Track Listing

1. Because Of Money - 3rd Generation Band
2. Bukom Mashie - Sulley, Oscar & The Uhuru Dance Band
3. Mother Africa - Marijata
4. Heaven - Taylor, Ebo
5. Simigwado - Ambolley, Gyedu Blay & The Steneboofs
6. Eyi Su Ngaangaa - Sweet Talks
7. Ageisheka - Ogyatanaa Show Band
8. Psychedelic Woman - Honny & The Bees Band
9. Hwehwe Na Yi Wo Mpena - Frimpong, K. & His Cubano Fiestas
10. Kwaku Ananse - Apagya Show Band
11. Self Reliance - African Brothers International Band (1)
12. Make It Fast Make It Slow - Rob (2)
13. W'aha Do Ho No - Konadu, Alex
14. Nite Safarie - Black Star Sound

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #13956 in Music
• Released on: 2007-04-09
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.co.uk Review
A true historical landmark, Ghana Soundz: Afrobeat Funk & Fusion in 70's was produced by an Englishman named Miles Cleret who spent two years in Ghana hunting for rare master tapes and information about a sparsely documented and under-appreciated genre. He not only has fabulous ears, but also wrote the exhaustively detailed, infectiously enthusiastic liner notes.

During the 1960s, Highlife was the reigning musical craze in Ghana, but Western-derived rock and R & B influences were seeping in, creating a daringly experimental jazz-funk scene. Big bands combined home-grown drumming and chanting with cheeky, slapping bass lines, motel-bar organs, and guitars that wah-wahed their way from Muscle Shoals to Haight-shbury. These elements were typically, but not universally, augmented by braying horn sections whose soloists seemed to be channeling Miles and Bird. The closest African equivalent was Fela Anikulapo Kuti's huge, James Brownsian travelling mayhem machine, but even that priapic Nigerian icon's antics seem tame next to some of these tracks. --Christina Roden, Amazon.com

Customer Reviews

Don't overlook this
Nigerian 70's funk is well-documented, but not so Ghanaian. On the evidence of this that should not be the case. Plenty of storming cuts here to tickle the fancy of any fan of that funky, jazzy, distinctly West African sound. If you enjoyed Strut's Nigeria 70, you will love this. It's 4 and a half stars, by the way!

Great selection of rare tracks
I've bought quite a few of these comps recently on cd and this, along with analog africa series & Ethiopiques, are all excellent. I have some of the nigerian and benin music on vinyl but i've never seen these ghanian records so they are genuinely rare.

Bukom beat genius
For fans of Fela and the late great James Brown, this will be yet another source of eternal musical delight - breakbeats like only West Africa can do them - better than the best