kiki gyan: feeling so good
Francisco Espregueira
More than just a rare record and definitely more than just a vinyl share for insatiable collectors, Feeling So Good by Kiki Gyan (ex-member of Afrobeat band Osibisa) is a prime example of overflowing talent coupled with a passion for music and the hunger for life right at the moment.
In the early '70s a trip to London changed Gyan's career, joining afro-rock legends Osibisa in 1972 as their new keyboardist. Beyond his work with the band, he became a very popular session man for fellow african bands and musicians, releasing a couple of solo albums one of them being Feeling So Good, originally released in 1979. The music keeps what the title promises as this is a delightful example of joy manifesting in music. Everything is bright here, the grooves are complex and powerful, yet always accessible. The harmonies enchant you with their friendly approach. The african sun shines from each note played on this record.
Kiki Gyan mixes western disco, funk, African traditional chants and reggae sounds into an ever flowing groove music. Feeling So Good is an equally physical and spiritual affair containing six tracks. And his legacy remains huge, not only for African music but for all black music that ruled the early disco scene in the '70s. Next to Fela Kuti and Geraldo Pino, Kiki Gyan can be called a true force in african pop music of the '70s!
Released by german label Merlins Nose Records, Feeling So Good is a record from another time, another place, another culture that we gladly enjoy today.