Pat Thomas (Ghana/1979)

Pat Thomas was Born in 1951 in Kumasi, Ghana. The wave of disco and reggae that swept Africa in the mid-70s created differing responses: some musicians pulled away from playing imported music entirely, others adopted it and adapted it to their own purposes. One of the latter category is highlife vocalist Thomas, who made his name with his band the Sweet Beans. He was brought up by his uncle, Onyina, a celebrated local band leader and the owner of a record store in Kumasi.

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In 1969 he joined the Broadway Dance Band, leaving a year later to join the Uhuru Dance Band for a tour of the UK. Returning to Ghana, he played with Ebo Taylor’s Blue Monks, spent a year in the Cote D’lvoire and then formed the Sweet Beans in 1973. Like many Ghanaian bands, the Sweet Beans received sponsorship from a government body, in this case the Cocoa Marketing Board. They released False Lover in 1974, then split and re-formed as Marijata, releasing Marijata and Pat Thomas Introduces Marijata, after which Thomas released two reggae-influenced solo albums, Let’s Think It Over and Asawado.