Entertainment of Tuesday, 18 November 2014

Source: Daily Guide

Samini is a serious musician -Bessa Simons

Ace highlife musician Bessa Simons says among the current crop of young Ghanaian musicians, he considers Samini as a visionary and a very serious musician.

Speaking at the launch of the ‘MTN Saminifest’ music festival over the weekend, Bessa, who is a member of the legendary Osibisa Band, stated that Samini is a very creative individual, businessman and a great musician who is full of determination.

He disclosed that his first encounter with Samini at his studio helped him form a strong opinion about the reggae and dancehall artiste.

“I remember the first time I met Samini, I didn’t know he was a visionary, an innovator or someone who is very creative, businessman and a great musician; but now I know. When I came back to Ghana, I remember he came to my studio with ‘Quick Action’. Samini just sat at the corner, listened to the music, took his pen and paper and he was working. I was just watching his seriousness. I later went upstairs and told my late wife that we had this young serious musician down in the studio. Now I know why he was that serious. He knew what he wanted,” the Vice President of the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA) said.

Bessa Simons commended Samini for the hard work in his music career as he celebrates 10 years in the music industry.

“In this business, if you have respect and you respect people, they will respect you back and the longevity side of it is with you. Samini has always been respectful and I can tell he is very very knowledgeable,” he noted.

Bessa is a prolific songwriter, keyboardist and singer who has worked with some of the greatest names in West African Music such as Pat Thomas, Paapa Yankson, Kari Bannerman, Osibisa, C.K. Mann, Ebo Taylor and Multi-talented Afro Pop star Gyedu Blay Ambuley among others.

On the other hand, Bessa also advised up and coming musicians to take a cue from what Samini has been able to achieve through music.

“Music is business. Everything I have done in my life has to do with music; I earned my car from doing music and there are so many things you can do with music. As you can tell, Samini is doing it. So I will like the younger musicians to take a leap out of this and start planning because there is a lot they can do,” he added.