|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
On April 4th, 2025, the world will witness Mutani, a vibrant Afrobeat EP from the irrepressible Cheef Chebe, a Glasgow-based Ghanaian artist whose life and sound defy convention. This isn’t just an album; it’s a cosmic accident turned musical manifesto, a soul-stirring call to Make Africa Sweet Again (MASA), and a testament to the power of art born from serendipity.
Mutani’s genesis is as wild and wondrous as Chebe’s. Picture this: a bustling bar in Kokrobite, Accra, Ghana, where Cheef Chebe, a man of many monikers, Suleman Chebe, Soulay Puliman, Hamisi Koroo, Frank McChebe, Latif, Pulimjasco, Avenger, and more, crosses paths with an old friend, a producer known as BB Blues. This isn’t just any friend; BB Blues was once the lead guitarist and sound engineer for the legendary Fela Kuti, a titan of Afrobeat. What starts as a casual reunion over drinks quickly spirals into a passionate exchange about Africa’s place in the world, its struggles, its potential, and the urgent need to reframe its image through art. The conversation lands on a shared dream: to create music that captures the spirit and soul of Africa today, a sound that summons the ancestors while lighting a path for the youth in their quest to rebuild and reclaim the continent’s sweetness. And so, the MASA/Waka-waka Movement, waka-waka meaning “keep moving”, is born, almost as if by divine coincidence. Fueled by this fire, Chebe and BB Blues hit the studio, recording the first three tracks of Mutani in a single, electrified day. The rest of the EP flows from there, a joyful fusion of history, presence, and possibility.
Mutani is Afrobeat at its most raw and radiant. Anchored by the hypnotic pulse of the Djembe drum and the ethereal melodies of the Jangda (or Balafon)—an instrument Chebe considers the crown jewel of his ancestral heritage, this EP weaves a tapestry of organic rhythms and healing energies. It’s music that doesn’t just play; it transforms, connecting listeners to the resilience and richness of Africa’s past while urging them toward a brighter future.
Cheef Chebe’s own story is as layered as his sound. Hailing from Ghana, where he grew up steeped in an oral tradition of storytelling and music, Chebe’s life took a transatlantic turn in 1997 when he married his Scottish wife, Helen Chebe, and settled in Glasgow. There, he blossomed into a multi-dimensional force: a musician, author, storyteller, bibliotherapist, foodian, laughter coach, happiness guru, composer, producer, director, performer, and great entertainer, a larger-than-life character whose spirit knows no bounds. In Scotland, he’s become a champion of the African community, using his art to foster healing and unity. His folkloric approach to music, infused with the transformative potential of ancestral rhythms, has captivated diverse audiences across Glasgow, Scotland, Ghana, Africa, and beyond.
Chebe’s journey in recorded music is a tale of beginnings and detours. Though he’s a veteran composer in the oral traditions of his youth, his recording career took flight anew in Scotland. It started with a chance encounter: jamming with a jazz drummer who captured Chebe’s first three unreleased tracks in a home studio. That moment sparked a fresh chapter, blending the traditional Balafon with modern sensibilities. Over the years, Chebe has poured his heart into projects that never saw the light of day, each a stepping stone to Mutani. There was New Glaswegian, his first recorded EP, crafted between 2003 and 2005 at Core Studios on Osborne Street. Then came Ghana @ 50, an unreleased single from 2007 celebrating Ghana’s independence. And who could forget the Sissala Music Album, recorded with a touring group he brought from Ghana to mark the bicentenary of the abolishing of the Transatlantic Slave Trade. These unreleased works, though tucked away, shaped the artist Chebe is today, one who thrives on synergy, spontaneity, and the courage to let the music lead. Listen to ‘Mutani’ EP on all platforms here. Connect With Cheef Chebe on Instagram and Spotify