The birth of an African music style: Highlife, Africa’s ballroom music © by Emmanuel Nado

It was in the early 50s, at the time most of West Africa was under foreign colonization, that most of Africa countries developed their brand of modern dance music. In the case of Highlife, the rhythm although not necessary designed for the European and the African elites, became as such, due to the stylistic aspect of the dance clubs and the formal attire worn by those who were coming to the clubs. The rhythm was Highlife. It all started on the Gold Coast of Africa (now Ghana). Ghana is credited as the birth-place of this music genre. The name was given to this new rhythm by people gathered outside the ballrooms presenting this music, as the majority of the population could not afford the high entrance fees they hanged around and outside these ballrooms. Looking from the outside and seeing the high-class citizens, including their European counterparts, dressed in fancy full evening attire, gloved and top hats, these folks outside said “This is high life!” Indeed going out to ballrooms dancing at this time in Ghana was an elegant affair. Thus the term "Highlife" was coined in the 1920s for the festive and elegant atmosphere it created with the upper-class scene.

Highlife dance bands featured a fusion of western brass sound and Africa percussion. The indigenous musical instruments, drums, tin cans, bottles, thumb piano and shekeres were to be replaced with guitars, banjos, accordions, military brass, trap drums, horns and other imported European instruments , brought to the west coast of Africa by sailors from all over the world. After independence, the music grew and became more accessible to the populace, bringing another generation of Ghanaian musicians to the ballrooms.

Thanks to the Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah first President of Ghana, the rhythm sailed beyond the Atlantic. Dr. Kwame Nkrumah was a major promoter of Highlife; he often traveled with a highlife orchestra during his official visits around the world. Highlife has been the most enduring from of West African music. It is a sensual sound, a smooth dance rhythm characterized by percussion and dynamic horns. Although originating in Ghana, it spread to Nigeria and was often played throughout West Africa.

It was the visit of E.T. Mensah, the proclaimed king of Highlife and his Tempos dance band to Nigeria that was the turning point for Nigeria Highlife. Nigerian artists who were playing their own brand of music switched to the new rhythm, the styles was picked up by local musicians including these Nigerian artists, Cardinal Rex Lawson, Bobby Benson, Victor Olaiya, Eddie Okonta, Rex William and Roy Chicago all played highlife music. While living in Nigeria for a short period as a teenager I frequently hung around the nightclubs of the bustling city of Lagos. Many familiar highlife tunes became hits so memorable that they became classics, these hits are things of the past now, and the artists who produce them are legends now.

Though, myriads of rhythms and dance styles have sprung from the African continent since the early years of self governance, highlife is still well alive in the heart of all African music lovers including listeners of Africa Mix.

Hear highlife and more of the African music styles every Thursday night on Africa Mix.

—Emmanuel Nado

Playlist for 01.21.2010—Pamela

= = = Set 1: about 9:04 pm

Title: "Unhome"
Artist: Miriam Makeba
CD: Putumayo presents Legends of South Africa
Country: South Africa

"Mangwane"
Yvonne Chaka Chaka
Spotlight on Yvonne Chaka Chaka
South Africa

"Mulemba Xangola"
Bonga
Mulemba Xangola
Angola

= = = Set 2: about 9:19 pm

“Matotsi”
Chiwoniso
Rebel Woman
Zimbabwe/USA

“Ma Jaiye Oni”
King Sunny Ade
Juju Music
Nigeria

“Rebel Music (3 O’Clock Roadblock”)
Gilberto Gil
Kaya N’Gan Daya
Brasil

“Jonkoloni”
Bassekou Kouyaté & Ngoni Ba
Segu Blue
Mali

= = = Set 3: about 9:40 pm

“Atsele”
Adjiri Odametey
Etoo
Ghana/Germany

"Rosa"
Eduardo BB
Bassa Panorama
Cameroon

"Atisa Wangu"
Abana Ba Nasery
Abana Ba Nasery
Kenya

"Ki Man Wo"
Ali Bawa
Togo: Music from West Africa
Togo

"Sisa"
Gabin Dabiré
African Angels
Burkina Faso

= = = Set 4: about 10:02 pm

"Dadje Von o Von Non"
Gnonnas Pedro et Ses Dadjes
Legends of Benin
Benin

"African Dialects"
Peter King
Nigeria 70: Lagos Jump
Nigeria

"Djirim"
Thione Seck
Orientation
Sénégal

"Vida Sertaneja"
Daúde
Daúde
Brasil

= = = Set 5: about 10:23 pm

"Dala"
Dobet Gnahoré
Na Afriki
Côte d'Ivoire/France

"Barima Ye Na"
Seprewa Kasa
Seprewa Kasa
Ghana

"Amanece el Nuevo Año"
Polo Montañez
Guajiro Natural
Cuba

"Coco Yee"
Laba Sosseh
Laba Sosseh
Sénégal

= = = Set 6: about 10:46 pm

"Mousso Gninikan"
Babani Kone
Sanou Djala
Mali

"Shegnehush"
Teodros Kassahun
Teddy
Ethiopia

"Love Gonna Pack Up"
Sugar Minott
Sugar Minott at Studio One
Jamaica

= = = Set 7: about 11:03 pm

"Innulamane (The Falcon)"
Toumast
Ishumar
Niger (Tuareg)

"Hamdouchiya"
Altaf Gnawa Group
ARC's Gnawa Music from Morocco
Morocco

"Late Matthew Toye"
Haruna Ishola & His Apala Group
Apala Messenger
Nigeria

= = = Set 8: about 11:20 pm

"Koroto"
Issa Bagayogo
Tassoumakan
Mali

"Kyenkyen Bi Adi M'Awu"
K. Frimpong & His Cubano Fiestas
Ghana Special 1968–81
Ghana

"Je T'Aime"
Staff Benda Bilili
Très Très Fort
D.R.Congo

"Ion Storm"
Black Uhuru
Liberation
Jamaica

= = = Set 9: about 11:43 pm

"Yeke Yeke"
Mory Kante
Best Of
Guinée

"Pambazuka Africa"
Abuti Mkoko
ARC's Spotlight on Kenyan Music
Kenya

"Ye-Shewa Alemena"
Teshome Wolde
The Ethiopian Millennium Collection: Dance
Ethiopia

Playlist for 01.14.2010 and Top Ten of 2009—Emmanuel Nado

ARTIST Rara Machine

ALBUM Vou Nou

SONG Bade

COUNTRY Haiti

Emeline Michel

Rasin Kreyol

Beni Yo

Haiti

Ayub Ogada

Songs Of Life

Ondiek

Kenya

Ismael Lo

Diawar

Xamul Dara

Senegal

Samite

Songs Of Life

Ekibobo

Uganda

The Special Five

Soweto Street Music

Nangu Lostosti

South Africa

Kevin Nathaniel

Songs Of Life

Woza Azania

U.S.A.

Youssou Ndour

Joko from village to town

Birima

Senegal

Break…………….9:45PM

Conversation with Zé Manel

Singer and multi-instrumentalist, Zé Manel is the most famous and influential contemporary musician to emerge from the West African country of Guinea-Bissau. By the age of seven, Zé, playing drums and acoustic guitar, had become the main attraction of Super Mama Djombo band. During the 1970s, this seminal orchestra played a major role in the liberation struggle of this former Portuguese colony.

Songs featured during the interview

From the album Super Mama Djombo

Faibe Guine

Guine-Cabral

Pamparida

From the album Ar Puro

Alma

No Festa

Muntrus Na Claro

Break…………………….10:30PM

My top tens are presented in no particular order of preference.

These are the new releases that best kept my cd player spinning. They also had the most requests from listeners. Thanks for your contributions to listener supported public radio.

Cesaria Evora (Nha Sentimento)Cape Verde (track played; Zinha)

Rokia Traore (Tchamantche)Mali (track played; Tounka

Omara Portunondo (Gracias)Cuba (track played; O que sera)

Oumou Sangare (Seya) Mali (track played; Sounsoumba)

Franco & Le TPOK Jazz (Francophonic)D.R.Congo(track played; Sandoka)

Balla et ses Balladins (The Syliphone Years) Guinée (track played; N’na Soba)

Maria de Barros (Morabeza) Cape Verde (track played: Funana Ca Tem Frontera)

Chiwoniso (Rebel Woman) Zimbabwe (track played; Only One World)

Vieux Farka Toure (Fondo) Mali (track played; Ai Haira)

Puerto Plata (Casita de Campo) Colombia (track played; Los Perross)

Playlist for encore presentation 01.07.2010—Pamela

Sorry, folks. I got the flu last night and could not present the show live. Here is the playlist that was featured.

Pamela

Title: "Sama Kaani Xeeñ"
Artist: Cheikh Lô
CD: Lamp Fall
Country: Sénégal

"Malcustmóde"
Dudu Araújo
Nôs Cantador
Cabo Verde

"Los Perros"
Puerto Plata
Casita de Campo
Républica Dominicana

"Dankan"
Victor Démé
Victor Démé
Burkina Faso

= = = Set 2: about 9:22 pm

"John Nyunja Waga"
Paul Orwa Jasolo
Nyakach Heroes
Kenya

"Mbhole Mbole na Yona"
Djaaka
Tales of Moçambique: Marrabenta & More
Moçambique

"Mamela"
Bongo Love
AfroCoustics
Zimbabwe

"Ika Barra"
Habib Koité & Bamada
Muso Ko
Mali

= = = Set 3: about 9:47 pm

"Yaye (Mourning)"
Omega Bugembe Okello
Kiwomera Emmeeme
Uganda/USA

"Sabali"
Les Soeurs Sidibé
Electric & Acoustic Mali
Mali

= = = Set 4: about 10:01 pm

"Bibi Joys"
Super Bunyore Band
The Nairobi Beat
Kenya

"Kumura"
Bidinté
Kumura
Guinea-Bissau

"Borin Kariya"
Malam Maman Barka
Guidan Haya
Niger

"A Ronaldo"
Perú Negro
Jolgorio
Perú

= = = Set 5: about 10:19 pm

"E.U.A. Ntyire"
Pierre Akendengue
Obakadences
Gabon

"Kizoungo Zoungo"
Tshala Muana
Soukous Siren
D.R. Congo

"Bò Kote'w"
Emeline Michel
Rasin Kreyol
Haïti

"Shinmoonmoon"
Hiruth Girma
Hiruth
Ethiopia

= = = Set 6: about 10:43 pm

"Akiboulane"
Niominka Bi and N'Diaxas Band
Shalom Salam
Sénégal

"Haiti"
AfroReggae
Favela Uprising
Brasil

"Gua"
Emmanuel Jal
The Rough Guide to the Music of Sudan
Sudan

"Isigebengu"
The Soul Brothers
The Rough Guide to the Soul Brothers
South Africa

= = = Set 7: about 11:01 pm

"Buluku"
Ghorwane
Majurugenta
Moçambique

"Ndakuvara"
Oliver "Tuku" Mtukudzi
Wonai
Zimbabwe

"Cosas pa'pensar"
Totó La Momposina
Drop the Debt
Colombia

"Mariama Kaba"
Boubacar Traoré
Mariama
Mali

= = = Set 8: about 11:23 pm

"¿Quien era Leila?"
Sarazino
Ya Foy!
Algeria/Ecuador

"Bandolero"
Novalima
Afro
Perú

"Ikalane Walegh"
Toumast
Ishumar
Niger

"Kounadya"
Oumou Sangare
Seya
Mali

= = = Set 9: about 11:43pm

"Donsoke"
Fode Baro
Donsoke
Guinée

"Birima"
Youssou N'Dour
Joko
Sénégal

"ABD"
Bola Abimbola
Ara Kenge
Nigeria/USA