Aklablay’s “Life in the pot” jazz

Most matured Ghanaians have decided to stick only to the popular Ghanaian music genres particularly our old and sequential growing highlife music, contemporary highlife, local gospel, reggae and a little traditional music.

The youth also listen mostly to today’s hiplife, R&B and hip pop. Other well known genres like; Rock, Garage, Pop, Blues, Jazz and Salsa music is only enjoyed by a handful of affluent people in society and Ghanaians who have stayed out of the country.

It takes more than just the songs we hear on our local radio stations to understand world music and accepting any good musical art just the way it comes. This is a task popular guitarist Akablay has taken upon himself to make Ghanaians understand real music and learn how to accept new things.

Born Anthony Ackah he started doing music as early as class two in the primary school, when he used to turn old “Saturday Night Powder” container into a guitar that he played together with other friends who also played different instruments. In 1985 after he completed school he took music more seriously as he was trained by master guitarist, Paa Joe presently in Canada, who led him to play in Jewel Ackah’s band, enlightened him and taught him the rudiments of music. Initially he was a drummer but he later switched to the guitar because he felt more comfortable striking the strings than beating the drum. He started playing serious guitar from 1987.

He played with Jewel Ackah from 1988 to 1991. He played for Western Diamonds Band from 1991 to 2002. The visionary guitarist has played live band shows with Rex Omar, Amandziba, Kojo Antwi and other big names both in and outside Ghana. He has also played live guitar at studio sections for artistes like Ofori Amponsah, DL, Dada K.D, OD4, Okraseni, Ewura Esi, Nana Yaw Asare, Yaw Sarpong, Ohemaa Mercy, Grace Ashey, Emmy Newman and several others. According to him he had played with over 72 artistes the last time he checked

Currently the ace guitarist is out with an original full African Jazz album produced by Ghanaians in Ghana, for Ghanaians and the world. This he said is a mission he had vowed to accomplish some seven years ago. “I sat down one day and realized I have worked with almost every musician in Ghana, traveled to almost every country I have ever wished to travel to and played all the big shows but I had nothing to show for it.

“Because I cannot go on saying I played for this person or that person, when I have played nothing for myself. I want to be able to take this and other albums for my son or anybody that this is what I did as guitarist. I want to leave a legacy or something I can boast of when I’m old and gray. So for what I do this is what I have to offer.” Akablay shares his motivation. The classic master piece is titled “Life In The Pot”.

Explaining the title he said it basically means different type of highlife rhythms in one pot (on one album). It took him about seven years to plan and put this together because he had to travel to different African countries like Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda, Mozambique and so on, to have an idea of the type of music in each country. After his tour Anthony realized almost every African country has a little bit of Ghanaian highlife rhythm in their style of music. So this album as been done to cut across African continent and represent Africa anywhere in the world this album will reach.

Though things hasn’t been so easy for  Akablay, he said so far everybody who hears it seems to like it and wish they will as well understand and appreciate it. This album was recorded here in Ghana at Rhythm Africa Studio by Frank Kwakye. Before you go through this slow melodious Jazz instrumental album from the first track “LONG TIME”, “ACHEKE”, “NITE IN ZIMBABWE”, “MOON WALK”, “KUDUM” to the last track “TELL ME” you will surely have a hard time choosing one song as your favorite. Akablay advised all his fellow bandsmen and all instrumentalists in Ghana to use their talents for themselves than always using it for other people. This is indeed a delight to listen.