HISTORY OF GHANAIAN MUSIC

Ghana is one African country whose culture is majorly made up of music.  Ghana is often described as a land of festivals, music, and traditional dances. That said, it can really be said that music is indeed part and parcel of the traditions of the country.

The music of Ghana was infused and highly influenced by Caribbean soldiers who were in the country with the Indian troop’s .During the night and their spare time they played their brass bands called calypsos. Ghanaian soldiers also followed suit therefore brought the spread across the southern to the northern country. The influence brought about ballroom music groups such as Jazz kings, Cape Coast Sugar Babies, Accra Orchestra, Rag-a-Jazz Orchestra. These bands entertained top- hatted elites.

E.T MENSAH-HIGHLIFE LEGEND

Although the term ‘highlife’ was not coined until the 1920’s it existed before then under various names and

Its creation occurred as a blending of local African and foreign music in three imported contexts: the

Coastal military-fort brass bands, the port music of seamen and fishermen, and the local dance orchestras of the Christian elite of coastal towns such as Accra, Cape Coast and Winneba.The sound of which there were a few variations, generally combined multiple guitar rhythms with a brass band backing, as well as various percussion instruments.

After the Second World War, the Tempos headed by E.T Mensah began to concentrate more on highlife with a touch of jazz and calypso rather than the ballroom orchestra, Kofi Ghanaba the drummer of the group added Afro-Cuban percussions to make it livelier and interesting. Highlife became so successful that many dance bands modeled themselves on it. Examples of these groups are Black Beads, Rambles,The Rakers of Ghana.

THE OSIBISA BAND

THE RAMBLERS

  Highlife began to evolve to Afro-rock. This was created by the London based Ghanaian group called Osibisa. And also merge into Burgher highlife, Ghanaian musicians who had gone abroad began returning home and bringing a new disco   highlife style, created by George Darko and lee Dodou .Drum machine and synthesizers horns were used to create the disco feel. Burgher highlife then paved way for local reggae. Felix Bell and Roots Amaboe introduced the Rastafarian dreadlocks hair fashion in Ghana accompanied with the music highlife reggae. Gospel highlife also emerged into the scene,which saw musicians like  Suzzy and Matt, Tagoe sisters and the rest and later emerged to hip life, which seems to have come to stay. It emerged in the 90s by Reggie Rockstone also known as hip life grandpapa.Its a local rap in Twi and Ga which became very popular among the youths. Sounds used were computerized and sample backing.                     

In all,it could be said that Ghana has a rich music culture,which has evolved in time and appreciated by various generations.