Peoples Star in London (3)

I couldn't think of a better way to start 2010 than with a track from the King himself, Chief Stephen Osita Osadebe. Ok, the album says Peoples Star, but there's no doubt that it's just Osadebe in disguise. Peoples Star in London vol 1 and 2 are well known, but this comes from another volume: Ofe Di Uzo.
A real suprise!





The Peoples Star - Nkiruka

African Brothers

This band needs no introduction: The African Brothers were the prototypical Highlife guitar band and model for a whole generation of others. It can't be a coincidence that there are some many 'Brothers' highlife bands around.
Although their later work is not always very inspired, their work in the seventies shows that they were indeed the No1 band.
Here's a fine example: 'Never Mind the Shirt!'


African Brothers - Yere wensa wose shirt
(Read the interesting liner notes: recorded in one hour at 8 o'clock in the morning. No rock-n-roll mentality here)

Highlife Gospel

There is a very thin line between secular highlife and gospel music in Ghana. Typical highlife bands as the African Brothers, Yamoah's and even AB Crentsil's Sweet Talks recorded a lot of tracks that are definitely religious in nature. And as the popularity of gospel grew in the 1980's, some highlife musicians turned from secular to religious music. As i don't speak the language it is even harder for me to distinguish the two.
But here are 2 examples of highlife-gospel bands: Edward Kwasi Boateng's Band and Love Nortey's Happy Stars.

Happy Stars - Wano nsem pii
Kwasi Boateng's Band - Asem ato me

(Do i hear Kwabena Okai there among the Happy Stars? Unfortunately no cover..)

Agu Risky and de Lovers International Band

Well, here's a band i'm sure you haven't heard of before (prove me wrong and send me some music..).At first you wonder when this intro is going to end and the song will take off, but gradually you'll begin to appreciate it. I hope you like it too, and if you have any background, just let me know.




Agu Risky - Anango-Ibibifu
Ps. check out the comments!

Real Internationals

A lot of highlife bands call themselves International, a term that has as little meaning as the also popular use of the 'Brothers' label. But here i have a track of a band who seems to try to really do something across regional and ethnic boundaries: a Kenyan album by the Peacocks (international, of course).
Their hit song 'Sambola mama' in an extended version with an East-African twist.
(Ok, i got carried away, it's just a kenyan pressing...)


Peacocks - Sambola mama
Nb. I hesitated to scan the cover, but even this is better than nothing, and it gives you an indication of the state of the album.

I've found my love (again)

Some cd's i just play over and over. One of these is the 'I've found my love' compilation on the Original Music label. All OM's are great, but i like this one best: One guitar, some voices and simple percussion, short songs with palm-wine roots.
Anyway, when i heard this album by Akwaboa i was immediately hooked: i've played it on repeat for weeks.
And because it is such a short track, i'll add a Akwaboa single too!
(now who's complaining?)



Akwaboa - Meko gya mediya kwan
Akwaboah's Guitar Band - Maniso tan me

Unbeatable Abiriwa

One of the first highlife bands i really liked, after Chief Osita Osadebe got me interested in the genre, were the Peacocks. But this was completely different: short songs, no horns, a rootsier sound but definitely more relaxed than the Oriental Brothers. And my appreciation still grows with every new recording i can get my hands on. Here's one of their later albums.


Peacocks - Iwe Ewelam