Uhuru Dance Band - The Sound of Africa (Agoro, 1975)

The Uhuru Dance Band's rare, 1975 album The Sound of Africa was recently posted in full by an ebay seller last month. Released on Kwadwo Donkoh's Agoro label, this unique album blends funk, American soul/jazz, highlife, and dance-band music much in the same vein as the Ogyatanaa Show Band (you may recongnize the Uhuru's "Yahiya Mu" which was featured on the Ghana Special compilation). Accordingly, this unique sound was largely driven by saxophonist George Amissah (Uhuru's then band leader) and Kwadwo Donkoh, who worked as a composer, arranger, and musician on this album as well as Ogyatanaa's Yerefrefre and Obra Mu Asem. At the same time, much of the lead singing on The Sound of Africa (as well as the two Ogyatanaa albums) is recognizably performed by the same individual (see "I Know My Mission" for an example). Unfortunately this singer's name remains a mystery, as does the actual relationship between this album, Kwadwo Donkoh, and the Ogyatanaa Show Band. Of course, any additional information would be greatly appreciated.


Considering the high prices that old, rare & funky Ghanaian records routinely fetch on websites like ebay (anywhere from several hundred to several thousand dollars), these low-quality sample recordings may very well represent the only opportunity for most of us to hear albums like the Uhuru's The Sound of Africa. Here, I've posted the album in full for your downloading convenience as offered on ebay, with track titles added and problematic clicks/skips cleaned up. However, some questions remain. For one thing, what is the correct order of the eleven tracks? Secondly, are any readers able/willing to submit a photo of the album's back cover? This would certainly clear up the question of the track order and potentially provide some additional background info.

In the meantime, take some time to enjoy this unique and diverse album.

Download

 
Update: Thanks to Akwaboa, here's a scan of this album's back cover. Track order is now revealed, along with song translations and background info about Kwadwo Donkoh/Uhuru. Excellent!

Ogyatanaa Show Band - Obra Mu Asem

Here we have a second album by the Ogyatanaa Show Band, the group responsible for the legendary Yerefrefre (or "African Fire") album. Tracks from that record like "Yaa Amponsah" and "Mmobrowa" have appeared on the Ghana Soundz compilations, as well as the Agoro Records compilation I've posted here some time back (Agoro Nkoaa). Obra Mu Asem hasn't received the same kind of attention that Yerefrefre has (the cover is rather bland...), but in my book it's a great overlooked album that deserves some listening.

As with their other releases, this record from Ogyatanaa showcases the group's unique fusion sound. At its core Ogyatanaa is a dance-band in the tradition of Uhuru, Ramblers, E.T. Mensah, etc., yet elements of funk and soul have also been added. The classic dance-band sound has undergone development here with the integration of the other sounds of '70s Ghana. Just listen to the heavy organ throughout and that soulful singing!

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Lets Do the Highlife!: George Danquah - Hot and Jumpy

"The music of this album, like the product of a wandering minstrel, is colored by the travels and adventures of the performer. These are not the songs of the jungle, nor are they work tunes. They are urban interpretation that leap with the rhythms of the modern day cities. But at their root they are pure African strain of daily life."

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Why worry baby, lets do the Highlife!

Araba Soso Wo Ndzema

This is Marijata!

Very funky music that pretty much speaks for itself. Many people would consider it a top favorite.

-No Condition is Permanent-

-Break Through-

-I Walk Alone-

-We Live in Peace-

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The First One: Agoro Nkoaa, Simigwa, Gbo Ofɔ Minɔ

The deeper I go into this music, African music, the more I fall in love, and the more I want to share it with as many people as possible.  This blog is an attempt to do just that.  Here, my posts will focus mainly on Ghanaian music in its many rich forms, from Highlife, Gospel and Hiplife to the work of composers like Kwabena Nketia and the tremendously diverse array of traditional music styles.  In addition to old albums I plan to post videos, photos, text from books, and any other small findings from the net you might find interesting. 

I've started by posting three albums from the '70s, none of which are particularly related to each other. The first, "Agoro Nkoaa: Party Time Africa," is a compilation by Agoro Records featuring the likes of Ogyatanaa, Ambolley, Wulomei, Eddie Donkor, Houghas Sorowonko, etc.  Also, the cover is one of my all-time favorites!  Here's a nice description from the back:

"Agoro Records provides on this album a non-stop medley of entertaining and exciting HIGHLIFE music -- particularly prevalent along the West Coast of Africa -- at its best.  It is surely the music that should make your 'life' go 'high' ; the type of sound you are bound to hear wherever two or three of the folks are gathered -- for what is a party? Every such time is Party Time in Africa -- as long as there is a sound to arouse that inborn rhythmic feeling."

Agoro Nkoaa: Download

Gyedu-Blay Ambolley's "Simigwa" is a classic that makes you feel like dancing right away. It's not exactly afrobeat (at least not Fela style), but there's something about Ambolley's own unique brand of funk (with a bit of James Brown thrown in) that grabs me more than most similar artists. You can read more about him here if you'd like. Listen to it.

Simigwa: Download

I think this album by The Ashiedu Keteke Cultural Group is amazing, one of my favorites in the Ga cultural style played by groups like Wulomei, Suku, Dzadzeloi, etc. (there are dozens more). "Ashiedu Keteke" is one of Accra's eleven sub-metro areas, containing the dynamic neighborhood of Ga Mashie in "old Accra, the historical center of the capital city of Ghana."  This Ga area is rich in history, encompassing places like Jamestown, Ussher Town, Bukom and others.  It is where the Ga cultural style was born during the '70s (and continues to flourish) along with somewhat older "traditional" styles like Kpanlogo, Gome, and Kolomashie.  Ga Mashie currently faces some economic hardships in terms of development and poverty alleviation, yet this area remains beautiful, vital and inspiring.  I'm sure I will go into more depth about Ga Mashie, cultural highlife, and Ga music in the future, but for now check out John B.'s  great post "Ga Cultural Highlife" at Likembe if you haven't already.

Gbo Ofɔ Minɔ: Download

Also, please enjoy this giant billboard of Gyedu-Blay Ambolley 

next to the post office in Accra!