May 12/07
Studio Gems
Lately I’ve really been into the Bokoor Beats compilation by Professor John Collins.
Professor Collins has been active in the Ghanaian music scene since the late 60s. He’s not a Ghana native but has lived there for over 30 years and continues to be an important member of the musical community.
Over the years his Bokoor Studios in Accra has recorded hundreds of afrobeat, electric highlife and palmwine musicians. He’s worked with people you’ve heard here before, like TO Jazz. His own Bokoor Band also had some great releases in the 1970s, including one of the tracks I’ll post today.
Bokoor Beats is a collection of some of these remastered releases. You can grab it on Calabash – a definite must have for afrobeat, highlife and palmwine fans.
Bokoor Band – Onukpa Scwarpo
TO Jazz – Onam Bebe Basa
He also has written a number of books documenting the highlife scene – One I really enjoyed in particular was “highlife times” with interviews of many of the most important musicians of the times
Matt, thanks for posting these, I’ve been meaning to grab a copy but haven’t had a chance to get one yet.
[...] Ghanain music it’s so good (tags: music africa ghana) [...]
You can also find “The Guitar & Gun” remastered and reissued by Earthworks and recorded by John Collins during the Ghana’s revolutionary period (1981-1984).
Aduna
this was a nice compilation. you should check out the gun and the guitar compilations he put out.
Chief Osita Osadebe king of Highlife from Nigeria passed on friday May 11 in America.
A coordinated Funeral arrangement is being planned in some cities in USA on a yet to be announced date. Please stay tuned. May His Soul Rest in Peace.
Nnamdi Moweta-Greencard Music Management
Always insatiable listens. Is there anychance for a “space theme” from parts of Africa? I wanna here some martian music! THanks!
Thanks for the heads up! I frequent calabash music all the time but never came across this compilation. I just purchased Yeah Yeah Ku Yeah.
Are there any young guitar-playing highlife (or some more modern variation) bands from Ghana or is this just a great approach from the past?
Good question. To be honest I don’t know much about contemporary Ghana, but I doubt it. I imagine it’s like old-style Congolese rumba or afrolatin Senegalese music- something your grandparents listened to.
If someone knows more, I’m happy to be wrong on this one…
Matt
god bless john collins. he is a remarkable individual who has done more than words can say for keeping highlife alive in the international realm. thanks very much for posting this, matt! everyone (who cares about west african popular music) should know about prof collins’ extensive list of books and articles…. google around or go to your local university library’s ethnomusicology or african studies deptartment.
in response to curm’s query: i think there ARE a few younger bands playing this sort of music in scattered cases throughout ghana. but YES, it is very much your-grandfather’s-jams, unfortunately.
most of the guitar-oriented bands can be found in the church now, though they are not playing this music EXACTLY. it is certainly informed by the harmonies and structures of the older highlife styles but is of course lyrically focused on god, jesus, and faith-related.
some of the hiplife (rap) artists are incorporating highlife samples and/or musical elements into their songs, but this is small consolation for those of us who adore the music represented by collins and the vast numbers of aging highlife luminaries in ghana.
when oh when will there be a real guitar highlife band to tour ghana (and beyond) again?? one day one day… perhaps.
until then: long live the bokoor sound and the many talented and nearly forgotten artists of the elder generations. cheers to you, prof collins. much respect.