february 2026, the world just lost ebo taylor (he passed away on february 9, at age 90). talking about him and fela kuti together is like discussing the two lungs of west african music—one ghanaian, one nigerian, both breathing fire into the same groove.
here is the “life story” of their intersection and how they changed music forever.
the london brotherhood (1962)
before they were legends, they were just two young west africans in cold, rainy london trying to learn how to play like miles davis.
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the meeting: ebo was at the eric gilder school of music; fela was at trinity college.
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the bond: they spent their nights in soho at the abalabi club, jamming until dawn. they weren’t playing afrobeat yet—they were playing jazz and “highlife.”
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the “aha” moment: taylor often recalled fela asking him, “why are we africans always playing jazz? jazz is for americans. we should do our own thing.” this conversation shifted the trajectory of african music. fela went home to nigeria to invent afrobeat, while ebo went back to ghana to “funkify” highlife.
different paths, same pulse
while they shared a foundation, their lives and styles diverged in fascinating ways:
| feature | fela kuti (nigeria) | ebo taylor (ghana) |
| vibe | aggressive, political, “frenetic” | smooth, sophisticated, “jazzy” |
| primary instrument | saxophone / keyboards | guitar |
| philosophy | music as a weapon for revolution | music as a sophisticated craft and groove |
| global fame | superstar by the 1970s | “rediscovered” globally after 2010 |
| legacy | the godfather of afrobeat | the architect of ghanaian afro-funk |
the ebo taylor “late bloom”
fela became a global martyr and icon fairly early, but ebo taylor lived a quieter life in the coastal town of saltpond, ghana. for decades, he was a “musician’s musician,” arranging for legends like pat thomas and c.k. mann.
it wasn’t until his 70s—around 2010—that the western world truly caught up to him. albums like love and death showed that while fela’s afrobeat was a sledgehammer, taylor’s was a scalpel—precise, funky, and deeply melodic.
the final notes
as of this week, both are now ancestors. fela left us in 1997, and ebo just joined him. they leave behind a blueprint for how to take traditional roots and make them sound like the future.
“fela was frisky but very fun to be with… he taught me harmonies.” — ebo taylor