Susuma

Ghanaian highlife music has always been more of a feeling than a specific genre. Unbound by rigid constraints, the sunny West African style has always been predisposed to cross-pollination, emerging first from the meeting between Akan rhythms and western instrumentation, and developing into a myriad of different styles. Jembaa Groove’s first album captures this dynamism by balancing highlife’s joyous grooves and languid vocals with ’70s soul sensibilities and the jazzy sounds of Berlin’s underground music scene. Percussionist and singer Eric Owusu, (who plays with Ghanaian legends Ebo Taylor and Pat Thomas) supplies the warm, feel good vibes, while band co-founder Yannick Nolting’s sublime production takes this record to new heights, highlighting the skill of each musician, and celebrating the power of togetherness.