Electric Highlife

Naxos is best known for its vast selection of classical CDs, which it sells for only Ł4.99. In recent years it has added contemporary jazz, as well as reissues of vintage jazz and nostalgia, among other things, retaining the low pricetag all the way. The latest addition to their catalogue is a World Music series, consisting mainly of new recordings, but also including this outstanding anthology of Ghanaian highlife, mostly from the 1980s. The source of these recordings is John Collins’s Bokoor studio, and most of the artists will be unknown outside Ghana, although a few names should be familiar to those who bought the two LPs of Bokoor recordings that were released in the UK nearly 20 years ago (“The Guitar and the Gun”, Africagram ADRY1 and Vol.2 ADRY6 - but note that no tracks from those albums are duplicated here). Once you get over the fact that the CD costs no more than each of those LPs did all those years ago, you can settle down to listen to over an hour of first class ‘80s highlife.

F. Kenya gets three tracks - all beautiful guitar band highlife, with the rhythm section irresistibly pushing the beat and the guitars weaving delightful lines around the vocals. George Adu, the Happy Boys and the Beach Scorpions all get two tracks, each one a delight. The remainder get one apiece, and offer some fascinating variations on the stylistic theme. The Black Beats were active for many years, with many releases on Decca in the ‘50s and ‘60s. Their dance band highlife, with prominent horn section must have been getting outdated by the time this recording was made, which makes it all the more satisfying to hear it. There’s a touch of gospel in Eddie Ansah’s track, its sacred content reflected in a melody and vocal harmonies influenced by hymn tunes, although the accompaniment rattles along in best highlife style. The Bokoor Band’s “Yaka Duru” is a Liberian folk tune, and I wondered if there was a touch of the more traditional in Guyoyo - there’s a nice, rough edge to their sound.

Good design, good photos and comprehensive notes all contribute to the conviction that this must be the best value reissue CD of African music yet, but it would still be recommended at three times the price.

RT (10/02)


Various Artists: Electric Highlife - Naxos World 76030-2 Naxos is best known for its vast selection of classical CDs, which it sells for only Ł4.99. In recent years it has added contemporary jazz, as well as reissues of vintage jazz and nostalgia, among other things, retaining the low pricetag all the way. The latest addition to their catalogue is a World Music series, consisting mainly of new recordings, but also including this outstanding anthology of Ghanaian highlife, mostly from the 1980s. The source of these recordings is John Collins’s Bokoor studio, and most of the artists will be unknown outside Ghana, although a few names should be familiar to those who bought the two LPs of Bokoor recordings that were released in the UK nearly 20 years ago (“The Guitar and the Gun”, Africagram ADRY1 and Vol.2 ADRY6 - but note that no tracks from those albums are duplicated here). Once you get over the fact that the CD costs no more than each of those LPs did all those years ago, you can settle down to listen to over an hour of first class ‘80s highlife. F. Kenya gets three tracks - all beautiful guitar band highlife, with the rhythm section irresistibly pushing the beat and the guitars weaving delightful lines around the vocals. George Adu, the Happy Boys and the Beach Scorpions all get two tracks, each one a delight. The remainder get one apiece, and offer some fascinating variations on the stylistic theme. The Black Beats were active for many years, with many releases on Decca in the ‘50s and ‘60s. Their dance band highlife, with prominent horn section must have been getting outdated by the time this recording was made, which makes it all the more satisfying to hear it. There’s a touch of gospel in Eddie Ansah’s track, its sacred content reflected in a melody and vocal harmonies influenced by hymn tunes, although the accompaniment rattles along in best highlife style. The Bokoor Band’s “Yaka Duru” is a Liberian folk tune, and I wondered if there was a touch of the more traditional in Guyoyo - there’s a nice, rough edge to their sound. Good design, good photos and comprehensive notes all contribute to the conviction that this must be the best value reissue CD of African music yet, but it would still be recommended at three times the price. RT (10/02)

	Various Artists Electric Highlife Sessions from the Bokoor Studios Naxos World 76030-2


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