Ekow Micah Rears Again

The last time Ghanian pop music fans heard from Ekow Micah, was 10 years ago. Then he was a smooth-faced youth singing love songs trying to please the young at heart.

But time changes and Ekow Micah has changed with the times. His image has changed from a handsome teenage heartthrob to a rugged man with dreadlocks the size even the Jamaicans would envy.

Likewise his music! That has also changed not only in lyrical content but also in style, rhythm and progression with much more emphasis on his African-ness, the dominant rhythm being the big band highlife dance music with fusions of Francophone zuuk, South African township jive and Latin America soca, and bits of jazz, blues, hip pop and reggae chops.

Opening with the title rack Odebemami on side “A” one gets the first inkling of his new musical direction as he comes out with not only a unique musical style but also something very inspirational.

Here he combines the seprewa, with the flute, brekete drums and the violin which in step with the organ churn out very cool, simple any yet wonderful harmonies that makes you feel like listening over and over again.

Contrasting sharply with it is 95 Cedi, also on side “A” a fusion of the Ga Mashie kpalongo, highlife and zouk creating an exhilarating song that would keep you dancing all out. Afihyepa is a fusion of soca and highlife while Wobekumi with a strong bouncing African feel combines the molo with sweet Yaa Amponsa basic highlife guitar chords and precessions to create a danceable groove.

Etoa Hipik in the big band dance highlife rhythm is another track that brings back nostalgic moments of the music that has been known as West Africa’s musical gift to mankind. The lyrics are very simple and yet provocative and controversial.

Fakyewon and Beach are revelation of a matured Ekow at his best, good and cool listening music but still very much true to the highlife roots.

Mabre the only reggae track on the album instantly puts Ekow in the class of the great reggae giants of Africa: Alpha Blondy and Lucky Dube, and makes you wonder why he chose to remain faithful to the highlife rhythm unlike most Rastafarians.

The reason according to Ekow, is that he is proud to be a Ghanaian first and African and a Rasta. To his fans, he says he is back for food and there is no turning back.

According to the Executive producer Mr Kobs of J Records, copies of the cassettes can be obtained at the following wholesale outlets: Accra — Kumasi Market, Despite Music shop and Cedi Top shop at Opera, Kumasi — Kumasi Market; Takoradi — Abeiku Container, Cape Coast — Adom Sounds