Ekow Alabi Savage believes he is really promoting Ghana and Africa in general as Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah tutored them as young pioneers.

He is a founding member of Roots Anabo fame which toured the world playing their brand of music they named "Sunlife."

The music comprised of jazz, highlife, funk, reggae, African traditional and it's danceable.

Ghana has produced more than its four share of international stars, but one who has shone more brightly than any other for more than two decades now in the western world is Ekow Alabi Savage.

To those who know him, it is not surprising that Ghana music can describe him as "by far one of the best known Ghanaian musicians of his generation, the most notable music personality to emerge from the whole world music phenomenon to introduce "Sunlife Music."

Despite stiff opposition from his mum and grand mum, Ekow Alabi Savage was born as a gifted singer and has made music his career. Anchored by an album titled "Return to Zion", he is home to launch his album as part of the Golden Jubilee celebrations.

Ekow Alabi Savage is a Fanti, born in Takoradi on March 28, 1957 to the late Isaac Tercy Brown and Madam Adjoa Amoono.

He schooled in Accra in the ghetto of Abossey Okai, Kaneshie, Mataheko and hustled around Accra. He completed the Bishop Boys School, Bubuashie. After that he undertook a short course at the Kaneshie Technical College and went into full time music.

He is single but has four children, two boys and two girls. Ekow loves eating African dishes.

Asked how he learnt his music, Ekow Alabi Savage said he learnt it the hard way in the street and thanks to God he's been able to make it.

"I am a gifted musician by birth but my mum and grand mum didn't like the idea of me doing music so I had to run from school to go and play music, but now it's a bit easier because musicians have the respect, and great properties and so on."

Asked if from day one, he knew he wanted to sing, Ekow's answer was "I started singing from the first cry when I came out of my mum's womb."

He started playing music as a drum roadie for Pat Thomas and D Sweet Beans before he was employed as a percussion player. He was by then also playing in a spiritual church Aladura.

He says he feels great to be one of the flagbearers in our field of 'entertainment' (Education in Entertainment). "We need to teach the present now and the next generation through music because it's a great language. I am always on tour with other artistes and this includes the Nigerian artiste, Ade Bantu (2005 Kora Award Winner) as a drummer.

Going for gold"His new album is called "Going for Gold." "Going for Gold because I am 50 years like Ghana, a real Ghanaba, so our great nation and I celebrated the golden age together. I dedicate my record to all those born this 'time,' 'now' and the 'future' and also our 'past' because if you don't know your past, you wont know your future," he said.

Asked how different his new album is from other albums, Ekow said "there is, my first solo album was "Return to Zion" (Gye Nyame). It's special to me. I was versatile on the album, which I have crafted as Sunlife music. I also have a special Ghana song, titled "Yen Ara Asase' which I recomposed, praising our leaders with my well thought of lyrics."

On his new album, he said "I have so much songs but the one I wrote with a sister singer from Kenya called Mariamu Morris titled "Asante Sana" (I thank you so much) is so dear to me. We sang in Swahili and Akan. The song is already making headlines here in Germany.

Other songs that are special to him on the new album include: 'Good morning Africa,' 'Ataa,' 'Rasta.' 'Efutu,' 'Awerekyikyire' featuring Dr Bizzy, and more. This new album has 11 tracks on it and will be launched on Easter Saturday, April 7 at Next Door, Teshie, Accra.

Ekow Alabi Savage says he gets his inspiration from Nyame (God).

As to how his first performance or stage was like, he said it was super good but that he was frightened but later everything was flowing like a river.

Ekow Alabi Savage always wants to be single and a low profile artiste loves all good music and good artiste, especially those who say something about the world.

He is already collaborating with about four artistes on his new album namely Mariamu Morris (Kenya), Djaton Toure (Cote d'Ivoire), Charles (Nigeria) and Dr Bizzy (Ghana). Ekow says he would love to do a song with Tinny.

Ekow Alabi Savage has worked with a number of both foreign and local artistes including Pat Thomas, Kojo Antwi, Eeka Mouse (Jamaica), Reality Brothers (International band in Germany), Vitamin X (Ghana) and Jimi Tenor. Continued    Source: The Spectator