Seprewa is not called ‘Soul of Hi-Life’ for nothing… it is likely to be the greatest African instrument you’ll ever hear! This fresh and delicate but seriously endangered Ghanaian harp-lute is a cousin to the ever-popular kora from Mali, but with a decidedly more earthy sound. A trio of virtuoso musicians share their ideas and passions to re-explore the traditional sounds of Seprewa and origins of Ghanaian Hi-Life in a contemporary setting.. with breathtaking & very danceable results!
With the introduction of the guitar to West Africa, the more ancient seprewa was near forgotten. As little as ten years ago there was a struggle to find one seprewa player in every twenty villages and people in bigger cities didn’t know the instrument even existed. According to Seprewa Kasa guitarist Kari Banaman, who has played with legendary bands such as Osibisa, it is not until the recent recording of this debut album that the seprewa has begun to come back into use.
The release of this album is the culmination of a six year journey beginning with Kari laying eyes on the instrument for the first time at a festival in Switzerland – until then, he had only ever read about the instrument’s existence. After jamming backstage at the festival, the musicians decided to take the sound back to Ghana to record the album. Seprewa Kasa explores the vibrant roots of Ghana’s famous Hi-Life dance music, resulting in a contemporary recording that reinvents both the instrument and the musical style.
Seprewa player & singer Osei Korankye has been playing the instrument since the age of twelve and was taught by his grandfather. He is recognised as a seprewa virtuoso and is currently a lecturer at the International Centre For African Music And Dance at the University Of Ghana. Baffour Kyerematen is a tutor at the School Of Performing Arts, also based at the University Of Ghana. As well as being a highly skilful seprewa player, Baffour is also widely acknowledged to be one of Ghana’s finest traditional dancers.
Buy the album from Seprewa Kasa
Sat 13 Hull Queens Gardens: Refugee Week Fest tbc
Sun 14 Barnsley Civic: Refugee Week Launch
Fri 19 Bradford Playhouse tbc
Sat 20 Liverpool:Africa Oye Festival
Sun 21 Liverpool: Africa Oye Festival
Thurs 25 Northampton tbc
Sat 27 Huntingdon: Menelik Music tbc
