Jess Sah Bi is well-

known as half of the

legendary duo Jess

Sah Bi & Peter One

who brought

homegrown Country-

Americana to the

West African masses

with their smash

debut Our Garden

Needs It's Flowers in

the mid-1980s.

Touring stadiums and

reaching listeners

worldwide, their music

has racked up millions

of spins on YouTube

and remains imprinted

in the hearts of

Ivorians of a certain age. ATFA reissued their album in 2018, garnering

critical acclaim from publications including Pitchfork and Rolling Stone and

reaching a new generation of listeners outside Ivory Coast (Cote d'Ivoire).

Sometime in the early 90s, Die Sahbi-or Jesse, as he known to friends-

became gravely ill with an unknown ailment and almost died. He visited

various doctors and all kinds of religious healers and nothing helped until

he became a born-again Christian. He recorded an album of music

praising God in order to honor a promise he made to himself at the depths

of his desperation in the hospital. That album, Jesus-Christ Ne Deçoit Pas

[Jesus Christ Does Not Let Us Down], came out in 1991 and sold around

3000 cassettes in Ivory Coast. The master tape was lost along the way so

the recording has never been on digital platforms until now.

Jesse didn't have much time to record while visiting South Carolina, and

he enlisted some American musicians (Robert Fortner and Gary Davis) to

help. They added acoustic guitar, percussion and keyboard

accompaniment to Jesse's soaring French and Gouro vocals, harmonica

and finger-picked acoustic. The resulting recording is deeply soothing and

contemplative music that perfectly compliments the songs already

embraced by millions.

Jesus-Christ Ne Deçoit Pas is Jess Sah Bi's first and only gospel album.

Fortunately, fans responded with enthusiasm: widespread radio airplay

and concerts followed, along with a growing solo profile in the country.

The first big gospel artists in Ivory Coast were the duo Mathieu et

Constance, who emerged in 1989. There was a bigger gospel music

movement in English-speaking counties like Ghana and Nigeria

(Christians make up roughly 40% of the population in Ivory Coast, slightly

less than Muslims).

In the years since Jesus-Christ's release, gospel music in Ivory Coast has

grown to become a key part of music culture in the country. Spiritual music

appears in community actives across the public and private spectrum from

religious gatherings and parties to television broadcasts and music

festivals. And, as it has evolved and indigenized locally, gospel music has

picked up elements of traditional Ivorian music, reggae and soul.

Jesse didn't have any intention of working in Christian music but he

realized, "You don't make music to make money-you want to send a

message.