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March 27, 2007
Music of Ghana, Africa
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The most well-known form of Ghanaian music is highlife, which has
become popular all across Africa and much of the rest of the world. Highlife arose among the coastal regions of Ghana and, to a lesser extent Sierra Leone, Liberia, Nigeria and other English-speaking West African colonies. In the 1920s, the word was coined to describe the dancing of the English colonials to the regimented music of native bands. Eventually, the music, originally used only for military functions, began using native songs and kpanlogo rhythms.
Ghana is home to numerous ethnic groups, who can be divided into four broad categories:
Southeastern Ghana is occupied by the Ewe people, whose folk styles are related to the music of Benin and Togo. The Ewe have also contributed popular styles, especially the agbadza and borborbor, a konkoma highlife fusion that was invented in the early 1950s in chicken Kpandu. See: Ewe music.
Northwestern Ghana is home to the Dagarti, Lobi, Wala and Sissala peoples, who are known for xylophone-based folk music.
Southern and Central Ghana is dominated by various Akan peoples, including Fante and Ashanti. They are known for complex court music and a huge log xylophone used in asonko music.
Northeastern Ghana is known for talking drums, played by the Gur-speaking Mamprusi, Frafra and Dagomba nations.
During the colonial era, Africa's Gold Coast was a hotbed of musical syncretism. Rhythms from across West Africa, especially gombe and ashiko from Sierra Leone, Liberian guitar-styles like dagomba, mainline and fireman, Fante osibisaba, European brass bands and sea shanties and Christian music, were all combined into a melting pot that became highlife.
Early split: guitar-bands and dance highlife
The word highlife comes from the 1920s, when it was used to describe parties held by the European upper-class to which the locals aspired. There were two types of highlife at the time. Dance orchestras played at the parties of the elite, while poor, rural guitarists played a kind of often-scorned music that was also called palm wine music (the term palm wine has referred to multiple styles from West Africa, but is now more commonly associated with the popular music of Sierra Leone). Originally associated with the Fante people, the guitar-based highlife spread across the country (and, to a lesser degree, abroad).
Mid-20th century and the invention of Ghanaian pop: While pan-Ghanaian music had been developed for some time, the middle of the 20th century saw the development of distinctly Ghanaian pop music. Highlife incorporated elements of swing, jazz, rock, ska and soukous, and saw its first inroads into the culture of its neighbors in West Africa and across the rest of the continent. To a much lesser extent, Ghanaian musicians found success in the United States and, briefly, the United Kingdom with the surprise success of Osibisa's Afro-rock in the 1970s.
Guitar-bands in the 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s: In the 1930s, Sam's Trio, led by Jacob Sam, was the most influential of the highlife guitar-bands. Their "Yaa Amponsah", three versions of which were recorded in 1928 for Zonophone, was a major hit that remains a popular staple of numerous highlife bands. The next major guitar-band leader was E.K.Nyame, who led the Akan Trio and sang in Twi. Nyame also added the double bass and more elements of the Western hemisphere, including jazz and Cuban music. In the 1960s, dance highlife was more popular than guitar-band highlife; most of the guitar bands began using the electric guitar until a roots revival in the mid-1970s.
Dance highlife in the 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s: Dance highlife evolved during World War II, when American jazz and swing became popular with the arrival of servicemen from the United States and United Kingdom. After independence in 1957, the socialist government began encouraging folk music, but highlife remained popular and influences from Trinidadian and Congolese music. ET Mensah was the most influential musician of this period, and his band The Tempos frequently accompanied the president. The original bandleader of The Tempos was Guy Warren, who was responsible for introducing Caribbean music to Ghana and, later, was known for a series of innovative fusions of African rhythms and American jazz. King Bruce, Jerry Hansen and Stan Plange also led influential dance bands during the 1950s and 60s. By the 1970s, however, pop music from Europe and the US dominated the Ghanaian scene until a mid-1970s roots revival.
1970s: Roots revival: By the beginning of the 1970s, traditionally styled highlife had been overtaken by electric guitar bands and pop-dance music. Since 1966 and the fall of President Kwame Nkrumah, many Ghanaian musicians moved abroad, settling in the US, UK and Nigeria. Highlife bands like Okukuseku recorded in Lagos or Nigeria's eastern Igbo region. In 1971, the Soul to Soul music festival was held in Accra. Several legendary American musicians played, including Wilson Pickett, Ike and Tina Turner and Carlos Santana. With the exception of Mexican-American Santana, these American superstars were all black, and their presence in Accra was seen as legitimizing Ghanaian music. Though the concert is now mostly remembered for its role as a catalyst in the subsequent Ghanaian roots revival, it also led to increased popularity for American rock and soul. Inspired by the American musicians, new guitar bands arose in Ghana, including the Ashanti Brothers, Nana Ampadu & the African Brothers, The City Boys and more. Musicians like CK Mann, Daniel Amponsah and Eddie Donkor incorporated new elements, especially from Jamaican reggae. A group called Wulomei also arose in the 1970s, leading a Ga cultural revival to encourage Ghanaian youths to support their own countrymen's music. By the 1980s, the UK was experiencing a boom in African music as Ghanaians and others moved there in large numbers. The group Hi-Life International was probably the most influential band of the period, and others included Jon K, Dade Krama, Orchestra Jazira and Ben Brako. In the middle of the decade, however, British immigration laws changed, and the focus of Ghanaian emigration moved to Germany.
The Ghanaian-German community created a form of highlife called burgher highlife. The most influential early burgher highlife musician was George Darko, whose "Akoo Te Brofo" coined the term and is considered the beginning of the genre. Burgher highlife was extremely popular in Ghana, especially after computer-generated dance beats were added to the mix. The same period saw a Ghanaian community appear in Toronto and elsewhere in Canada. Pat Thomas is probably the most famous Ghanaian-Canadian musician. Other emigres include Ghanaian-American Obo Addy, the Ghanaian-Swiss Andy Vans and the Ghanaian-Dutch Kumbi Salleh. In Ghana itself during the 1980s, gospel and reggae became extremely popular. The Genesis Gospel Singers were the most widely-known gospel band. Late 1990s a new generation of artists discovered the so called hip life. The originator of this style is Reggie Rockstone, a Ghanaian musician who dabbled with hip hop in the United States before finding his unique style. Hip Life has since proliferated and spawned stars like Obrafour, Akyeame and Tic Tac.
Posted by i220 at 04:24 PM | Comments (2)
March 12, 2007
Musical Jokes
Legendary Groaners
Q: What do you get if Bach falls off a horse, but has the courage to get on again and continue riding?
A: Bach in the saddle again.
Q: Why don't they know where Mozart is buried?
A: Because he's Haydn!
Q: What's musical and handy in a supermarket?
A: A Chopin Liszt.
Fritz Kriesler and Rachmaninov had a recital in Carnegie Hall once. In the middle of the music, Kriesler got lost and turned around to ask Rachmaninov, "Where are we?"
Rachmaninov said, "Carnegie Hall, sir!"
A tourist is sightseeing in a European city. She comes upon the tomb of Beethoven, and begins reading the commerative plaque, only to be distracted by a low scratching noise, as if something was rubbing against a piece of paper.
She collars a passing native and asks what the scratching sound is.
The local person replies, "Oh, that is Beethoven. He's decomposing."
...and That's all folks! *cue music*
Posted by i220 at 06:27 PM | Comments (4)
March 08, 2007
Poetry by: Omaha RisinG
Website: http://hammeredoutlitzine.blogspot.com/2007/05/omaharising.html
Email: omaha@axxent.ca
Posted by i220 at 10:28 AM | Comments (1)
March 01, 2007
Steve Jobs is Our Hero ;)
Mar. Newsletter [Ed.30] - PROMOTING YOU TO YOU! REPPIN' OVER 70 COUNTRIES WORLDWIDE - 10,000+ HITS MONTHLY!
PROMO: Canadian Dates: FREE MUSIC: [http://www.themusicalrevolution.com/i220.php]
Canada: Bands:
Sobriety's Rejects, North Bay, Ontario.
Canada: Online Independent Music Support:
http://www.indiebible.com/newsletter/feb2007.shtml
MUSICIANS - For this month only: Please post your dates in the comments section of the weblog page - http://www.themusicalrevolution.com/weblog/index.html (commenting on any topic will work). Things will go back to normal in April when I return from Africa.
MUSIC NEWS (in this issue):
1. ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVIST AL GORE PLANS SERIES OF ALL-STAR CONCERTS
2. OZZFEST TO BE FREE OF CHARGE THIS SUMMER
3. SATELLITE RADIO GIANTS XM AND SIRIUS MERGE
4. RANKING MUSIC BECOMES INCREASINGLY MORE DIFFICULT
5. JB SEED PROGRAM AN ARTS GRANT FUND
6. WARNER MUSIC GROUP LOOKING TO ABSORB EMI
7. WHO CARES?: Wish I was in Dixie, The Who-lice, Bikini Baby Beyonce, Rage Against The Slave, and a bunch of obligitory Bobby Brown stuff...
THEMUSICALREVOLUTION.COM THIS MONTH: Big RevoWelcome to our newest member: Caroline. Check this out: For this month only, I (Your beloved Mattyy) am off to Africa. Due to this "momentary lapse of reason" you (the faithful revolutionary) may find things a little slow in March. For this reason, I ask that you keep the dialogue flowing. I will try my very best to check in when I can and offer updates on the trip. But. Ghana isn't the most online country in the world so... Wish me luck and see you in April.
EDITORIAL:
Well, it looks like Mr. Jobs is at it again.
In a recent post to his blog, the Apple CEO claims that he is all for scrapping the technology that prevents iTunes from being played on competing mp3 players. In fact, Steve (as I like to call him (among other things ;) claims that he has asked the four major record labels (Universal Music Group, Sony BMG Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group and EMI Group) for permission to scrap Digital Rights Management software (DRM to those of us in the know).
It is in fact these very labels that he blames for DRMs in the first place - cue the finger pointing.
Honestly. At this point, I don't see why it's even an issue. Get rid of 'em! I hate to agree with a suit, especially one as transparent as Mr. Stevo, but this is just becoming rediculous. Why are the labels fighting this so vehementy?
I get this picture of 4 old dying men sitting in chairs surrounding a big plasma screen. One say's, "This downloading thingymahjiggy is gonna be the end of usss." Another replies, "What are we to do, a billion just ain't gonna pay the bills!" Still another chimes in, "I knew we shoulda stopped this whole rig-a-ma-role with the printing press." And finally the last says, "Ughhh.. *cough.. choke*..." and roles over and dies. "Nurse!"
LOL!
Bring it on Mr. Steve "Gates" --> Bring it on!
Love,
Mattyy
MUSIC NEWS:
1. ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVIST AL GORE PLANS SERIES OF ALL-STAR CONCERTS: Acts such as Red Hot Chili Peppers, Sheryl Crow, Bon Jovi, Black Eyed Peas, Kelly Clarkson, Faith Hill, Tim McGraw and Snoop Dogg are all slated to perform at an event akin to Live Aid. "Live Earth" will take place on July 7th. Sydney, Shanghai, Johannesburg and London plus other cities in the United States, Brazil and Japan have already committed to be hosts. http://liveearth.org/
2. OZZFEST TO BE FREE OF CHARGE THIS SUMMER: Fans will still have to obtain tickets for shows but it will only cost them their time. Sharon Osbourne (Ozzy's wife and manager) claims that rising ticket prices are the reason for the gesture. Advertising revenue will pay for the tour.
3. SATELLITE RADIO GIANTS XM AND SIRIUS MERGE: The homes of Howard Stern and Bob Dylan are about to become one. The new "super" satellite company looks to improve it's channel selection and technology.
4. RANKING MUSIC BECOMES INCREASINGLY MORE DIFFICULT: With the advent of digital music sales, it has become almost impossible to determine fiscal popularity in today's musical climate. Online juggernaughts such as iTunes and MySpace are wrecking havoc on music rankings worldwide. Experts are looking to merge charts for a more accurate representation of the market.
5. JB SEED PROGRAM AN ARTS GRANT FUND: Australian artist, John Butler, looks to give back to the his homeland's artistic community through this development program. John receives applications at his website and through the Australian Business Arts foundation of Australia chooses artists to foster. http://www.thejbseed.com/contributors.html
6. WARNER MUSIC GROUP LOOKING TO ABSORB EMI: WMG has issued a statement confirming that it has made a bid to takeover EMI. The latter label recently merged it's Capitol and Virgin divisions and in doing so released acts such as Airbourne, The Vines and Fischerspooner from their contracts among others.
7. WHO CARES?: Remember when the key to Grammy success was about writing good music? Now all you have to do is perform for the president, then publicly attack him when he makes bad decisions, then get slandered and threatened, then write an album about it, then shoot a movie about it, then wash Mr. Grammy's SUV,.. The Police - BACK! GENESIS - B.B..BACK!! Van Halen - SUCK!!! It would be really cool if the new label formed by Counting Crowes frontman Adam Duritz were to become anything other than a tax shelter... Hmmmnnnnnn.. Beyonce... Razor"fight"! YEAH! F@#K YEAH!! ..............yeah... Move aside Oscars! The new "Milli Vanilli" movie is in the works. Do I really have to make a joke about this? It kinda just writes itself - then chooses a prettier joke to pretend to tell it. Girl you know it's true... Chris Cornell is done with Audioslave on account of irreconcilable differences. Only he spells that, Z.A.C.K. D.E. L.A. R.O.C.H.A... Bobby Brown - sweet soul singer. Bobby Brown - Washup. Bobby Brown - Drug fiend. Bobby Brown - Dead beat dad... "It's getting better all the time..."
*Collected from a variety of online NEWS sources and summed up here for your enjoyment/enlightenment.*
Until next month:
http://Www.TheMusicalRevolution.Com - Your daily musical revolution. Share it with others.
http://Www.TheMusicalRevolution.Com/Weblog/index.html - Read/Write about your music.
Info@TheMusicalRevolution.Com - Most importantly: Send us your musical ideas, concert dates, website, music or product information.
YOU are the revolution. Share.
Posted by i220 at 08:05 AM | Comments (4)