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Legendary Ghanaian percussionist, composer, and Afro-highlife pioneer Ekow Alabi Savage has officially launched his new project, Ekowmania & The Rhythmers, with the release of their debut EP “Rekpete.” A joyful, hard-grooving tribute to Ghana’s golden age of highlife music, the record is now available on all major streaming platforms.
“Rekpete” revisits the vibrant legacy of Hedzoleh Soundz, reimagined through the powerful rhythm and vision of one of its contemporaries. Featuring Sir Frank Karikari on lead vocals, the EP’s title track channels the soul of 1970s West Africa with a fresh, globally relevant twist—anchored by Ekow’s masterful drumming and signature percussion.
With a career spanning over 50 years, Ekow Alabi Savage is celebrated as one of the foremost living interpreters of African rhythm behind the drum set. Born in Cape Coast, Ghana, he began drumming at just five years old and later co-founded the pioneering band Roots Anabo, which made history in 1984 performing Ghanaian reggae at Sunsplash Festival in Montego Bay, Jamaica. The group also recorded their groundbreaking album Civilization at Tuff Gong Studios in Kingston.
Ekow’s legacy continued across Europe as a member of Berlin’s first multicultural hip hop group, Reality Brothers, and through decades of collaboration with icons like Fela Kuti, Ziggy Marley, Manu Dibango, Kojo Antwi, Ebo Taylor, and Cedric “Im” Brooks.
With Ekowmania & The Rhythmers, he returns to his roots, leading a dynamic collective of international talent: Djatou Toure (Ivory Coast), Frank Karikari (Ghana), and Nick Morrison (USA/France). Together, they fuse traditional Ghanaian highlife and Afrobeat with jazz, funk, and global grooves—breathing new life into a timeless sound.
Stream the “Rekpete” EP now:open.spotify.com/track/47M