Ghanaian Roots Reggae from Y-Bayani, Baby Naa and The Band of Enlightenment, Reason and Love

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Ghanaian Roots Reggae from Y-Bayani, Baby Naa and The Band of Enlightenment, Reason and Love

Following a string of three incredible 7inch singles, beginning in 2016, Max Weissenfeldt’s Berlin-based Philophon label has finally released the highly-anticipated full-length album from Ghanaian singers and songwriters Y-Bayani & Baby Naa, backed by the label’s “sessions ensemble” The Band of Enlightenment, Reason and Love.

In what Weissenfeldt describes as “born out of chance,” the earliest foundation for this brilliant new album came together back in 2012 when the label boss became interested in recording roots reggae with an old friend and fellow drummer Josie Coppola.

To quickly summarize what truly is a really fascinating story — While traveling in Ghana with these sessions, Max met Jimmy Taylor (the son of Ghanaian Highlife legend Ebo Taylor) and singer/songwriter Yusef Hussain (who later became Y-Bayani – spelled Why-Bayani). The three of them hit it off, and ended up recording Y-Bayani’s “Asembi Ara Amba” at Jimmy’s studio, which ultimately became a hit track on the Polyversal Souls’ debut album Invisible Joy. Following this success, Weissenfeldt continued to record music with Y-Bayani, backed by The Band of Enlightenment, Reason and Love. This resulted in producing three breakthrough singles including “Rehwe Mie Enyim” in 2018, featuring Max’s friend and local church singer Naomi Addy. This addition was became the final piece of the puzzle, resulting in, what now is, the nine-track album Nsie Nsie.

In what is truly one of the best albums of 2020, this recording is an incredible mix of roots Reggae rhythms, Afro synth pop, funk and gospel. Even though it took close to a decade, and many coincidental encounters, the end result absolutely paid off. As Weissenfeldt has even stated, “Maybe I could have named the group The Band of Coincidence, Fortune and Chance instead?”