Description

15 years of live jazz dance and global grooves, wow! This is a big occasion and to celebrate in the right fashion we have a big night of live music.

Pat Thomas and Kwashibu Area band are the modern day leaders of Ghanaian highlife music. This is the indigenous music of Ghana and much of West Africa, popular since the early 20th century and up to this day in evolving forms. Pat Thomas' career has spanned over 50 years, he is known in Ghana as the golden voice of Africa, now at the age of 72. Playing in his current Kwashibu Area band, dance band highlife is fused with afrobeat in a 7 piece band that exudes joyful horns with funky rhythmic organ, sophisticated multi layers of percussion and sweet vocal harmonies.

In 2014, after producing two seminal albums for another Ghanaian legend, Ebo Taylor, German producer Ben Abarbanel-Wolff approached Ghana's top contemporary bandleader Kwame Yeboah, to work on a new project uniting Pat Thomas with Fela Kuti's pioneering drummer Tony Allen and Ebo Taylor to recreate and expand the energy and vibes from a time they had recorded together in 1977 resulting in a lost session. With this new reunion, recorded in Accra, the result was the critically acclaimed self titled album Pat Thomas and the Kwashibu Area Band. The next two years took them around the world to play at major venues and festivals including Glastonbury, Roskilde, WOMAD, Sakifo, WOMADelaide, Sines and many more. We could see there was something for everyone in our music. People of all ages, colours and trends were dancing together!' explains Kwame, the mastermind behind the band's unbelievable precision and killer live show.

The band are now touring Europe to promote their sophomore album Obiaa! meaning Everybody! released on the Strut label on Oct 4th. While simultaneously looking back towards the classic days of highlife and forward to a fresh revival of the guitar band sound, playing highlife around the world taught the band what they needed to move the sound forwards. This album cements Pat Thomas & Kwashibu Area Band's position at the pinnacle of modern African music.

In support we have Oxford's Papa Nui, who cook up a deeply organic yet original stew of danceable ingredients with shades of ska, reggae, blues, funk and some Americana in the sound with delicious vocal harmonies. This band will not let you sit still with their solid rhythmic backbone and delightful melodies.

Following the live music, Bossaphonik DJ Dan Ofer will keep the party going til 2am spinning.
Afrobeat * Soukous * Latin Jazz * Brazilica * Cumbia * Latin hip hop * Balkan Beats * Jazz Funk * Future soul * Nu Jazz * Global Grooves Galore!

This is the big one! A celebration of the first 15 years, we can't wait to see you there!

Bossaphonik 15 year anniversary featuring Pat Thomas & Kwashibu Area band + Papa Nui
28th Septmber 2019
The Isis Farmhouse Riverside Pub
The Towing Path
Iffley Lock
Oxford
OX4 4EL

Description

The Towing Path,

Iffley Lock,

Oxford,

Oxfordshire,

England,

OX4 4EL.