which has also been captured in the new album. This brings a new vivid energy to Ebo Taylor’s sound as well as an insight into new horizons for Highlife music. Moreover, Ebo wanted to show his appreciation for jazz which is reflected in the compositions with a clear Jazz influence on the guitar and horns arrangements.

Taylor started his career in the 1950’s and from 1962-1965 he attended the renowned Eric Guillard School of Music in London. Here he nurtured a scene of West African musicians and musically inspired upcoming artists, among them a young Fela Kuti. This is where a life long friendship began. During this time Taylor led the Ghana Black Star Band which later became Osibisa. After touring with different bands in West Africa for some years, he in 1974 formed the most innovative band in Ghana in the 70’s; the Apagya Show Band, for which he wrote hits like “Tamfo Nyi Ekyir” and “Kweku Ananse”. From the mid 70s he had became the musical director for the two ground breaking Ghanian record companies, Essiebons and Gapaphone. For them Taylor arranged and produced the music of well-known and highly popular singers like C.K. Mann, Pat Thomas and Papa Jackson. With his compositions, arrangements and also his outstanding guitar style Taylor has shaped Ghanaian music and in particular Highlife substantially. He has created his own, remarkable style of African music: a unique synthesis of Highlife, Jazz, and Afrobeat. Probably no other musician still alive has contributed as consistently and significantly to Ghanian popular music as Taylor. Since Ebo was discovered in Europe in 2010/2011 he played hundreds of shows and became a household name in the international touring circuit.