Togo’s Amen Viana to play Accra concert

Amen is a Togolese musician who for the past 20 years has been sharing his time between two musical continents; his ears in Western rock-funk and his heart in Africa. He has a Togolese repertoire, but doesn’t hesitate to make incursions into the pure blues of Hendix or into the virtuosic improvisations of a Zappa or a Vrenon Reid.

With the help of sound engineer/producer, Laurent Ciron, Amen Viana recorded an assemblage of artists, including King Mensah, Ali Bawa, Roger Damawuzan, Greg Zlap, Françcois Gay, Alain Apaloo and others, into an album titled Electric Togoland which was completed in the Happy House Studios in Paris.

The album constitutes a cocktail of the traditional Togolese music that nourished Amen’s childhood. Anchored in African groove, the recording is replete with Togolese songs and blues, melancholy airs as well as unfettered rock ‘n’ roll. The album also includes several unpublished compositions, inspired by the various genres that have informed the work of this chameleon of six-strings: reggae, hard-rock, funk, jazz.

Amen will be performing live in Ghana with other legendary artists from Togo such as King Mensah known as "The Golden Voice of Togo", Adjoa Sika as well as other special guest artists.

King Mensah is one of the most popular musical acts from Togo, West Africa. Though based in Lomé, he regularly records and promotes his albums in Paris, and has embarked on several world tours since 2005. Singing in Mina, Ewe, and French, King Mensah's sound fuses elements of traditional Ewe music (Agbadza and Akpessé), and Kabye dance-drum music, with funk, reggae and West African Afropop. King Mensah's lyrical themes are steeped in religion and hopeful encouragement for the orphaned, oppressed and downtrodden.

The concert takes place on Tuesday 24th May, Alliance Française Accra Amphitheatre at 8pm. This Electric Togoland concert will be exciting as it showcases Togolese culture and music. Come and enjoy good music and discover the richness of Togolese culture in one night without having to travel.

Gate fee: 20GHC for Alliance Francaise students, 10GHC for members. Time: 8pm