Editor's Info
The seprewa is not called �soul of Highlife' for nothing - it is likely to be the greatest African instrument you'll ever hear. This fresh and delicate but seriously endangered Ghanaian instrument is a cousin to the ever popular kora from Mali, with a more earthy sound. Three virtuoso musicians have shared their ideas and passion to re-explore the traditional sounds of Seprewa and origins of Highlife in an acoustic contemporary setting with breathtaking results.
With the introduction of the guitar to West Africa the more ancient seprewa was near forgotten. As little as ten years ago it was hard to find just one seprewa player in every twenty villages and most people didn't know the instrument had even existed. According to Seprewa Kasa guitarist Kari Banaman, who has played with legendary bands such as Osibisa, it is not until the recent recording of this album that the seprewa has begun to come back into use.
The release of this album is the culmination of a six-year journey beginning with Kari laying eyes on the instrument, played by Osei Korankye, for the first time at a festival in Switzerland. Until then, he too had only a vague idea of the instrument's existence. After jamming backstage at the festival the musicians decided to take the sound back to Ghana to record the album. Seprewa Kasa explores the vibrant roots of Highlife, which lie within the seprewa, resulting in a contemporary recording that reinvents both the instrument and the musical style.
Kari Banaman is one of Ghana's best-known guitarists who, amongst others, plays with the legendary African band Osibisa. Seprewa player Osei Korankye has been playing the instrument since the age of twelve and was taught by his grandfather. He is recognised as a seprewa virtuoso and is currently a lecturer at the International Centre For African Music and Dance at the University of Ghana. Baffour Kyerematen is a tutor at the School of Performing Arts, also based at.......
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