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PRODID:-//Radio Milwaukee//Events//EN
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UID:gyedu-blay-ambolley-f3989608@mke-field-guide.vercel.app
DTSTAMP:20261008T230444Z
DTSTART:20270502T003000Z
DTEND:20270502T023000Z
SUMMARY:Gyedu-Blay Ambolley
LOCATION:Falcon Hall\, Falcon Hall - 801\, East Clarke Street\, Riverwest\, Milwaukee\, Milwaukee County\, Wisconsin\, 53212\, United States
DESCRIPTION:Gyedu Blay Ambolley is a musical luminary hailing from Ghana\, West Africa\, with\na staggering 29 albums under his belt. Known affectionately as the “Simigwa Do\nMan\,” Ambolley’s musical journey began in the vibrant port city of\nSekondi-Takoradi\, in the Western Region of Ghana. His early fascination with\nmusic blossomed into a lifelong passion. From mastering his father’s flute at\nthe tender age of eight\, to honing his guitar skills under the mentorship of\n“Uncle Bonku”\, Sammy Lartey and Ebo Taylor\, Ambolley’s musical odyssey has been\nnothing short of extraordinary. This all led to Ambolley becoming a musical life\nforce and exploding on the scene in 1973 with a jazzy highlife sound called\n‘SIMIGWA-DO’. His name has become synonymous with Simigwa music and dance.\n\nComing of age amidst the zenith of Ghana’s highlife era\, Ambolley emerged as a\npivotal figure in its evolution\, lending his talents to esteemed bands such as\nHoughas Extraordinaires\, Meridians Of Tema and Ghana Broadcasting Band. It was\nduring this time that he caught the attention of his compatriot and friend\, Ebo\nTaylor\, who recruited Ambolley to be a member of the Uhuru Dance Band. This all\nlead to a transformative journey to Nigeria in 1973\, where they shared the stage\nwith the legendary Fela Kuti at his renowned Shrine venue.\n\n1975 Debut Album Simigwa:\nGyedu Blay Ambolley’s groundbreaking debut solo album\, released in 1975\, stands\nas a cornerstone of Ghanaian music history – with one of the most iconic album\ncovers! Simigwa stands as Ambolley’s magnum opus\, a masterpiece fusing together\nthe rich tapestry of highlife\, afrobeat\, folk and funk. The album is a true\ntestament to Ambolley’s unparalleled artistry written and produced in\ncollaboration with the legend Ebo Taylor.\n\nAmbolley not only embraces his musical roots but also pioneers the fusion of\nGhanaian highlife with soul and funk influences from across the Atlantic. With\nSimigwa\, Ambolley seized the opportunity to showcase his own musical prowess and\nembark on a journey of experimentation. A main inspiration for this album was\nthe work of the mighty Mr. James Brown\, something that is evident from the\nrhythm section\, horns\, vocal stabs and percussion breaks throughout the record.\n\nPerformance:\nFor the first time in the US\, Gyedu Blay Ambolley will be performing his 1975\ndebut album in its entirety! Bringing his 8 piece band from Ghana\, they will\nperform the pioneering masterpiece Simigwa.\n\nhttps://gyedublayambolley.com/ [https://gyedublayambolley.com/]\nhttps://www.instagram.com/gyedublay_official\n[https://www.instagram.com/gyedublay_official]
URL:https://mke-field-guide.vercel.app/events/gyedu-blay-ambolley-f3989608
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