WOYAYA

Osibisa's second album 'Wowoya' would see the Afro-prog pioneers expand their sound to include more overtly jazzy overtones whilst also turning down the party atmosphere in favour of a more sedate and psychedelic feel. Again, guitarist Wendell Richardson and group leader, founder and saxophonist Teddy Osei are the dominant forces, but this time around the group's uplifting pallette of sounds features a more complex lilt that places 'Wowoya' much closer to the sounds of progressive rock. More thoughtful than their self-titled debut, 'Wowoya' is a complex and impressive album filled with dazzling instrumentation and a rich tapestry of African, Carribean and Western sounds and ideas that shows a band developing rapidly over a very short space of time. Fans of the group claim that this is their best album and it is hard to disagree. STEFAN TURNER, LONDON, 2010