Àbòr Édín

Recorded between Accra and Oregon ‘and various hotel rooms on the road,’ Àbòr Édín – it translates from Afroso’s Gãdangmé language as ‘Earth Garden’ – is the second part of what the Ghanaian guitarist calls his ‘Ancient Africa Wisdom Trilogy.’ And this second episode is every bit as appealing as the first instalment, Jàkú Mũmor (Ancestral Spirit). Over gentle acoustic arrangements led by his nylon-string guitar, he delivers timeless African proverbs and aphorisms poetically framed and suitably updated in a silky, supple voice His ‘palm wine roots’ are evident in songs such as the lilting opener ‘Fóó Tè’ but there’s plenty more to Afroso as the acoustic funk of ‘Kasoa’, the a cappella harmonies of ‘Woowoti’, the swaying Brazilian rhythms of ‘Àkpàlé’, tribal chants of ‘Black Soil Woman’ and the elegant ballad ‘Jojo’ offer testimony to his versatility.