"A refreshing sound to the vibrant African Jazz. A must Listen to…" Kofi Amoakohene President Scratch Studios Universal Accra- Ghana, June -11-2015 Petit frère je t'assure que ce que je viens d'écouter est profond. Véritable démarche de recherches. L'Art ne suis pas de mode. L'Art n'est pas à la portée de tous. L'Art, c'est pas la recherche de la gloire, de l'argent. L'Art, c'est de l'éducation codée et subjective qui demande de la réflexion,.Je t'encourage Mr. Boty... Don't give up !!! Laurent Digbeu Roma - Italy. www.laurentdigbeu.com August -14- 2015 Constant Hiram Boty, est un voyageur, sa musique nous transporte a travers le monde, sa recherche assidue des sonorities nouvelles est incontestablement rafraichissante. Cette musique nous interpelle tous, les melomanes, les producteurs, les intellos de la musique et nous demontre a quel point la musique se revele en Boty. Une musique simple et nouvelle et surtout attachante, On aime! Armand Ntep Washington D.C - USA August -18- 2015 " Guru Guru is a Great Blend of World music and Fusion" Poogie Bell Poogiebell.net Pittsburg - Pennsylvania USA August -19-2015 "Hi Boty, I listened to your album; first I want to congratulate you, this is a great achievement, you came up with something very personal, warm, sophisticated and creative. Four adjectives that are admirable in a music project. You like syncopated melodies with unexpected turns and harmonies out of the ordinary, and you display this very well. I do hear some things that I would make you fix or change if I was the producer like some tuning issues and the mix, but those are musician’s details. What is important is that the non-musician can hear your personality and I think you did a great job. This album definitely tells a lot of different stories, and I enjoyed listening to all those musical journeys. Keep composing my friend, keep playing, keep traveling and play with new people when you can. I wish you the best with this recording, hopefully you can sell well enough to record a new one every year" This is my wish to you. Blessings - Christian christianjacob.com Los Angeles - California, USA August-14-2015 "Constant Boty has created a wonderfully vivid album rich with inspirations from West Africa but fresh with many new approaches. Each track is full of sweet unexpected surprises, yet the album as a whole speaks with one voice and tells a distinct story, making it a joy to listen to the entire recording. It is exciting to see someone who is bringing the music of West Africa to a new place and creating important bridges with musical traditions outside of West Africa - both through his new Guru Guru recording and through all the work that he does in the realm of music and society." Oran Etkin www.oranetkin.com New York, USA August- 19- 2015 "GURU GURU Project shows us a new voice for West African Jazz. He has got a deep and interesting approach to the music and a most inviting guitar style too! Since West Africa is the original source of so much of what we call Jazz it is appropriate that it continues to evolve with the help of one of the fine players and composers from the area! " Russ Davis Jazz Journalist Moja Radio Host for VOA Jazz America http://russdavismoja.com August -14-2015 As stated by Jazz Journalist Russ Davis, who is a longtime friend of Constant Boty, "He had the chance to be the first to listen to ’Guru Guru’’ and declared his thoughts. Yes indeed Guru Guru was based on presenting a new voice of West African Jazz, yet, there is much more to come from the West African musical patrimony. Guru Guru presents the listener with uncommon harmonies, rhythmic and melodic approaches. It is obvious that the composer has done a lot of research in coming up with this eclectic album which cleverly displays sounds intrinsic to West Africa which is being shared with the world." Guru Guru is a very daring original musical project by West African Jazz Fusion guitarist, Composer and Producer Constant Boty reminding himself of the sights, influences, tastes and feelings of his childhood all molded together and translated into sounds. The average quality of the final mixing of the recording has been critiqued by some of the great Jazz musicians who already listened to the album. They are all in unison praising the rich musical content to be a very innovative and diverse approach of Jazz from West Africa. The Los Angeles based Jazz pianist Christian Jacob went ahead to state "Boty, You like syncopated melodies with unexpected turns and harmonies out of the ordinary, and you display this very well." All the compliments from world renowned musicians absolutely confirm the brilliant musical talent of Boty for his strong and rich sense of melodic and harmonic understanding. Boty says that : Guru Guru is really his most intimate musical expression. He explains that he truly wanted to bring out his inmost visions as an African Man who was born and raised in the pure African traditions and connecting with the mosaic of European communities in West African Cities. The recording was done in one take in 2011 and revised in June 2015. Boty continues "I wanted the sound of each instrument and voice to be so original that I mentioned to all the musicians that there would not be any second chance to correct mistakes", so all the musicians were expected to bring the best from their heart. Thus, after the recording session took place, nothing was touched or revised until recently in June 2015 after our Jazz festival and tour with Legendary American musicians like Greg Osby, James Weidman, Calvin Jones and Jerome Jennings. Earlier on we wanted to do the final mixing in April 2014 when the Great Bass Clarinetist and Saxophonist Oran Etkin visited Ghana to teach and present his ‘’Gratitude’’ album and teaching sessions. In all of this till 2015, Boty was looking for funds to complete the final mixing and launch of the album. A helping hand from his longtime time fan, friend and business associate Aina Rabamansoa came in and helped to produce the Guru Guru final project album. Now, Boty changed his mind about revising some parts of the album. He recalled all the musicians who were very satisfied with the work they had done 4 years ago and saw no need to correct or revise any of their work on the album. However, to re-vitalize the songs and give them a more lively and contemporary appeal, Vocalist Fru Assah Atangah was asked to do some additional vocals on all the songs. Guru Guru features the Constant Boty Trio with PK Ambrose on Bass and Prince Larbi ”Drummerholic” on percussions and guests: Ivorian ace percussionist Oswald Kouame, Cameroonian multi-instrumentalist Fru Assah Atangah on Soprano and Tenor Saxophones, Fender Rhodes, additional percussions and the lead vocals, Emmanuel Adjei on flugelhorn and Ofie Kodjoe doing the backing vocals. Of course, Boty is playing classical and electric guitars on the album exclusively. All these coteries of musicians offer Jazz Fusion fans something to grab onto, internalize and digest.