Scratch Studios To Outdoor Steve Bedi On May 27

The management of Steve Bedi, who is the ace saxophonist in the music scene in Ghana and one of the finest this country has ever produced, has officially announced that Steve Bedi’s album would be launched on May 27, 2011 at the +233 Jazz Club located on the Ring Road.

Steve Bedi, who is the most sought-after saxophonist in the country today, has performed and collaborated with legends like trumpet virtuoso and music legend Hugh Masekela, master African percussionist Isaac Okyerema Asante and Wutah, to mention a few.

The Chief Executive of Scratch Studios, Kofi Amoakohene, the brain behind the album, told BEATWAVES in an interview that the launch of the new album was designed to promote Steve Bedi, his work and incorporate him into the international and socio-cultural development of Africa and other parts of the world. He explained that the event was expected to attract a large number of stakeholders in the music industry, fans of Steve Bedi, musicians, among others.

He was optimistic that the album was going to lift the declining level of good quality music in the country and Africa in general. He was hopeful that the work of Steve Bedi would challenge other jazz musicians to lift their standards.

Based on his outstanding achievement since he joined the music industry a couple of years back, Steve Bedi was featured on the Ben Brako/Scratch Studios World Bank sponsored project, the ‘Dream Child’ single. Steve’s maiden album titled ‘Syncos Jazz’ was produced by Kofi Amoakohene, CEO of Scratch Studios Entertainment, a multimedia production studio for live music recording, films and events management.

Steve Bedi, born in Sunyani but hails from the Volta region of Ghana, West Africa, is the last of nine children and has been playing the saxophone since the age of 7. He has appeared on many platforms as far as music is concerned and has performed with the legendary Hugh Masekela, Sonti Ndebele, Gina West (A songstress from the UK), among others.

On the local front, Steve had the opportunity to perform with almost all the top music stars like Kojo Antwi, Rex Omar, Amandzeba, Gyadu Blay Ambolley, Ben Brako, Bessa Simons, and Paulina Oduro among others. In the Gospel music circles, he has performed with Stella Aba Seal, Amy Newman, Josh Laryea, Suzy and Matt, Francis Adjei and others.

He also worked and performed with Hiplife artistes like Ofori Amponsah, Kwabena Kwabena, Batman Samini, Tictac, Okyeame Quame, Nana Kontihene, Becca and others. Steve is well-known for his smooth, passionate and tactical ability in playing the saxophone and that makes him loved by many.

He has featured on many music albums both on the secular and gospel music scene and some of his works on hit songs like ‘Kotosa’ (Wutah), ‘Gyegyeme su’ (Awura Esi) among others, has made him more popular on the scene, as well as the sax version of Nana Boro`s ‘Aha Ye De’.

He has been on other international platforms like ‘Joy of Jazz’ festival (South Africa), ‘Les Escales’ music festival (France), ‘Ballanta’ music festival (Sierra Leone) and other parts of Europe.

He also shared the stage with the Ivorian music icon Fredie Meiway at the Miss Ghana 2010 and Osibisa at +233 in Accra. Steve Bedi’s subtle blend of soul, swing, traditional Ghanaian and African music fused with the jazzy style of his saxophone playing has been described as a welcome and refreshing contribution to Ghana’s music scene.

The great Teddy Osei of Osibisa fame acknowledges Steve as a world class Jazz musician and has given his word to assist Steve all the way. Among the plans is to arrange for him to play at a world renowned Jazz Café in London which has hosted not just many but the top bracket jazz musicians of the world.

Teddy described Steve as one who develops genuinely exciting African Jazz rhythms that is appealing to most Europeans and a level of play that’s comparable to the jazz legends of America.