Gyedu-Blay Ambolley

Biography/Profile – Gyedu Blay Ambolley, The Godfather of Rap, Music Legend

The Legendary Gyedu Blay Ambolley from Ghana, West Africa has 29 albums to his credit. The 29th album was released in June 2015. Ambulley, affectionately known as the "Simigwa Do Man", was born in the port city of Sekondi-Takoradi, in the Western Region of Ghana, West Afrika. The multi-talented, International, Ghanaian Musician celebrated his "Silver Jubilee" in music in 1998. Ambolley's early years of musical interest dates back to the age of eight, when he began playing with his father's flute until he was able to teach himself how to play. His formal musical training came at the age of fourteen under the apprenticeship of "Uncle Bonku" who taught him the guitar. The young music enthusiast continued to learn the rudiments of music from the late' Sammy Lartey and Ebo Taylor. This versatile, irrepressible singer, songwriter, producer and "musical-life-force" exploded on the music scene since 1973 with a jazzy highlife sounds called 'SIMIGWA-DO'. Ambolley's name has become synonymous with Simigwa music and dance sine his first hit single was released in 1973.

Ambolley spent a great part of his day listening to records of musicians living in the United States. He contributes his free style of singing to such mentors as James Brown, Ray Charles, and 'the late' Sam Cook. During the sixties, the young aspiring musician was excitingly impressed with the music her heard on the popular radio show, "Voice of America Jazz Hour." The sixties show featured such jazz giants as Jimmy Smith, Max Roach, Wes Montgomery, Charlie Parker, Clifford Brown, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Eckstine.. all became part of Ambolley's early musical experience. He has toured throughout West Afrika, Europe, Canada, and the United States. He has performed on the same stage with some of the world’s most celebrated artistes such as; Miriam Makeba of South Afrika, the late Fela Anikulapo-Kuti of Nigeria, the late George Howard,Angela Bofill, Norman Connors, Manu DeBango, Lakeside, Chikuzan Takahashi of Japan, Ricardo Estrada of Cuba, Mayuto Correa of Brazil and toured Ghana with Oscar Brashear and Michael Session. Because of his originality, his performances have left audiences raving and shouting for more, as was the case at the world famous Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York. He has played the House of Blues in Hollywood, is a frequent performer at the Jazz Bakery in California and has played to "standing room only" crowds in London, England. Returning to Ghana in 1997, Ambolley was honored with a standing ovation from his former President, J.J. Rawlings and the first lady at Ghana's Music Awards Nite.

Ambolley has received numerous prestigeous accolades/awards. installed by Nana Kobina Nketiah of Esikado, Sekondi as Nana Gyedu Blay Ambulley, Chief of Semigwa, Sekondi, in Western Region of Ghana. He received a Lifetime Achievement Award – Vodaphone Ghana Music Awards 2013. In 2006, Gubernatorial Recognition Award from the Governor of California as well as an award from the Mayor of California, Board of Supervisors and the City Council of the State of California. He also received a "Congressional Recognition Award' from the United States Congress. Additionally he received a Congressional,Gubernatorial Certificate of Special Recognition by Congresswoman Juanita Millinder McDonald. In October of 2003 Ambolley was prestigiously recognized for his commitment to his musical craft with a "Lifetime Achievement Musical Award" and then Inducted into the "Jazz Drew Music Hall of Fame" at the Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, Los Angeles, CA. Also L.A.Weekly nominated Ambolley for "Best World Beat Recombinant Artists"-2003. It has been said that "the genre on Ambolley's music in entertainingly elevating and spiritually inescapable, such that its uniqueness transcends all musical categories.

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