At 80 and Robert Biney still rocks!
It's been one hundred and sixty eight years, since Adolph Sax, a Belgian, invented the musical instrument, the Saxophone, as an alternative 'woodwind instrument' - an instrument that produces sound when the player blows air against an opening. In what started as a casual attempt to have the loudest instrument amongst the woodwind family, gradually saw generations of saxophonists who grew into huge iconic figures.
Internationally, Saxophonists Stefano di Batista, Emilo Castillo and Marshall Allen are among a tall list of artistes who helped in shaping Adolph's dream. In Ghana, the likes of Teddy Osei of Osibisa fame, George Lee and E.T Mensah provide ample testament of how air, when blown through a conical instrument, can result in an aperture of goodies - the sax goodies.
The pool side of the Busua Beach Resort in Takoradi is as lively as the main event going on in the main yard. Usher's “In this club” tune, is rotating heavily on the Disc Jockey's turn table as I walk closer to an easily identifiable old man who held in his hand a conical shaped instrument that swung up and down in exciting fashion and producing rhythms that obviously passed 'quality standards'.
A pure display of legendary stuff by 80 year old Robert Biney who song after song, mesmerized guests to a night of both old and new school music - Jazz, Rock and Roll and contemporary R&B, was enough to divert attention from the main event to his end. Realizing the sort of fibre he is made of and wanting to have an interview with him, I curiously asked him, what rhythm is Usher's music made of. Tapping his feet up and down, he responded, “This is Bolero. It traces its roots from Jazz. If you know rhythms very well, you can build a whole lot of genres out of a single rhythm”.
Like every young Ghanaian graduate who has to struggle for a decent job after school, young Robert Biney, saw his search for a job opening in 1959, land him at the Builders Brigade. By 1960 he had decided that he wanted to do music, nothing more. In 1961, he made it a point to pick up the tenor saxophone - a medium sized member of the saxophone family, used in many different types of ensembles, including concert bands, big band jazz ensembles, small jazz ensembles, and marching bands. Ever since, he has not looked back. “Everybody told me to hold on to the sax and today I am happy I took that decision”.
The well travelled saxophonist featured extensively on the works of many artistes including South African Mariam Makeba, Yakazoo from Liberia and good old William Bell. His years of playing the sax, saw him competing for space and attention with Femi Kuti, Fela Kuti, Sean Kuti, Marceo Parker, the 42nd president of the United States, Bill Clinton and highlife singer Pat Thomas with whom he played the last Broadway alongside Ebo Taylor.
Biney might be quite old but he still keeps track of events in the music industry in Ghana. He told me that the current trend being purveyed by the current generation sends worrying signals as they are not producing music that can stand the test of time. “The young people need to learn. Music is educational, unless you are blessed with a kennel bubbling in you, then you need someone to direct you. They have to learn what we call 'standards' which is a subset of Jazz and Bolero. They should take up Highlife as their root and interlace it with contemporary rhythms”.
At age 80, Biney doesn't look like someone who is about to give up. A number of appearances at some of the busiest pleasure grounds in rural –urban Ghana, puts him on his feet all year round, one of such was the reason why he turned up for the Busua Beach gig. His, is a perfect rendition of almost every song that has been sung before or about to be released with the use of his 'saxy' as he calls it.
The journey has not been one that he always remembers with glee, but he is grateful for buying into an idea, fuelled by one man – Adolph Sax – and his personal instincts and desire which led him to choose the saxophone over all other members of the woodwind family. A tall list of saxophonists have come and gone, some of whom paid their dues to the instrument but for people like Robert Biney who just can't relinquish an eighty year old dream, it can only be better at least with his 'saxy' by his side. At 80, and Robert still rocks!
Development / Accra / Ghana / Africa / Modernghana.com