Mr. Magic To Release Album

Josiah Ekow Newton, 54, has been working with the New Times Corporation since 1990 as a Graphic designer bit only few of his colleagues know that he is also an accomplished saxophonist, who has earned the nickname, ?Mr. Magic? for his dexterous rendition of the popular American jazz musician, Grover Washington?s ?Mr. Magic? sound track.

He earned this enviable accolade, whilst still a student of art at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) where he joined the campus band called Osansa International.

In fact, the current Minister of Fisheries, Mr. Eddie Akita was a colleague student bands man who also played with the band reputed as the only band on campus which played funk, jazz and hilife music at the time.

Having won the first position of the university band contest sponsored by Mr. A.K. Brobbey of Ambassador Recording Studios at Kumasi, Osansa Incorporated came out with their first eight-track album in 1975. The album, a mixture of hilife, funk and reggae rhythms had a good market. A copy can be obtained in the music archives of Dr. John Collins, a musicologist at the University of Ghana, Legon.

Mr. Ekow Newton told ?Spectator Arts? on Monday that he was born into a family of musicians. His father, Ebenezer Kobina Newton, was a prolific musician who composed traditional Fanti songs for the Anona Kusubentil Ebusua of Accra. At the age of 15, young Ekow joined the Reformed Church of the Lord choir and rose to become the assistant choirmaster.

In 1980, he attended a three-week workshop for choirmasters and choral teachers at the Cultural studies at KNUST, where he tutored the rudiments of music. He was later made the substantive choirmaster of the Reform Church of the Lord in Accra.

At an all-night church programme at New Town in Accra, Ekow met at master saxophonist called Mr. Van Ess, who played for the resident band of the then Ambassador Hotel and taught Ekow how to blow his lungs out.

The rest is history! Ekow Newton later joined the fold of the ?Black Generation Band? founded by a TV and film personality, Mr. Kojo Dadson. They are currently engaged as the resident band of Paloma Hotel on the ring Road, East, Accra.

He has also jammed with various gospel bands earning the nickname ?Blow man blow?. Presently he plays with the Living Bread band on tenor saxophone for the Resurrection Power and Living Bread Ministry located near the Kotobabi Police Station.

In 1999 he formed a choir at the New Times Corporation called ?New Times Choir? which is now defunct.

However, Ekow is busily working on his first solo-eight album to be released soon. Watch for this musical prodigy?s musical statement soon!