Since the death of Ghanaian highlife legend Ebo Taylor, tributes have been pouring in from all over Ghana and the world.
Guitarist, composer and bandleader Ebo Taylor, who died on Saturday, played a key role in the evolution of modern popular music in West Africa during his six-decade career.
“What’s magnificent is that he didn’t just make Ghanaian highlife, he also made Afro-fusion and you can really identify with him, you know, today, as one of the protégés who brought Afrobeat, you see, and his music shows it, I mean, the texture, the rhythmic style, the drum patterns show you that he was indeed a creator of Afrobeat,” said John Edmundson Sam, lecturer in the Department of Dramatic Arts at the University of Ghana.
Often described as one of the founding fathers of contemporary highlife, Taylor died one day after the launch of a music festival bearing his name in the capital, Accra, and just one month after celebrating his 90th birthday.
“His music has had a tremendous impact. I mean, both in Ghana and abroad, especially abroad. If you go abroad and mention Uncle Ebo, I mean, if you meet 10 people and mention Uncle Ebo, Ebo Taylor, out of 10, you’ll have 8 who know him. So I think he’s had a tremendous impact on Ghanaian music,” explained Aaron Bebe Sakura, instructor and leader of the Local Dimension Band.
Highlife, a musical genre blending traditional African rhythms, jazz and Caribbean influences, was recently added to UNESCO's list of intangible cultural heritage.
“I am very happy that Ebo Taylor’s children are carrying on his legacy. Henry is on keyboards, one of his sons is on guitar and another on bass. So Ebo Taylor continues to live on. His legacy endures,” said Dela Botri, a musician and former colleague of Ebo Taylor at the University of Ghana.
Born Deroy Taylor in Cape Coast in 1936, he began performing in the 1950s, when highlife was emerging as the dominant sound in Ghana in the years following independence. Known for his intricate guitar lines and rich brass arrangements, he played with leading groups, including the Stargazers and the Broadway Dance Band.
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