6 November 2009
Original Ghanaian highlife music has these recent years seen a decline in patronage with fewer albums being released and a crippling of this ground-breaking music genre.
Names such as Agya Koo Nimo, C.K. Mann, Nana K. Ampadu, A. B. Crentsil, Paapa Yankson, Alhaji K. Frimpong and Amakye Dede now seem a point in history with the advent of newer genres such as hiplife and crunk music.
Artistes such as Kwaw Kese, Sarkodie and Obrafour are the new kids on the block whose new antics are upstaging these earlier masters.
But highlife is far from dead. Many artistes and music producers interviewed have attested to the quality sounds of the guitars and drums that characterise highlife music. These continue to form the base of most of the recently released songs in the country.
As one of the originators of the hiplife genre, Reggie Rockstone put it this way: "It's good to pay homage" [to highlife music".
Citi 97.3 FM, an Accra based radio station will once again this year seek to lead the pathway it has been charting for over three years in maintaining and promoting the music of original highlife. Severally described as the life source of highlife music in Ghana, the 'Music Of Ghanaian Origin' (MOGO) concert, an annual event organised on Farmer's Day is a renaissance of Ghanaian musical heritage and seeks to track Ghanaian music in transition.
It features the crème de la crème of Ghanaian musicians to help create an identity for authentic Ghanaian music.
Past events have featured inspiring acts from artistes such as Agya Koo Nimo, Osibisa , George Darko, Ben Brako, Paapa Yankson, Paulina Oduro and Asabea Cropper.
This year's event will be no different featuring performances from Germany-based Lee Duodo, the ever green Ramblers International Band, the sensational Jewel Ackah and so many others.
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