Years active Early 1970s–present. Genre Jazz | Website www.ambolley.com | |
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Genres HighlifeAfrobeatAfropopJazz Occupation(s) SaxophonistBass GuitaristGuitaristComposerPercussionistSingerBand LeaderArrangerRecord Producer Albums Simigwa, Sekunde, The Sekondi Man, Party Time, The Next Generation, Jaazz Meets High-Life Record labels Academy LPs, Hippo Records, Gyedu-Blay Ambolley Similar Ebo Taylor, CK Mann, Bice Osei Kuffour, A B Crentsil, The Apagya Show Band | ||
Gyedu blay ambolley simi rapp
Gyedu-Blay Ambolley is a Ghanaian highlife musician, songwriter, producer, and composer. The first musician from Ghana to formally incorporate rap forms into local highlife rhythms, Ambolley created the musical genre Simigwa.
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In June 2015 Ambolley received a citation in the USA from the City Council of Philadelphia, read by Council woman ; Honorable Jannie Blackwell and Hon. Stanley J. Staughter in recognition of the musician’s contributions to Ghanaian music in the USA.
Career
Gyedu-Blay Ambolley was rather unknown outside of West Africa until Soundway Records included his seminal Simigwa-Do, which Ambolley released in 1973, on their first anthology, Ghana Soundz. Ambolley’s sound has led many to label him the godfather of hiplife, the fusion of the hip hop and highlife idioms. Ambolley stood aside AL Threats at the Playboy Jazz Festival in Los Angeles. Ambolley, Sammy Lartey and Ebo Taylor are the few musicians who envisioned a future for high-life music in the late 60s and early 70s and helped transform the genre fusing high-life, funk and jazz music.
Awards
Songs
Akoko BaSimigwa · 1975
Simi Rapp2003
Adwoa AmissahParty Time · 2013