Founded in Accra, Ghana, in 2014, Kwashibu Area Band is a dynamic musical collective led by Kwame Yeboah and Ben Abarbanel-Wolff. Dedicated to both preserving and innovating Ghanaian Highlife music, the band has emerged as a pivotal force in contemporary African music.

Multi-instrumentalist Kwame Yeboah brings a lifetime of musical expertise, having been steeped in Highlife from birth —his father is the iconic Ghanaian bandleader A.K. Yeboah. As a teenager, Kwame played with Eddie Donkor and, by his early twenties, was serving as musical director for Osibisa. His versatile career includes long-term roles as musical director for international artists like Yusuf/Cat Stevens, Craig David, and China Moses, as well as collaborations with Ghanaian stars Kojo Antwi, Amakye Dede, and Daddy Lumba

Saxophonist Ben Abarbanel-Wolff's musical journey includes producing Ebo Taylor's acclaimed albums Love and Death and Appia Kwa Bridge, which set a new blueprint for contemporary highlife on the international stage. For over 20 years, Ben has worked on stage and in the studio with many of the luminaries of Afrobeat and Highlife music, including Ebo Taylor, Pat Thomas, Tony Allen, Orlando Julius and Oghene Kologbo. Stints with free jazz legend Sirone, funk revolutionaries Poets of Rhythm, and German pop superstar Xavier Naidoo round out Ben’s multifaceted experience.

! Kwame Yeboah with Kwashibu Area Band Kwashibu Area Band has gained international recognition through extensive touring, performing over 250 shows at prestigious festivals including Glastonbury, Roskilde, WOMAD, Sines, Down the Rabbit Hole, and Mimo, among others. Their collaborative approach has seen them work with legendary singers like Pat Thomas and a rotating collective of world-class musicians. Under the moniker "Pat Thomas and Kwashibu Area Band," they released two acclaimed albums on Strut Records, demonstrating their deep understanding of the heart and soul of Ghanaian music.

Their upcoming release on Soundway Records, Love Warrior's Anthem, marks a pivotal moment in their journey. Recorded in Berlin with renowned reggae drummer and producer Giuseppe "Big Finga" Coppola and percussion maestro Eric Owusu, the album represents a jazz-influenced exploration of Highlife. The record showcases the band's ability to reimagine traditional genres, offering a range of sounds from danceable rhythms to meditative compositions. Songs like "Nkwanta Bisa (Ask at the Junction)" and “Love Warrior’s Anthem” encapsulate their nuanced approach, incorporating elements of jazz, reggae, and dub while staying deeply rooted in Ghanaian musical traditions.

With Love Warrior's Anthem, Kwashibu Area Band not only pays homage to the roots of Highlife but also reimagines its future, embracing a softer, more introspective dimension of the genre. Alongside contemporaries like Kokoroko and The Cavemen, they continue to push the boundaries of African music. As they prepare to return to the live stage, the band is set to bring their innovative new sound to audiences worldwide.