Hedzoleh
Soundway Hedzoleh (GH,1973,re.2015)****
Hedzoleh ("freedom") Soundz was formed in Accra, Ghana in the late 1960's. Most musicians came together from the Ghana Arts Council, to form a new form Afro-Rock group that would incorporate many traditional elements in its ideas (percussion and costumes mostly). The drums were African, the rhythms a mixture of Ghanan folklore with here and there a Latin and highlife flair mixed with an element of rock and jazz and at times funk in the guitar usage, (with some rocking guitar solos) with some solo flute too (later to be replaced by trumpet, played by Hugh Masekela, but not on this album yet). The rhythms and the well-structured improvisational elements, into still rather short and compact tracks, make a great listening pleasure. Several songs show nice attractive work-outs with song and warm-space-harmony singing. The titletrack has a larger improvisation with various percussion and experimental guitar sounds, before a bluesy guitar solo-emerges from it as well as a more melodically percussive lead solo/duet, all very smoothly and brilliantly done. The album is something to listen to several times and notice one more different, interesting elements.
