Music of Friday, 29 October 2004

Source: ghanamusic.com

This Day Is Assensoh?s Day

The very first time Rev. Mike Assesnoh?s album hit the airwaves, most people mistook him for Pastor Joe Beecham.

But after a careful observation, those who were quite insightful realized almost immediately that he had a different style from Joe Beecham and though the resemblance between their voices was striking, the differences was also clear.

Ever then, Rev. Mike Assensoh has risen high into the hearts and minds of gospel music lovers both local and abroad with soul touching and inspiring music.

But if his past two albums were releases to write home about, then his latest release ?This Day? is one that would break through the gospel music ceiling and open Ghanaian gospel music onto a new level altogether.

With inspiring lyrics, a blend of typical Ghanaian rhythm cum foreign touches emanating form the fingers of no lesser a person than the former bass guitar player of the famous Osibisa Band, Martin Luther Owusu, who happens to be the recording engineer at the Sound of Holiness Studio in Tema, it is no surprise that those who have listened to the album have described it as a masterpiece.

Rev. Mike Assensoh, head pastor of the Way Chapel International based in Tema, came onto the Ghanaian music scene in the mid 90?s with the release of his maiden album ?Adeebekye? which is literally translated as ?Day Will Break?, but that album failed to make the mark as he explains that ?that album was not that good because I was not well experienced in the field and couldn?t tell the engineers what I wanted so they also gave me what they thought was good?.

The next album was released after a long break during which Rev. Assensoh went on an expedition to acquaint himself with the intricacies of the music recording industry and the taste of the Ghanaian music market, was ?Obekae Me? literally translated ?He Would Remember Me?.

It was this album which provided the launching pad that finally propelled him into the big chambers of the Ghanaian music industry and gave him a permanent seat within the stronghold of Ghanaian musicians.

One striking aspect of all his release has been the fact that he produced them-single-handedly, a situation which attracted comments from his fans that if he, single-handedly has been able to achieve this feat, then what would it be like if a producer should take up for his work?

Rev. Assensoh is currently in London on an invitation to preach and also use the opportunity to launch his album at the international level.

It is his prayer that when people listen to this album, they would be angry at the devil, chase him out of their business, life and family and go for what rightly belongs to them.

Rev. Mike Assensoh is currently the secretary to the Christian Gospel Musicians Association (CHRIGOMA) which is an arm of the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA), a position he attained due to the recognition of his industry and talent which has endeared him well to the top hierarchies of MUSIGA.

He has 3 kids ? two girls and a boy and married to Mrs. Vida Assensoh who happens to sing one of the songs on the album in Larteh.