Update on "Disaster"

John Collins has sent me an update on the situation with his house and archive (see my post of November 20). Unfortunately his mails have been marked as "spam" (probably as a result of the links he included), so I have not spotted these until a few days ago.

He writes:

"As mentioned in my previous email letter - due to a number of factors that include climate change unplanned development and blocking of natural waterways Accra was severely flooded on 26th Oct and my own Bokoor House and the BAPMAF Music archives its hosts were severely affected. After this I spent a frantic months trying to save the damaged materials and at a guess I roughly estimate that about 10% of the BAPMAF archives was destroyed . Please see the following blogspots of the American Public Radio program Afropop for pictures and more details of the disaster - and also the BBC and Batuki Music of Toronto

http://blog.afropop.org/2011/11/flood-disaster-at-john-collins-bokoor.html
www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-15797338
http://www.batukimusic.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=76&Itemid=118

Also see youtube video clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hncle453r_0


In my previous email letter I also mentioned some of the things I have to do - which include
· Storing all the BAPMAF archives temporarily upstairs in the BAPMAF Exhibition Room.
· Repairing flood damage and build circa 200 feet of reinforced concrete wall with gravel embankment to immediately protect the Bokoor/BAPMAF property from flooding.
· Replacing thousands of dollars of lost equipment, computers, car, scanners, cameras, record player, stabilizers, 4-track recorder, chargers and 12 volt battery backup system, power point and slide projector etc..
· Finding means and funds to temporarily relocate both my residence and the exhibition section of BAPMAF (either together or separately) elsewhere.
· Salvaging and restoring the BAPMAF holdings and make its exhibition section available again to the public.

In just one month I have already done some of the above. I have saved all the materials that could be saved, dried them and stored them with other BAPMAF materials safely upstairs. I have built about 80 feet of wall and embankment. And right now I am making arrangements with a Ghanaian national cultural institution to loan the exhibition section of BAPMAF and have it relocated at somewhere in Accra (possibly the National Museum) - so that it can remain open to the public whilst I am salvaging, re-organising and re-building the BAPMAF archives.

I will also relocate myself my family and the BAPMAF library, research documents and archival holdings elsewhere for the meantime. During this time I will repair flood damage to my Bokoor property and also convert the upstairs property into an area suitable for both accommodation and BAPMAF activities (other than its public exhibitions facilities). It may also be possible later - if a sensible system of drainage is introduced to the area and people are prevented from blocking the river with sawdust and other materials - for my downstairs property to become the location for the BAPMAF Exhibitions space. However, as mentioned, for the meantime, the BAPMAF exhibitions and photo gallery might be located at a suitable national public space in Accra.

DONATIONS
Those who wish to contribute to getting BAPMAF back on its feet should either send donations (especially larger ones) to my bank account (bank transfer) in the UK (see below) - or to a paypal account that has been set up with the help by American colleagues and well wishers. Anyone who already has a PayPal account can simply make a donation through PayPal to at . People who don't have a PayPal account should click on the donate button (marking these as a "gift") on either of the two following blogspots.
http://bapmaf.blogspot.com/
or http://blog.afropop.org/2011/11/flood-disaster-at-john-collinss-bokoor.html

[BANK DETAILS :NATWEST, Tottenham Court Rd Branch, P.O.BOX 2EA 45 Tottenham Court Rd. London WIT 2EA ,Reward Reserve Account of E .J. Collins, Account number 26592258, Sort Code 56-00-31, Swift code NWBK GB 2L, IBAN number GB16 NWBK 56003126 5922 58]

All the best, John Collins

SOMETHING BRIEF ON BAPMAF
I am a Ghanaian-British national, a musician, musicologist and music lecturer at the University of Ghana - and I have been operating the BAPMAF music archives in Ghana since 1990. BAPMAF (the Bokoor African Popular Music Archives Foundation) is an NGO established in 1990 by myself with the assistance and encouragment of some leading Ghanaian musicians and musicologists (like E.T. Mensah, King Bruce, Kwaa Mensah, Beattie Casely-Hayford, Oscarmore Ofori, Koo Nimo and T.O. Jazz, etc), to preserve, research, promote and disseminate Ghanaian/African performing arts, with the focus on popular performing arts. BAPMAF was first opended to the public in 1996 and then after extensive re-building at Bokoor House BAPMAF was re-opened in 2007 during Ghana‘s 50th anniversary Independence Day celebrations. The BAPMAF and its Highlife-Music Institute exhibited the ‘Golden Years of Highlife Exhibition’ through literally 100’s of photos, diagrams, maps, captions and posters as well a instuments and memoribilia connected with Ghanaian, African and Black Diasporic music. The BAPMAF complex also included of a large seminar/work-shop space, digital documentation room, audio-video laboratory and library. The BAPMAF Highlife Institute archival holdings prior to the October 2011 floods consisted of 1,200 photographs/slides, 700 publications, hundreds of rare and old documents and 1,500 hours of recorded music; including almost a thousand old highlife songs on shellac and vinyl records. It provideds materials for teaching and research purposes and has collaborated over the years with many local and foreign agencies: the Goethe Institute, the University of Ghana, the Alliance Francaise, the Dubois Centre, the Swizz Embassy, The Muscians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA), Ghanaba’s African Heritage Library, the US Embassy Public Affairs Section (Black History Month) and Rocky Dawuni’s Africa Live Project. BAPMAF is also a member of the UNESCO Global Alliance for Cultural Diversity and has provided materials too both local and foreign media agencies: the BBC, Joy FM, Ghana Broadcasting, TV3, Citi FM, ETV, American Public Radio, Radio France International, Mietzer-keiner-filmproduktion, Cinecon Africa, Creative Storm, the Soul to Soul project, Archiafrika, Analysis Lost Productions and Panafricas/Instituto Midia Etnica."

I have little to add, apart from an encouragement to donate generously to this very worthy cause.

Disaster

This is not really a post. I am just trying to point any readers who may have missed this to the appeal made on the Afropop and the Osibisaba blog.

I am sure the original poster won't mind me quoting John Collins' appeal for help:
"Dear colleagues, supporters, fans, friends and well wishers,

As you know I have been operating the BAPMAF music archives since 1990 which was partly opened at my Bokoor House to the public in 1996 and more fully in 2007. However, devastation struck in the middle of the night of 26th Oct, 2011 in the form of a flood. This occurred over many parts of Accra due to more and more people building in or blocking water ways - so that rivers could no longer easily run into the sea. In our particular Taifa-Ofankor area this was compounded by the construction of a 3 mile section of the Kumasi highway (from Achimota to Ofankor) without adequate gutters - and also saw-millers who have been dumping sawdust in rivers and wetlands.

We residents have complained to both the Ghana National Highways Authority and the Ga District Assembly (Council) over the years to no avail Indeed the National Highways Authority told us residents that they had to build the road first before constructing the drains and that these 2 projects even fell under 2 different ministries. Furthermore, the saw-millers in the MUUS next to us, who are relative newcomer to the area, did not allow space on their adjacent land to ours for a gutter. In fact, by dumping sawdust on the drainage river (Brenyah River) they re-directed part of this river though my house and garden – which broke my wall – they are even now claiming my garden is their ‘natural’ gutter.

The resulting flooding on the 26 Oct. was unprecedented with almost 6 feet of water entering our land and 5 feet into the downstairs house and premises where some of the BAPMAF archival holdings are kept. I was in Mali at the time at an African popular music conference organized by the French Institute in conjunction with and the Malian Ministry of Culture. On returning to Ghana on the 29th I met my family perched upstairs in the BAPMAF exhibition space. They had escaped drowning by 2 minutes due to a timely call from a neighbor upstream who noticed the water build up and got them to leave the house and flee upstairs.

Some of the losses are as follows:
• Approx 10-20% 0f BAPMAF archival holding lost. Some we are still trying to dry and salvage.
• Loss of all electronic equipment including materials donated a few years ago to the BAPMAF archives by the German Goethe Institute for a digitization project.
• Loss of car, backup generator, various pumps, etc.

The house and area is now too dangerous for human habitation (i.e. residential purposes ). All this due to the short sightedness of the government in not insisting the National Highways Authority build storm gutters alongside the highway they have been constructing for seven years (which incidentally also went under water on the 26th Oct). And also the government’s inability to stop individuals or saw-millers etc from building on or blocking natural water flows.

As this is not likely to be resolved in the near future I have no recourse but to remove myself and my family from the house that myself and my father before me have been living since the 1970’s – and find rented property where we will not be drowned like rats.

So my immediate plans are as follows:
- Find temporary storage space for the BAPMAF archives so that at some point in the future these can become available again to myself and the general public.
- Find temporary accommodation relatively near the university at Legon.
- Build circa 200 feet of reinforced concrete wall with gravel embankment to protect the Bokoor/BAPMAF proper from future flooding – so I and the BAPMAF archives can move back to upstairs properties. This alone will cost around 7000$.
- To replace lost equipment, computers, car, scanners, cameras, digital record player, stabilizers, chargers and 12 volt battery backup system, slide projector, etc.
- At some point I will write to various individuals and organizations that donated general books, videos and DVD’s and music materials to BAPMAF to send me, if possible, copies.
- To replace the broken wall and add an embankment to it - or possibly even build a wall and embankment closer to my house and the BAPMAF premises. Even though I will lose my garden this will keep the building premises intact - so that in the future and the government demolishes obstacles to the water course, stops the saw-miller dumping saw dust in rivers and get the Highways Authority to build a storm drain alongside the Achimota-Ofankor Highway --I could at least use the BAPMAF premises again.

If you have any suggestions as how I could proceed – including any agencies, individuals, organizations who could assist financially or by replacing lost books and music this would be most appreciated. Letters of sympathy would also be most welcome.

Yours sincerely
John Collins (Prof).
POSTAL ADDRESS: P.0 Box LG 385, Legon , Accra, GHANA
EMAIL: [email protected]

If money is sent to help rebuild please send it to my UK bank account at follows.
NATWEST, Tottenham Court Rd Branch
P.O.BOX 2EA 45 Tottenham Court Rd. London WIT 2EA
Reward Reserve Account of E .J. Collins
Account number 26592258
Sort Code 56-00-31
Swift code NWBK GB 2L
IBAN number GB16 NWBK 56003126 5922 58"

Kofi Sammy

As I have written before, I am a bit of an ignoramus when it comes to Ghanian highlife. It doesn't mean, however, that I don't have some preferences within the broad scope (both in time and in variety) of this music.

And Sammy Kofi (often referred to as Kofi Sammy) and his Okukuseku International are certainly among my favourites. Or perhaps I should write "were". Because I am not too sure about Mr. Kofi's more recent exploits. I refer you to a video on YouTube in which he confesses to be with "Jesssusss"....

I prefer his work from the 1970s and 1980s, and particularly the lp I am sharing with you in this post (although the one I posted earlier is also high on my list).

A quick study reveals that Sammy Kofi started Okukuseku in 1969, as "Okukuseku's No. 2 Guitar Band" initially (?). He had a background in the concert parties, which developed into guitar band highlife. He went through some famous orchestras before founding Okukuseku, notably E.K Nyame No.1 Band and Dr. K. Gyasi's Noble Kings. Okukuseku soon established itself as one of the leading guitar band highlife acts in Ghana. Despite the band's success, the "economy"* forced them to move to Nigeria at the end of the 1970s. Fortunately they continued recording, this time for Rogers All Stars.

I would like to draw your attention, by the way, to this site where a Canadian musician claims his father had a record of Okukuseku's No.2 Band from 1967. This seems to confirm my impression that there are still a lot of subjects to be researched more closely when it comes to highlife music...

Zooming in on the album I am particularly impressed by the overall quality of the music. The vocals are harmonious, the guitars are sparkling, the rhythm is jumpy and yet flowing. It is not hard to draw comparisons to East-Nigerian stars like Stephen Osita Osadebe, yet Okukuseku retains its own strong originality. I gather they sang (continued singing) in Twi, but must have made some allowances for their Nigerian audience as well.
I suspect the track "Maria" is one of those. As it happens, this is my favourite among favourites. This song has it all: great composition, great guitars, great vocals, lyrics with a touch of the dramatic, and Mr. Kofi talking, addressing Maria, imploring her to come back to him.

RASLPS 007 or RASLPS 007

* a word which nowadays can be used in any sentence, replacing "hard luck", "divine intervention", "the hand of God" and such.

Take off

With covers like this there is little need for a lot of words. And I am not just referring to the stewardess on the front, but also to the sleeve notes on the back. They are included in a slightly larger form than usual.
All four titles on this EP are by The Springbok Dance Band. The vinyl of this EP seems to have suffered some water damage which has left its mark clearly on the left channel. As the records were intended for mono playing I have copied the right channel to the left where the noise gets too much.

Philips 420.006 PE

The second EP has tracks by two bands: The Black Beats led by King Bruce and E.K.'s Band led by E.K. Nyame (see this earlier post). Again I refer to the sleeve notes, - although these are a bit silly, if you ask me....

HMV 7 EGC 8

Tailwind

If you look at my posts so far, you won't be surprised when I tell you I am not very knowledgeable when it comes to Ghanian highlife. But in this case I guess I am in good company. Because even Akwaboa in his great Highlife Haven blog describes the Kyerematen(g) Stars as "quite unknown".

I gather from other blogs that there may be some religion involved, of the Christian variety. I haven't been able to detect traces of any religion in this album, but this may be due to my complete and utter ignorance of any of the (highly complicated, - so I am told) languages of Ghana.
So my opinion of the lp is solely based on what I can hear. And that is usually a very good measure when evaluating music.

Listening to this lp I am not disappointed. This is - in my opinion - a classic highlife album, and one with a distinct Ghanian touch. I am constantly reminded of John Collin's studies into circular rhythms*. If anyone is looking for examples: this album is full of those!
My favourites of these examples are "Masere M'Ano" and the combined tracks "A.K. Badu" / "D.K. Nyarko". Especially in the last track the effect is almost like cycling with the tailwind pushing you along. The guitars are like the effortless strokes of the feet turning the pedals....

Ambassador LPAM 026

*I will see if I can digitise parts of the 1994 documentary 'African Cross Rhythms' of which you can find an excerpt here at some time in the near future.

O.D.

I am not on holiday. I've been busy with other matters and have had little time for pleasurable activities, - like sharing great music with you. Hopefully the quality of the next few posts will compensate for the -perhaps disappointing- quantity.

This record is a bit of mystery to me. I copied it from someone who bought the record in Ghana in the 1970s. Like Akwaboa at Highlife Haven I love the "I've found my love" CD on Original Music label. On this CD S.K. Oppong, who is the subject of this post, has three tracks. The tracks are similar to those, and also different.

As I have mentioned before, I have only a very limited knowledge of highlife music. And I can find surprisingly little information about S.K. Oppong on the internet. Surprisingly, because he was a popular actor on Ghana Television (GTV). The Oppong Drama Group of which he was the leader changed its name to "Osofo Dadzie Group". The Osofo Dadzie series apparently achieved cult status. When it comes to his musical achievements I have little or nothing to go on. It is clear he had a background in the concert parties (like E.K. Nyame) and that his music is in the palm-wine guitar band style.

And that's where the tracks on this lp are similar to those of "I've found my love". The difference is in the sound. This "Akwankwaa Hiani" album, released on the Ambassador label, has a more fresh, acoustical sound. I am guessing guitar highlife went through an acoustical stage in the seventies.
It's a great sound, and together with the seemingly casual but complex vocals it's what makes this record into an evergreen.

Ambassador LPAM 015

PS: S.K. Oppong died on December 3, 2001 (according to this).

E.K.'s No.1 Band

"E.K. Nyame was born in 1927 in Ghana. He revolutionised West African music in the 1950s, as he not only updated the Highlife music of the Palm-Wine groups, but also combined it with the acting of the local concert groups" (John Collins, African Pop Roots, The Inside Rhythms of Africa, 1985).

This may still sound a bit vague, but I gather that E.K. Nyame played a major part in getting rid of western ballroom music (foxtrot, quickstep, waltz etc.) in concert parties and gradually replacing it with highlife music based on the guitar music of the palm-wine bars. He also slowly introduced more Twi into the shows.

It is not surprising that he became Kwame Nkrumah's favourite musician. E.K. in turn supported Nkrumah in songs and plays. He told John Collins he had composed 40 songs in praise of Nkrumah. With the decline of Nkrumah's rule in the 1960s, E.K.'s songs were used by the opposition.
E.K. Nyame died in 1977.

Here are two singles, released in the Philips label, of E.K.'s No.1 Band. I'm not sure if this means there was also a No.2 Band (there ís a K.K.'s No.2 Band, but I think they are from a later date). But I prefer to think this was meant as a qualification or ranking....

Philips PF 383571
Philips PF 382418

Black stars and comets

Continuing the singles posts, here are two from Ghana.

Now, as I've indicated before, I am no expert on highlife music. So I am hoping you can help me out with this first one. I have very little information about the artist of this wonderful single about the "Ghana Black Star Line". He is called B.B. Ossei, and I strongly suspect he was at one point in charge of the Noble Kings. I love these sung adverts, and listening to the sad commercials of today I sometimes wish we could go back to this format. The A-side of the record contains a highlife version and the B-side a lovely calypso version. It's hard to say which version I prefer, - they're both great.

Ambassador BSL 100

There is more information about the artist of the second single. When I write "more", I mean the same information can be found on a lot of sites... Apparently some members from the later crossover band Osibisa were involved in the early 1960s with this orchestra, The Comets. "Mac Tontoh's first band, known as "The Comets", was based in Kumasi and led by his elder brother Teddy Osei (who he later collaborated with in Osibisa). The Comets cut their teeth playing in Kumasi clubs such as The Jamboree, Kismet and Hotel de Kingsway. They became very popular in Ghana and Nigeria during the early 1960s for highlife and jazz, and Mac soon emerged as one of the leading and most progressive Ghanaian hornsmen, fusing the modern jazz styles of trumpeters such as Miles Davis and Clifford Brown with West African highlife." (The quote is from this site, but is repeated in various variations by others). Apparantly this orchestra was founded in 1959 by Teddy Osei, who in 1962 moved to the UK. I've read somewhere* about a link with the Stargazers Band, and listening to the music this doesn't surprise me. Both tracks are labeled as "Osibi (highlife)", which may explain the name of their later band(?).

Philips-West African-Records PF 325

*but I've forgotten where

Sikyi

I am informed that one of the great experts on highlife music, John Collins, will be visiting this country (the Netherlands) this week to present his new book "Fela, Kalakuta Notes". I am not going to write about this book, or about Fela.

I don't consider myself an expert on highlife music, and there are other blogs that can give you far better information about this great African music (Akwaboa, of course, at Highlife Haven, John at Likembe, and at Comb & Razor blog).
I am just using this as an excuse to post this, in my opinion absolutely essential, highlife lp from 1974. No collection should be without this classic by Dr. K. Gyasi and his Noble Kings. What's surprising to me is the full sound, with only ten musicians. Eric Agyemang excels, rewriting the book about the role of the lead guitar. But the same goes for the rest of the orchestra. I would like to mention the bass player, Ralph Karikari, Thomas Frimpong on drums and vocals, and the whole of the (four strong)percussion section.

To me the part where the shivers start running down my back is the beginning of the B-side, and to be more precise the bit when the horn section joins the party. It never fails to get me right where it counts.....

Essiebons EBL 6117

Black Beauty

RASLPS 045

Tempos

Once you get hooked onto highlife music, you will inevitably come across E.T. Mensah and his Tempos Band. There used to be a very useful small book by John Collins about this Ghanian master, but I suspect it is out of print. But there is plenty to read about him, here or here*.

Here are two 45s on Decca West-Africa. The first (an EP titled "Mensah Melodies") is from the early 1960s and features a song about Kwame Nkrumah, which as far I can ascertain has not been released on CD.
Well there's another man you might want to read up about. Here's a good point to start.

The second is a 'normal' 45, from a later date (note the Essiebons sleeve).

Decca Wax 104
Decca GWA 4212





*I am slightly irritated by the photo on this page though. E.T. doesn't need Louis Armstrong to boost his standing.