The Glasgow African Balafon Orchestra (GABO) is a cocktail of musicians of all different backgrounds, bringing together the distinct flavours of the world through the joy of orchestral music. It is a unique blend and fusion of musicians, folklorists and storytellers representing the best musical flavours and stories of our shared humanity.⠀
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The infectious energy of GABO is built around Ambatarian Philosophy—a past-present which is secretly woven and embedded in Jang-da—the traditional African wooden xylophones. The Jang-da tradition – a folklore and oral convention of passing messages of hope within the stories of everyday life through the vortex of music – is an almost forgotten ancient African philosophy that teaches us to celebrate life as an endless opportunity of eternal joy. ⠀
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GABO’s philosophy is sharing the ripple effects of joy in communal music, storytelling and group bonding—a great source of mutual energy exchange that brings people together on a fair playing ground where every soul’s desire can be fully realised through music. In Gabo’s world; no one is left out feeling isolated, unappreciated, unrelated or unloved. We are never alone because we all belong to a shared experience of music. ⠀
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GABO believes that there is more love in the world today than hatred, and we are inspired by this belief. We focussed our best creative healing energies on sharing the love of Afrobeat, global jazz, soul, funk, and some traditional tunes from rural Africa and other parts of the world that have not been previously heard by the rest of the world.
1. Ambatayala
2. Co
3. Soulee
4. Dilimba
5. Chafoogalo
6. Somebody Go
7. Jungle Fever
+ All compositions by the GABO Collective
+ Recorded at Dystopia Studios, Glasgow
+ Track by Luigi Pasquini & Melanie Dutton
+ Mastered by John Mcbain
+ Artwork & design by C. O. Turner
