Akablay Reflects on Meeting Highlife Legend Ebo Taylor in Accra’s Studio Scene

Veteran Highlife musician Akablay has opened up about his early encounters with the legendary Ebo Taylor, sharing how their paths crossed in the bustling music scene of Accra in the early 1990s.

Speaking on Highlife Jam on ZED FM, Akablay recounted, “I got to know Uncle Ebo Taylor from 1992, when I started coming to Accra to play gigs and do studio sessions. Those early days really shaped my understanding of Highlife music.”

He vividly remembers their first meeting. “I first met him at the Ghana Films studio,” Akablay said. “He was then producing the song ‘Abenkwan pɛkyɛɛ’. We all laughed when we heard the title. I remember asking him, ‘Why Abenkwan pɛkyɛɛ?’ and he just smiled. That playful energy carried through the session.”

The song, whose title roughly translates to ‘Food Is Delicious’, became symbolic of Taylor’s whimsical yet innovative approach to music. Akablay explained that their collaboration and interactions extended over several years. “It continued like that. Even before 1992, around 1990, the music scene was evolving, and Ebo was right at the center of it, guiding younger musicians like me.”

Colleagues describe Taylor as a generous mentor and a pivotal figure in Highlife. “Ebo had a way of making everyone feel part of something bigger,” Akablay said. “He wasn’t just a musician; he was a teacher and a source of inspiration.”

Taylor’s influence is evident in how the genre has evolved over the decades, blending traditional Highlife rhythms with modern arrangements that continue to inspire new generations of Ghanaian artists.

Ebo Taylor is a celebrated Ghanaian guitarist, composer, and bandleader, whose career spans over six decades. Emerging in the 1960s and 1970s, he became known for blending traditional Highlife with Afrobeat, funk, and jazz, influencing countless artists across West Africa. Taylor has worked with legendary musicians and has been instrumental in the global resurgence of Highlife, with reissues of his classic recordings and international tours introducing his music to new audiences. Revered as both a performer and mentor, his contribution to Ghanaian music remains unmatched.