10/02/2019: “Afe Ato Yen Bio” by De Frank Professionals

Ghana has a deep affinity for funky sounds, and if “Afe Ato Yen Bio” is anything, it’s funky!

There’s an almost tropical feel to the song. The guitar plucking and strumming is relaxed but still relatively fast, and is buoyed along by the slap of the breakbeat. That rhythm section is a hard groove, to the point where you could probably put anything on top and it would sound great…

The organ is a key part of the song’s energetic appeal as well, and the vocals are full of rhythmic zest.

De Frank is the bandleader, and the Professionals are his band. They were active in the 70s Ghanaian Highlife and Afro-Beats scenes, playing a soulful blend of funky styles.

There was also more of a disco influence on many of the tracks the band made.

“Afe Ato Yen Bio” was released in 1978 on the album De Frank Professionals, which was the band’s second LP and one of just two albums that they released.

Such a danceable song…