SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: EBO TAYLOR – EBO TAYLOR JID022

EBO TAYLOR
EBO TAYLOR JID022
JAZZ IS DEAD

As a pioneering force among the Afrobeat genre, Ebo Taylor has enjoyed a career that has spanned over six decades. Releasing his latest album at the age of 88, Ebo Taylor JID022, Taylor has collaborated with producers Ali Shaheed Muhammad (A Tribe Called Quest) and Adrian Younge (Wu Tang Clan, Ghostface Killah) to deliver an invigorating collection of seven songs.

Ebo Taylor JID022 opens with the sound of a thin, rhythmic organ, sparse percussion, and an evolving, off-kilter drum groove before ushering a chorus of lush backing vocals and Taylor’s gravelly melodies. The choruses of “Get Up” are used to separate a series of solos and largely instrumental passages, allowing for the band to return to what is familiar before continuing in a myriad of directions. By all standards, “Get Up” feels like a classic Afrobeat track, but a safe one at that, making it a key choice to start the record. The following song, “Obra Akyedzi” continues to play with rhythm and instrumentation with a significantly greater degree of bombast, making for a highlight on the album that showcases a far greater unexpected nature to Taylor’s songwriting and performance.

The record continues forward, flexing a range of moods and sonic pallets, from a reflective longing on “Nsa A W’oanye Edwuma Ondzidzi” to the hooking bounce of “Kusi Na Sibo”. There is a communal feel to the instrumentation that lends these songs to feel like loose jams despite the tight songwriting and production that implies that these songs, while featuring a great level of improvisation, are more refined and structured than one may assume. Without a moment of weakness, Ebo Taylor JID022 feels like a celebration of an impressive career and a rich cultural legacy. Additionally, “Kusi Na Sibo”, and “Beye Bu Beye Ba” are also noteworthy additions to the album.

True to form, Ebo Taylor JID022 sees American jazz, blues, and funk through the lens of East African musicality. In this context, Taylor’s latest album is a thrilling cross-cultural spectacle that serves as an incredible musical experience. Most impressive is Taylor’s unwavering commitment to his artistry at his age and this deep into his career. Ultimately, Ebo Taylor JID022 is a body of work that can stand proudly among the most essential pillars of Afrobeat.

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