Ekonklo

Ekonklo is a thoroughly enjoyable hour of gentle West African roots music. Adjiri Odametey is a singer-songwriter from Accra, Ghana who plays guitar, kora and thumb piano – both the traditional double-row mbira and the modern single-row kalimba. The kora and thumb pianos are not generally associated with Ghana and, so, this album is something slightly unexpected. This is Odametey's fourth release and he is accompanied by a small combo of bass, drums and percussion, plus some delicate balafon on a couple of tracks, and a very discrete wash of keyboard. It is finely crafted and he is clearly a versatile player of both guitar and kora – the title-track is an outstanding kora instrumental. He has a pleasantly mellow voice that perfectly suits a musical style that rarely breaks into a sweat. His subtle use of thumb pianos makes some of the tracks sound like the soft and gentle babble of water running down a stream. Evocative and highly enjoyable – particularly on the slightly more upbeat ‘Ghana Groove’.