Music around the world: Gyedu Blay Ambolley
Gyedu Blay Ambolley is an icon in Ghanaian music and is one of the few remaining relics of African music from the Fela Kuti era. Born in the Western region of Ghana in 1947, this multi-instrumentalist was influenced by American legends like James Brown, Ray Charles, Ella Fitzgerald and John Coltrane. While known for his Jazz, Afrobeat and High-Life sets, it was his breakout song in the 70s, Simigwa-Do, a unique and catchy blend of High-Life and Funk that revolutionized the Ghanaian music scene and established him as a force to be reckoned with. This version of Simigwa-Do (Simi Rap) (1973) is believed by many to be the first use of rap music (albeit in a Ghanaian dialect), as it came out before the Sugar Hill gang popularized the genre in 1979 with Rappers Delight. Whether or not he created the first “rap” song, he is definitely a pioneer in Ghanaian music and his originality paved the way for many Ghanaian musicians today.
Enjoy the below video showing Mr. Ambolley and his band doing their thing in Accra.
