Oko's Band

I only had a couple of very nice singles by Oko's Band, so I was very happy to get hold of this record. According to the sleeve-notes Oko's a real old-timer, and this must be one of the first Ambassador releases. The first track already popped-up in another blog, so i give you the second track: a 'Bushey' with more than a hint of 'El Manisero' in it.





Oko's Band - Owuo Aye Me Bi

More Abiriwa

Here's a solo album by Dan Orji, of Peacocks fame. I saw my blog referred to as delivering the occasional Highlife gem, and this track certainly fits the bill. Listen to the subtle guitar-work by Tunde Sole!





Dan Orji - Ebere egbulam

Ghanaian Highlife mix

I like to turn my singles, downloads and the occasional album track into compilation cd's. (yes, i know, that is getting old-fashioned). Even though this is a completely random process, after a while the songs become connected and their combination starts to fit together. This is one of my favorites at the moment, so i thought you might appreciate it also.





Highlife collection 15

Special thanks to Ubulujaja (highlife turntable) for the great F. Kenya track!
(trackname) means i don't know the title, but this is what it sounds like.

Yamoah's Band

Although his ouvre is small, for me P.K. Yamoah is one of the greatest highlife musicians ever. His musical career started in 1954, and lasted until the mid seventies. Last year, he must be about 75, he was rewarded the Musical Merit Award in Ghana. Luckily some of his work is available on 4 cd's, but i prefer the lp versions. Some tracks on the cd's sound too fast, and are indeed shorter than on the lp's i have.
Anyway, the cd's are still a must have for anyone interested in Ghanaian highlife.
Yamoah's music has a unique sound and rhythm, a loose 'swing' and feeling that is never even imitated.
Listen to Onantefo and you know what i mean. A real classic.





Yamoah's Band - Onantefo

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..)