Basa Basa Soundz Feat. Fela Kuti – Dr Solutsu
https://amf.didiermary.fr/basa-basa-soundz-dr-solutsu-fela-kuti/
Ghanaian Afro-pop group, Basa Basa Soundz visited Lagos, Nigeria in 1976 to record an album at Decca Records. Afro beat legend, Fela Kuti was around the studios at that time and he liked what he heard of the band and he decided to record a track with them and it was “Dr. Solutsu.” […]
🚨 new #preprint online! 🚨
We study structure-stability relations in #MultiplexNetworks , using #tree-#liana interaction #networks from #Ghana as inspiration. We show that the stabilising effect of #modularity heavily depends on intra-guild interactions and is largest in case of intra-guild facilitation, highlighting the need to study how patterns in inter- and intraguild interactions jointly affect #EcosystemStability.
Rocky Dawuni – African Thriller
https://amf.didiermary.fr/rocky-dawuni-african-thriller/
“Performing his self-described ‘Afro-Roots’ sound, a fusion of reggae and Afrobeat groove, few artists have a more positive vibe than Rocky. His show is an incandescent Afro-Roots dance party.”
— LA Weekly
[…]
Santrofi – Alewa
https://amf.didiermary.fr/santrofi-alewa/
Santrofi is a young allstar band from Ghana, an 8 piece collective made up of a young generation of awarded musicians who have backed anyone in Ghana from Sarkodie to 2Face Idibia. Their mission is to bring Highlife back, not only to the world but also to Ghana, where the young generation has forgotten all […]
Gato Preto – Barulho
https://amf.didiermary.fr/barulho-gato-preto-mendinga-carnival/
Gato Preto, with roots in Ghana, Portugal and Mozambique, mixes music styles, some like Kuduro or Favela Funk with the electronic vibes of AfroHouse.
In “Barulho,” Gato Petro goes even further : it’s Angolan Kuduro meets Punk & Metal with distorted guitars in an afrofuturistic or afro-postapocalyptic video.
Ebo Taylor & Uhuru Yenzu – You Need Love
https://amf.didiermary.fr/ebo-taylor-uhuru-yenzu-you-need-love/
Conflict was originally released in 1980 and was partially remade as part of Taylorʼs 2009 “Love and Death” album. […]
Osibisa, the “Flying Elephants”
https://amf.didiermary.fr/osibisa-flying-elephants/
Osibisa is a British Afro-pop band, founded by Teddy Osei (RIP) in London in 1969 by four expatriate African (Ghana) and three Caribbean musicians. Osibisa were one of the first African bands to become widely popular, leading to claims of founding World Music.
I discovered Osibisa when I was a teen, and this band is […]
Ebo Taylor – Heaven
https://amf.didiermary.fr/ebo-taylor-heaven-ghana-soundz/
Ebo Taylor’s hypnotic track “Heaven” comprises modern jazz elements, and the song’s vocals borrow their format from a Ghanian nursery rhyme style, whereby children would repeat the final word of each sentence.
Originally released in 1977, Ebo Taylorʼs self-titled album is a rarity that truly exposes the genius of the Ghanaian producer and arranger. [...]
Soul to Soul (1971)
https://amf.didiermary.fr/soul-to-soul-ghana-1971/
Je pensais vous avoir déjà parlé de ce fameux concert Soul to Soul, mais en fait il semble bien que je l’ai omis pour l’instant…
Quelques années après cet événement, il y eut le fameux “Soul Power” à Kinshasa en 1974. Celui-ci à Accra y ressemble un peu, mais sans le contexte des boxeurs… Ce concert […]
Charlotte Dada – Don’t Let Me Down
https://amf.didiermary.fr/charlotte-dada-dont-let-me-down/
Charlotte Dada (sometimes spelled Dadah or Daddah), the “Girl with the Golden Voice,” is probably best known in the West for her soul cover of The Beatles’ song “Don’t Let Me Down” below, but she was on stage during the famous Soul to Soul concert in Ghana in 1971.
She started off her career with […]
E.T. Mensah & His Tempos Band – FomFom
https://amf.didiermary.fr/et-mensah-tempos-band-fomfom/
The original “Tempos” band was formed in 1946 as a “jam session” group by some European soldiers stationed in Accra. It played for army dances and at the Accra club. Over time, African musicians replaced the European ones, until finally it became an all-African band. Mensah joined the band in 1947. Shortly after this the […]
Hi-Lifes You Have Loved
https://amf.didiermary.fr/hi-lifes-loved/
Hi-Lifes You Have Loved is an old compilation (1972) of early African highlife tracks, featuring Stargazers Band, ET Mensah & His Tempos Band, Black Beats, Broadway Dance Band, The Rhythm Aces, etc. […]
Kologo – Alostmen
https://amf.didiermary.fr/alostmen-kologo/
“The kologo is one of the 2-stringed predecessors of the banjo played by herdsmen/healers in mid-West Africa.”
Formed by Stevo Atambire and produced by Wanlov (FOKN Bois), Alostmen’s music is based around the Frafra traditions of the kologo, a stringed lute, using traditional instrumentation in entirely new ways. […]
Ebo Taylor – Palaver
https://amf.didiermary.fr/ebo-taylor-palaver/
“Palaver” is a long-lost, previously unreleased 1980 album from Ghanaian guitarist and songwriter Ebo Taylor.
“This was done with my touring band, pretty much the same guys as on the Essiebons records I was making back then,” Ebo Taylor says […]
Wanlov the Kubolor – Never Go Change
https://amf.didiermary.fr/wanlov-kubolor-never-go-change/
“Never Go Change” is a song to blast bad leaders who are not affected by "dumsor” because they have generators, those that do not care about bad roads because they use better cars, those that do not care about traffic because they use police escort… […]
Rocky Dawuni – Beats of Zion
https://amf.didiermary.fr/rocky-dawuni-beats-zion/
Rocky Dawuni, global ambassador and humanitarian activist, released his highly anticipated 7th studio album “Beats of Zion” in 2019.
The thirteen-track set followed the GRAMMY nominated album “Branches of the Same Tree” (“Best Reggae Album” in 2016) and expanded Rocky’s “Afro Roots” sound to include the diversity of the Ghanaian music scene and its current […]
African Brothers Dance Band (International)
https://amf.didiermary.fr/african-brothers-dance-band-international/
The African Brothers Dance Band was formed in 1963. They gained popularity after their first record “Agyanka Dabere” in 1966.
The band’s name had many variations over the years: African Brothers Band, then African Brothers International Band in 1970, etc. […]
RedRed – How Far
https://amf.didiermary.fr/redred-how-far/
For those who know Fokn Bois with Wanlov the Kubolor, here’s M3NSA @ work… RedRed is made up of Ghanaian musician and one half of the FOKN Bois M3NSA and Budapest based producer DJ ELO.
M3NSA asks the question every Ghanaian should be asking themselves… How Far pushes boundaries in terms of sound, subject matter and […]
Dr K. Gyasi & His Noble Kings (1974)
https://amf.didiermary.fr/dr-kwame-gyasi-noble-kings-1974/
Kwame Gyasi (1929–2012), aka Dr K. Gyasi, was a Ghanaian highlife musician. He originated the Sikyi highlife sub-genre which combined electric organ with the known highlife genres.He formed the Noble Kings Band with which he spent a large portion of his career.
No collection should be without this classic by Dr. K. Gyasi and his […]
Taxi Sampler 01 (mixtape)
https://amf.didiermary.fr/taxi-sampler-python-syndicate/
Taxi Sampler: Rhythms & Vibes from the Spirit of Young Africa : GQOM, Afrobass, Ethiopiyawi Electronic… (2016-2019)
[…] a showcase of exclusive and featured beats from Crudo Volta’s documentary series Taxi. Taxi as a project captures contemporary youth and music cultures across African urban cities. [...]
#AfroHouse #Ethiopia #Ghana #GQOM #Mozambique #Nigeria #SouthAfrica #Electro
Guy One – #1
https://amf.didiermary.fr/guy-one-1/
Guy One performing traditional Frafra music from Ghana (now remixed in Germany).
Guy One is an utterly unique artist who writes and performs Frafra music, a style that originates from a small area in the north of Ghana (a more city-styled approach to this music can also be heard in the sounds of King Ayisoba).
Whilst […]
Ata Kak – Batakari
https://amf.didiermary.fr/ata-kak-batakari/
A pioneering electronic highlife artist, Ata Kak has released a new album in 2025, his first in 30 years. “Batakari” offers “an addictive mix of offbeat electronic music and Twi-language hiplife—hiplife itself being a fusion of hip-hop and highlife.”
Ata Kak created a peculiar slice of Ghanaian music history with his debut album “Obaa Sima”. […]
Rex Omar
https://amf.didiermary.fr/rex-omar/
Modern Highlife / Hiplife by Rex Omar, born Rex Owusu Marfo in Kumasi, Ghana. With a career spanning 30 years, he has evolved the genre, pushed boundaries and dazzled listeners with his inventive output.
A definitive piece of Omar’s repertoire comes via his Dangerous album – critically acclaimed in Ghana. It’s a self-produced gem recorded […]
King Ayisoba – Awudome
https://amf.didiermary.fr/king-ayisoba-awudome/
Awudome… Life is a destination…
I spent quite some time with King Ayisoba in Copenhagen many years ago. Great memories…
Listen carefully! When singing, he uses two different voices: his own, and his father’s. His instrument, a kind of n’goni, is called a Kologo.
Kai Kai Kai Kai Kai!
Rim and Kasa - Too Tough (1982)
https://amf.didiermary.fr/rim-and-kasa-too-tough-1982/
Too Tough, a superb three track EP from 1982, on Sum-Sum Records, was credited to Rim [Kwaku Obeng] and Kasa, whilst he issued the cracking 12” “I’m Not Going To Let You Go” as Rim And The Believers for Harmony Records the following year.
“Too Tough” kicks off with “Shine The Ladies,” an epic Afro-disco […]
