Kofi Quarshie Out With ?Ewale Power?

Who would have predicted that Ghanaian traditional musicians based in Ghana and overseas will continue to churn out albums created solely with indigenous African instrumentations?

Indeed, such a prediction would have been difficult when hiplife with its new young generation of young, exuberant and energetic musicians took the country by storm a dozen or so years ago.

In spite of the fact that a large chunk of Ghanaian traditional music album are sold in Europe, Australia and the United States, traditional musicians continue to offer their music to Ghanaians.

One of the recent additions is an album title ?Ewale Power?, a twelve track album full of vigorous and diverse indigenous Ghanaian rhythms, melodies, folk songs and proverbs.

Released by the Austrian based musician Kofi Quarshie and his Agoo Group, ?Ewale Power? comprise lyrics that comment on love, unity, mutual respect and African dance forms that are sung in Ga, Ewe, Hausa and English.

Featuring the accomplished Ghanaian master drummer, Mustapha Tettey Addy, ?Ewale Power? also boasts of a fine blend of complex and simple drum rhythms that have been neatly interspersed with shakers, bells and sweet voices.

A combination of drums such as the Senegalese Djembe and the Ghanaian Kpanlogo, Obleten, Gome, Tamali, Brekete, Dono, Xylophone and Atenteben produce sounds that manage to sustain the interest of the listener.

The title ?Ewale Power? opens with a deep but controlled voice of Quarshie alongside subtle drums and beats. Composed by Quarshie, the piece is based on ancient Ga adages that call for peace, prosperity, love and the significance of some rites.

?Drums in Trance? (track 16) is an instrumental piece with drum rhythms that can take over the listener who pays particular attention to its refined flow. With ?Drums in Trance?, it appears African drummers have been set on the loose ? recalling in the process, ancient African drum language and poetry.

A re-arranged piece by Quarshie titled ?Jigbo? (track 8) consists of cool drums with the Ga Gome as a dominant instrument. Soft voices combine to provide this old Ga folk tune a fresh meaning and stimulus.

?Together? (track 12) is sung in English with backing vocals from the Australian singer Martina Mueller. It calls for unity, peace and love alongside slow bells for unity, peace and love alongside slow bells, shakers and light percussion.

Currently based in Bregenz, Austria, Quarshie undertook a number of performance tours to the United States, Europe and other parts of Africa with Mustapha Tettey Addy?s Royal Obonu Drummers between 1988 and 1994. Highly confident and determined, he formed Agoo in 1994 and has since shared platforms with several renowned stars including Lucky Dube and Peter Gabriel during multi cultural festivals in Europe.

?Ewale Power? was recorded in Australia under the Talking Drum Records Label.