LIFE STORIES (2 LP)

Following his recent studio album with Afrobeat Academy, 'Love And?Death', his first international release, Ghanaian highlife guitar legend Ebo?Taylor teams up again with Strut for a long overdue definitive compilation?of his seminal 1970s recordings, 'Life Stories'.?During Ghana's highlife explosion during the 1950s and '60s following?wartime highlife pioneers like E.T. Mensah, Ebo Taylor made his name as?a prolific composer, arranger and frontman leading two of Ghana's greatest?big bands - Stargazers and Broadway Dance Band. Moving to London to?study music in 1962 alongside West African luminaries like Fela Kuti and?Peter King, Taylor formed the Black Star Highlife Band and began incorporating?jazz elements into traditional high life forms.?Returning to Ghana, Taylor became an in-house arranger and producer for?Dick Essilfie-Bondzie's Essiebons label, working with other major Ghanaian?stars like C.K. Mann and Pat Thomas. Through the '70s, he then recorded?a number of solo projects, exploring unique fusions and borrowing?elements from regional Ghanaian folk music, Afrobeat, jazz, soul and funk.?KEY SELLING POINTS?This compilation revisits the heyday of Taylor's work, focusing on his?solo albums and some of his lesser known side projects including the?dynamite Apagya Show Band and short-lived Taylor-led combos Assase?Ase, Super Sounds Namba and The Pelikans.?Tracks include the anthemic 'Heaven', sampled by Usher on his hit with?Ludacris, 'She Don't Know', the original version of the poignant 'Love?And Death' and the rare 15-minute nugget, 'Aba Yaa'.?The package features rare photos, original album artwork and sleeve?notes by Soundway Records' Miles Cleret.?Ongoing international tour throughout the year.