Rita Ray
Welcome
Ghana’s 50th anniversary celebrations
The 6th of March 2007 is the 50th anniversary of Ghana’s independence – 50 years since the Gold Coast, the first sub-Saharan country to be free of colonial rule, became Ghana. To celebrate this landmark there will be a year-long programme of events in Ghana and in the UK. The overall unifying theme of the anniversary is ‘Championing African Excellence’. Ghana’s first President, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah envisioned Ghana as the guiding light of African independence and solidarity and promoted the pan-African ideal of mutual support and collaboration. Every month this year is themed with related activities. This month, March 2007, is the Face Of Freedom. Find out more about this and other events by logging on to the Ghana at 50 website .
Most major arts institutions in the UK will be promoting cultural events focusing on Ghana, including the V&A’s Uncomfortable Truths season , 20 February – 17 June 2007 (log on to the V&A site for more information), music and theatre performances in June at The Scoop which is right next to City Hall, as well as events focusing on literature and fashion and food.
For those wanting to party and dance all night I recommend heading to London’s Stratford Rex on Saturday, 10 March 2007, for a night featuring the best of Ghana’s High Life and Hip Life artists as well as the UK Ghana connection with heavy weight Grime and hip-hop artists like Sway and Dizzee Rascal . For more info check out the Akwaaba UK homepage . If you would like to get involved in events for a good cause, do check out the Fairtrade fortnight , 26 February – 11 March 2007 (log on to the Fairtrade website for full information).
From High Life To Hip Life – 50 Years of Independence
Ghana, especially from the 50’s to 70’s, was a hotbed of music creation and renowned for Highlife music, a blend of Ghanaian rhythms and melodies, calypso and jazz. High Life was one of the first African styles to gain international recognition – and ET Mensah , the pioneering king of Highlife, was the first African artist to play at the Royal Festival Hall in 1957. Have a listen to ' Ghana Freedom ' for a slice of vintage High Life.
From
High Life to Hip Life
is a musical history of the development of Highlife from Palm Wine through to Hip Life, the country’s popular music of the last decade. The compilation, which will be released in the summer, includes guitar bands, funky highlife, gospel and cultural groups. Amongst the artists featured are
Osibisa
, lead by Ghanaian Teddy Osei, who were the first African band to have hits in the UK. There are new movements in the music scene with more and more artists from the North of Ghana having success.
King Ayisoba
is one such artist, from Bolgatanga, he is flying high with his hit song '
I Want To See My Father
'. His unique sound is made with traditional instruments – he plays a funky two string guitar like instrument called a molo – blended with Ghanaian rhythms and dance beats, supporting his gritty distinctive voice.
A Ghanaian website that I would like to recommend is pioneering Prof Kwame ’s Afroganic site . His project is in full swing and on the website you can have a look at the musicians, instruments and have a listen to the hard-hitting ital songs. Prof Kwame is now working with Samini (formerly known as Batman ), and getting Afroganic 2 ready for release.
Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba
Let’s move from Ghana to Mali for a bit: The 26th of March will see the release of
Segu Blue
, the terrific debut album by
Bassekou Kouyate
. Bassekou is a consummate artist who is hailed by musicians such as the legendary bluesman
Taj Mahal
who calls him a genius, through to
Fatboy Slim
and
Damon Albarn
and he has played on
Ali Farka Toure
’s posthumous masterpiece
Savane
, as well as with Toumani Diabate and many more. Bassekou is the master of the ngoni, the Malian spiked lute, the first instrument of the Griots that goes back to the time of Sundiate Keita, the first emperor of Mali back in the 13th century. The ngoni is a canoe-shaped guitar like instrument and is the ancestor of the banjo - it makes a glorious sound. So what about this album? The pioneering Bassekou and his band are a ngoni quartet, they play the pentatonic soulful blues music of the Bamana people of Segu. The effortless yet intricate interplay of the band is beguiling and impossible to unpick. The contribution of the guest artists including Bassekou’s wife, the singer
Ami Sacko
, hailed as “the Tina Turner of Mali”, and
Lobi Traore
heighten the enjoyment of listening to this beautifully produced album. Have a listen to 'Ngoni Fola' for a taste of this truly funky Malian blues music.
BBC Radio 3 Awards for World Music 2007
It’s that time of year again. On 31 March 2007 we will find out the winners of the BBC Radio 3 Awards for World Music when they are announced on Lucy Duran’s Radio 3 programme World Routes . You will also be able to check the winners on the Awards for World Music homepage . A compilation album of the nominees will be coming out on 14 May 2007 – and I think it’s definitely worth checking out. Africa has dominated the nominations this year; for a start all of the artists in the newcomer category are from the motherland. Each of them is exciting in their own right, from K’naan the Dusty Foot Philosopher’s vivid rhymes and Nuru Kane ’s powerful Senegal-meets-Morocco mix, to the soulful Cape Verdean vocals of Sara Tavares and Niger’s Woodabe and Toureg union of Ertan Finatawa . The Africa category is packed with heavy-weights that include the late great Ali Farka Toure and kora king Toumani Diabate along with South Africa’s award-winning kwaito act Bongo Maffin not forgetting the soul man from Addis Mahmoud Ahmed who was the surprise hit at last year’s WOMAD festival. On the North Africa tip, Natacha Atlas and Les Bukakes are representing Egypt and Algeria. The Awards For World Music compilation is a celebration of what’s happening in World music now.
Until next time,
Rita Ray
Rita Ray's Recommended CDs
Various Artists – From High Life To Hip Life – 50 Years of Independence
Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba - Segu Blue
Various Artists - BBC 3 Awards for World Music 2007
Check out my recommended CDs this month in the CD Reviews section or go to Music Search to look at our archive of recommended CDs