Hidden Treasures by Frank Kojo

Sound Essence is very proud to have this living Funk´n Reggae legend on board. Initially digital and soon also in excerpts on vinyl !!!

The amazing FRANK KOJO was born in Ghana and experienced a culture full of traditional African music and various western musical influences that spilled over into Africa in the 50s and 60s. He found his greatest inspiration in his early years with the percussionist GUY WARREN aka Kofi Ghanaba, who lived and played in the same part of Accra as Frank.
Frank left Ghana in 1969 to study computer science at the South Bank University in London. Far away from home, while studying, he often made music in the busking scene in the London underground until 1973 and came into contact with contemporary reggae, soul, beat and rock music. During his own jam sessions, he gave this current western music his very own african rhythmic touch.

In 1974 Frank went to Munich where he joined the cosmopolitan music scene in the DOMICIL Club and played also with the Kraut jazz rock group EMBRYO around CHRISTIAN BURCHARD as a session muscian.

Frank moved to Cologne in 1975, where he has still found his second home to this day. In the following years he was featured in several cultural programs as a solo artist and with the group Frank Kojo´s TAMALE with the young HELMUT ZERLETT on the keys.
There, in keeping with the Zeitgeist of the 70s, you could hear a lot of polyrhythmic African sounds alongside electronic fusion jazz and disco & funk.
Futhermore Frank and a group of musicians from Cologne often made sessions in the CAN "Inner Space" Studio in Weilerswist nearby cologne around JAKI LIEBEZEIT and HOLGER CZUKAY.

In 1979 Frank traveled to Jamaica to visit the great BOB MARLEY in his Studio in Kingston town. During the time they spent together Frank learned a lot about composing true Reggae music,

In 1981, Frank wanted to realize a project close to his heart with HELMUT ZERLETT and other musicians from his Band Tamale and the Aachen formation APOTHEKE, with which he subsequently worked until 1983.
The goal was to combine traditional Ghanaian drum music with contemporary Reggae and electronic sounds and thus bring it back to mind and, above all, preserve it for the future.
To do this, they met the already prominent people in Wolperath and recorded the album HIDDEN TREASURES in CONNY PLANK's studio with HOLGER CZUKAY on the controls.

After 43 years, these recordings are still so outstanding and timeless that they are finally being released again on Sound Essence Records in its old and new glory.
For now, the album is available in a digital edition, followed by a remix vinyl EP and another Afro Funk'n Reggae vinyl item in the near future.
Stay tuned and have fun listening to this wonderful Hidden Afro Treasure gem!


Text: Tom Sky
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German based Record Label focussed on rare world wide Grooves and in house productions. It is run by the co-founder and former creative head of the legendary Black Pearl Records label Tom Sky.