Ghanaian composer Gabriel Abedi shares new single Kewo

The track that was mixed and mastered by Enrico Pavan at Basement Studios, Vicenza, Italy, blends classical music with percussive and polyrhythmic textures of Ewe music of West Africa.

According to the musician, ‘Ekewo’, meaning roots in the Ewe language, is an exploration of his ancestry. He says that the cover art, for instance, which depicts an African man in a Western suit being pulled by a child towards a group of traditionally dressed African people, reflects his own transition from the European traditions he was raised in, towards embracing his true identity and cultural roots in Ghana.

“Having been born and raised in Italy, he is freeing himself from traditions and cultures to which he does not belong and which he has always perceived as foreign, and he gets closer to his origins, to his true identity, returning home to Ghana,” a statement reads.

Specifically, the inspiration for ‘Ekewo’ stems from Ewe people’s exodus from the tyrannical rule of Togbe Agorkoli in the 17th and 18th centuries in quest for freedom. The release includes a video featuring footage Abedi recorded during the 2022 Hogbetsotso Festival, which commemorates the Ewe people’s escape from oppression.

“This event has a special place in my heart,” Abedi told Music In Africa, recounting his first visit to Ghana in November 2022. Despite being unfamiliar with the country and its people, Abedi embarked on a journey from Accra to Anloga the very next day. During his week-long stay, he immersed himself in the festival that marked its 60th anniversary last year, documenting the celebrations and cultural expressions.

Born in Italy to Ghanaian parents, Abedi, 24, blends classical, jazz and Ghanaian traditional music into a unique sound. He began playing the trombone at 10 before shifting to composition. His recent engagements include a commission for Ensemble Modern’s Oluzayo and the African Art Music Commissioning Project in Lagos, Nigeria. In April, he released ‘Asomdwe’, a self-produced record speaking to the themes of peace. He is also behind the ‘Bra Fie’ single, which translates as return home.