Keeping the faith

When in the 1980's highlife modernized and all kinds of electronics were introduced, eventually Highlife turned Hiplife. Not my thing really, but most Ghanaians now see highlife as something from the past. One of the artists who tried to keep the tradition alive was (and is) Eric Agyeman. Starting out as lead-guitarist in K.Gyasi's Noble Kings, he developed a unique kind of mellow guitar-band Highlife with horns, often in long, suite-like tracks.
Here is one of his less known albums.













Mani Agye
(Strange cover, not? Even George Michael wouldn't dare something like this..)

Old School

Thomas Osei 'T.O.' Ampomah was one of the more traditional Highlife artists. His career started in the 60's and was rooted in palm-wine music, but he travelled to Congo to broaden his musical horizons. To me it's full-blooded highlife, with a real female singer, not a 'treble singer' as extra attraction. Enjoy!













T.O. Jazz - Sea Boy

City Boys

The City Boys International Band of Ghana is one of those bands that must be popular in Ghana (and Nigeria) itself but who are allmost unknown over here. Probably because of their vocals: this typical sharp Ghanaian sound, not very comfortable in Western ears. The music reminds me of the African Brothers: perhaps no coincidense since the leader of the City boys, Obooba J.A. Adofo 'Black Chinese' is Nana Ampadu's nephew.













City Boys - Me yaree fi mefie

ps: got it in the wrong sleeve, anyone knows the title of the album? (Scodisc Sound SDX9, first track 'Gyae Su')

Commercial break

Highlife not only comes in obscure records, there's obscure cd's too!
By obscure i mean: not available in a regular music (web-) shop, but only specialized Ghanaian music shops. Typical Ghanaian: they like to keep things in their own hands.
I'd like to present a couple of favourites:
First the best of Canadoes International Band













Canadoes - Enowaa ko hene
(what about those tulips! a Dutch-Ghanaian production)
Then Opambuo Internationals













Opambuo - Kai kai

And lastly Yamoah's Band












Yamoah's - Abotare
Four volumes in all, the sound quality is sometimes poor, but the music is allways great!

The real Akwaboa(h)

Thanks for your kind comments. I'll reward it with another treat: Master Bob Akwaboa and his Supreme Internationals. Beat that!
Ok, he isn't very modest, but i think he has every right to. Listen to this, a relentless repetitive beat with that unique gravely voice. Perhaps not the finest singer, but one of the best voices in Highlife. (Only rivalled by F. Kenya in my opinion). And don't forget the subtle guitar. Enough said:













Akwaboa and his Supreme Internationals - Yede Owuo Ka

(With thanks to Ubulujaja, the supplier of this great track,
not the right cover, but this one's so cool!)

Kyerematen(g) Stars

After these classics now something a bit more modern: The Kyeremateng Stars, also sometimes spelled 'Kyerematen'. A definite favourite, but quite unknown. It seems to be a kind of Gospel-Highlife, looking at some of the covers and song titles (and in the second track you even get a sermon like interlude by Kyeremateng Atwede himself). Anyway, I like them mostly for their uptempo songs, their plaintive voices and the playful organ.
Judge for yourself, ignore the terrible cover (In African music there seems to be an inverse relationship between the quality of the music and the cover..)

Kyeremateng Stars - Ketewa Biasa Nsua
Kyeremateng Stars - Obi Reba A Mane Me

Decca West-Africa classics

Well, it's been some time now, i've been a bit lazy. But thats all gone change now, i'll try to get at least one message / track a week done. And i have collected some real gems lately, so that should not be a problem.
First another African Brothers track, this time belonging to the lp you see in my previous post.
African Brothers - Ade Aye Me


And now something else: One of the other great icons of Ghanaian highlife: E.T. Mensah and his Tempos

A fine highlife about the great rivers of Africa.
E.T Mensah - congo






Here is another example from the famous Decca West-Africa series:

Builders Brigade Band - apolonia






Last but not least, a band I never heard of before:

The Republicans - ahoofe bra

Nana Ampadu's African Brothers International Band

What is it all about?
Well, i would like to share my enthusiasm about the Highlife music with you. I know there must be some people out there that understand what i'm talking about. Highlife is the a type of African popular music, mostly from Ghana and Nigeria. It often has a melancholic, bit bluesy feeling that i really like. Big names in this genre are E.T Mensah, The African Brothers, Chief Stephen Osita Osadebe, just to name some of my favourites. (for more background, just check Wikipedia) Although highlife has been very popular in Ghana and in Nigeria, in the eighties it lost lots of ground to other musical forms, and in my opinion it has never been the same since. There are still some bands active, but for most Africans this is just nostalgic music from the past. Consequently it is not commercially interesting to re-release this music on cd, so hard to find scratchy records is all we are left with. I've been collecting for some years now and i'm sure i have some interesting tunes in store for you. Be back soon!



This is a track from the 'Tribute to DK Nyarko' album of the African Brothers. DK Nyarko was a pivotal figure in the Ghanaian highlife scene.
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