Ebo Taylor - Ebo Taylor (1977/2015)

Originally released in 1977, Ebo Taylor s self-titled album is a rarity that truly exposes the genius of the Ghanaian producer and arranger. Having spent most of the 1970s involved in Ghana s Afro-funk output, Taylor put forward his own unique blend of Ghanaian highlife and Afrobeat with this self-titled release. The six songs exemplify Taylor s desire to experiment and move beyond the constraints of colonial influences on highlife and African musical traditions. Heaven is perhaps the album s highlight, widely recognized as one of the finest examples of Ghanaian Afrobeat from the late 70s. Its popularity has endured through the decades, and the song even found a new lease on life after Usher sampled it for his song She Don t Know.