Destination

Afla Sackey once taught Afrobeat at the Royal Academy of Music, and here he gives a masterclass in how it should be done – in his own highly individual style. This is a gloriously upbeat set in which his own Ghanaian rhythms and influences are fused with Fela’s Nigerian Afrobeat, along with a hefty dose of funk and a dash of reggae. Sackey is a singer and percussionist with a rousing but easy-going style, and he’s helped by his gloriously tight and enthusiastic band, Afrik Bawantu. He starts with the breezy, laid-back ‘Togetherness’ and then speeds up with the half-spoken, free-wheeling ‘Mind Your Business’ and the slinky ‘Be Careful’, in which chanted vocals, sturdy bass lines, rapid-fire percussion and slick, driving horns spiral off into rousing guitar and brass solos. It’s well worth checking out – and I suspect they could be even more exciting experienced live, if they expand the songs and stretch out those solos.