Highlife
High Life is a dance and music genre in Ghana and Sierra Leone, which is also found in other West African countries. The Origins of High Life are in the 1920s, especially in Ghana. From here, the style spread to other countries in West Africa. Characteristic of High Life are elements from jazz and the use of different guitars.
Highlife originated as a fusion product between the traditional elements of the music of Ghana with the instruments from Europe. A not to be underestimated play members of the Kru ethnic group, the on europädischen ships met the guitar as sailors and integrated it into their own music. The guitar was also featured in the music of other ethnic groups such as the Akan and Fante. The colonial administration had already traced to the early 20th century, the interest to maintain its own troops and administrative officials in the colonies. Local musicians were therefore designed for military bands and police orchestra and equipped with European instruments. The Ghanaian musicians developed enables them to establish traditional rhythms, combined with increasingly prominent elements of jazz, a new style of music that was played on a mostly European instruments ( to violins ). In the 1950s, the groups took yet on Afro-Cuban percussion instruments. In the music drew a an up- tempo beat, which can be played in different ways.
The name is believed to play High Life on the category of persons to whom this light music was first played, namely the high society of the colonial administration and the upper class.
In Germany arose in the 1980s with the Burger Highlife a crossover version of the traditional style; important interpreters were George Darko and Lumba Brothers. For the development of Ghanaian immigrants were pioneering.
Famous musicians
- ( Edie Okonta )
- (Sir Victor Uwaifo )
- ( Celestine Okwu )
- (Chief Stephen Osita Osadebe )
- E. T. Mensah
- Ambolley Gyedu
- Jewel Ackah
- Kojo Antwi
- Net Brew
- George Darko
- Rex Gyamfi
- Cardinal Rex Lawson
- Daddy Lumba
- Bobby Benson
- Ambrose Campbell
- S. E. Rogie
- Koola Lobitos
- A. B. Crentsil
- Solomon Ilori
- Prince Nico Mbarga
- Osibisa
- Zeal Onyia
- Pat Thomas
- The African Brothers Band
- The Sweet Talks
- The tempos
- Eric Agyeman
- M. K. Frimpong
- Fela Kuti ( in his early years )
- King Kennytone ( Kenneth Otone )
- Ebo Taylor