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Kassa
Sluiten
ReleaseProduct
Drum Message
Artist
Okyerema Asante
Label
Strut
Catalogue Number
STRUT247D
Release Date
5 november 2021

Strut return to the rich archives of Black Fire Records for the Drum Message album by Ghanaian master percussionist Okyerema Asante from 1977.

After playing a short spell early in his career with Ebo Taylor’s Blue Monks band at Tip Toe’s in Accra, Asante joined the fledgling Hedzoleh Soundz during the early ‘70s at their Napoleon Club residency in the city. After playing Fela’s Shrine, Fela recommended them to Hugh Masekela as an ideal backing band and Hedzoleh joined Masekela on a US tour in December 1973. Sharing the same management company, Charisma, Asante first met Plunky and Oneness Of Juju during an East coast tour with Masekela, starting a relationship with the band that has endured until today. Recorded at Arrest Studios in Washington D.C. in October 1977 and featuring musicians from Oneness alongside Gil Scott Heron cohort Brian Jackson on piano, Drum Message represents an important milestone for Asante: “This album really came from my heart. I wanted to project the African spirit in the music and come out with some unique African jazz. To be able to record it on Black Fire was extra special.” The album also involved some serious physical graft: “The studio was up on the 14th Floor and the elevator was often broken down. I showed up with a van full of African drums and Jimmy Gray from Black Fire and myself had to carry them all the way up there, each day!”

The resultant album was well worth the sweat. ‘Adowa’ adds jazz arrangements to a traditional Asante rhythm and Oneness classic ‘Follow Me’ is skilfully re-worked (“I used the bass drum in place of the bass guitar so it was all based on rhythms.”). New versions of Asante dancefloor favourite ‘Sabi’ sit alongside the mellow groove of ‘Asante Sana’ (“I wanted something cool like reggae or highlife on that track, a similar vibe. So, I went inbetween.”).

Drum Message only previously surfaced on a Black Fire CD in 1993. Now receiving its first full international release and its first ever vinyl issue, the album has been fully remastered by The Carvery. Package features unseen photos and a brand new interview with Okyerema Asante tracing the ups and downs of his career in music. Released on CD, 2LP, digital and streaming.

Digitale afspeellijst

  1. 1 Drum Message 3:25 Kopen

    Drum Message

  2. 2 Asante Sana 6:32 Kopen

    Asante Sana

  3. 3 Follow Me 5:26 Kopen
  4. 4 Sabi (Album Version) 6:29 Kopen

    Sabi (Album Version)

  5. 5 Mother Africa 4:58 Kopen

    Mother Africa

  6. 6 Never Fly Away from the Funk 5:00 Kopen

    Never Fly Away from the Funk

  7. 7 Play a Sweet Rhythm on Them Drums 6:32 Kopen

    Play a Sweet Rhythm on Them Drums

  8. 8 Adowa 3:19 Kopen
  9. 9 Sabi (Black Fire Mix) 6:25 Kopen

    Sabi (Black Fire Mix)

  10. 10 Kazi's Awakening 6:05 Kopen

    Kazi's Awakening

  11. 11 To the Ancestors 12:15 Kopen

    To the Ancestors

Track List: LP

A1 DRUM MESSAGE 3.25
A2 ASANTE SANA 6.39
A3 FOLLOW ME 5.36

B1 SABI 6.32
B2 MOTHER AFRICA 5.02
B3 NEVER FLY AWAY FROM THE FUNK 5.07

C1 PLAY A SWEET RHYTHM ON THEM DRUMS 6.36
C2 ADOWA 3.20
C3 SABI (BLACK FIRE HOUSE MIX) 6.27

D1 KAZI’S AWAKENING 6.07
D2 TO THE ANCESTORS 12.15

Track List: LP

  1. DRUM MESSAGE 3.25
  2. ASANTE SANA 6.39
  3. FOLLOW ME 5.36
  4. SABI 6.32
  5. MOTHER AFRICA 5.02
  6. NEVER FLY AWAY FROM THE FUNK 5.07
  7. PLAY A SWEET RHYTHM ON THEM DRUMS 6.36
  8. ADOWA 3.20
  9. SABI (BLACK FIRE HOUSE MIX) 6.27
  10. KAZI’S AWAKENING 6.07
  11. TO THE ANCESTORS 12.15
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