An exhibition of photographs by selected school kids that depict their impression of the city of Accra ended recently at the exhibition of hall of the Children’s Library in Accra.

Curated by acclaimed sculptor Kofi Setordji and coordinated by photographer Mawuli Tofah, the show, which formed part of Celebrating Accra Festival, comprised over one hundred pictures taken from various parts of the city.

Indeed, the photographs appear to be a kind of cumulative manuscript that may point to some kind of protest by the kids alongside hints of problems of a growing city that is about to lose track of its history and culture.

Nonetheless, the significance of these photos may be found after a close and detailed scrutiny, which without doubt reveals a city that is full of perseverance, innovation, imagination, regression and probably in a state of confusion.

Scenes of choked open drains, garbage, shacks, hawkers, pollutants, food vendors selling next to liquid waste trucks, discarded vehicle tyres, poverty, pollution, lawlessness and newly constructed buildings with shiny Chinese slide windows are memorable but point to a developing city without an architectural history.

Moderated by renowned architect Joe Osae Addo, a panel comprising, Nat Nuno Amarteifio (architectural historian and former Mayor of Accra), Senam Okudzeto (artist/writer and academic), Osei Agyeman (former president of the Ghana Institute of Architects), deliberated on the theme “Restoring the Past – Ensuring the Future”.

Discussions, which included members of the audience, centred on the need to raise conscious awareness of the ingenuity, creativity and culture of Accra, while touching on the apparent loss of its heritage buildings and undeniably its architectural history.

The chat, which was held at the Children’s Library, coincidentally one of the historical buildings under threat of losing its status as one of the icons of Accra, equally considered the issue of Indian, Chinese and other “alien” architecture that has flooded Accra in recent years.

Icons of a nation, they agreed do tell a story – however, Accra seems to be losing whatever symbols it possessed that tell the history of its glorious past – and sadly no action appears to be in place to help arrest this unfortunate situation.

Enforceable laws they concluded are therefore required to protect and save the heritage buildings in Accra as the authorities ensure that its rich history remains visible throughout its quest at development while serving as an inspiration for future generations.

Golden Tulip Hotel, Archi Africa, Amaechi & Njide Ndily Family, Ghana Commercial Bank Ltd, Coral Paints, Chase Petroleum, Airtel, Multi TV, Poly Tanks, Safe Bond Africa Ltd and Krane Construction supported the lecture.

Celebrating Accra Festival was sponsored by Agenda 21of Spain, Accra Metropolitan Assembly, Geothe-Institut, Cowbell, Club Beer and Citi FM.

Afriko Highlife Band, a Denmark based Ghanaian group last week delighted an enthusiastic audience during a magnetic concert at the Forbrænding Concert Hall in Albertslund, which is located at the outskirts of the Danish capital Copenhagen.

Performing as part of Vestegnens Festival, the group delighted the audience with wild percussion loops and a droning keyboard as well as a humming baseline that turned the former power-generating house into a music groove.

With a formidable stage presence alongside intermittent anecdotes, lead singer Samuel Takyi, performed with a blunt and engaging honesty as they enticed the dancing audience with a dynamic fusion Highlife and Afro Reggae with elements of traditional Ghanaian rhythms.

Alongside Danish guitarist Preben Carlsen and Stanley Adjei Quaye on keyboards as well as Alfred Tamakloe on maracash / bells, they severally and jointly revealed the power of improvisation and cross-cultural compositions while dishing out traditional and contemporary strains of highlife.

“It was a night of fun – Ghanaian highlife is a huge phenomenon in the world. We need to see more of such performances in various parts of Denmark”, said Nikolaj Hansen, a musician in Copenhagen.

“It was a concert full of energy – this is the first time we have presented a group of this kind – we will showcase them during the 2015 edition of Copenhagen World Music Festival”, added Jeppe Skyøld, a leader at the Forbrænding Concert Hall.

Formed several years ago in Copenhagen, the group has been holding aloft the flag of Ghana through musical concerts in and around Denmark and Scandinavia as a whole.

By John Owoo

At large in Albertslund, Denmark

Cold winds from the Northern part of the city of Aarhus “bombard” the “Headquarters” – a popular venue for live concert in Denmark’s second city as guests walk in by the minute.

An eerie silence engulfs the hall as the curtains gradually drop. On stage are members of African Footprint International (AFI), who are poised to delight a mainly Danish audience with a passion for African music. But a huge surprise emerges.

Paul Bilson, the UK based Ghanaian musician and easily one of Ghana’s finest trumpeters is on stage with fellow trumpeters Frank Guilford, Richmond Bilson (who is also his nephew) and AFI artistic director Kweku Addison on percussion among others.

An introduction from keyboardist Appiah Mclove gradually bring in Danish guitarist Otto Dahlgaard Mikkelsen, percussionist Kobina Prah and Burkinabe Kora player Baba Kone thereby turning the party-like atmosphere into a music groove.

With cues from the other trumpeters, the senior Bilson goes into a world of his own – and excitement suddenly becomes a contagious commodity – moving from artists to the audience, audience to the artists and eventually from musician to musician.

With interconnected rhythms and a particular dedication to time and space, Bilson adds to the excitement through a feeling of tension and contrast of complex patterns that tend to flow with deceptively simple trumpet lines.

Earlier, a launch of “World At Your Feet”, an album by Danish guitarist, Nikolaj Rosengreen Pedersen, who has performed on several occasions with AFI in Ghana and Denmark, was marked with an appealing performance alongside Mozambican, Burkinabe, Ghanaian, South African, Syrian and Kurdistani musicians.

A music and dance group based in Cape Coast, AFI is currently on a performance tour in Denmark with support from Keld Hosbond, Royal Music Academy (Aarhus), Klejtrup Musikefterskole and Addison’s Mighty Works Aps.

By John Owoo
At large in Aarhus, Denmark

African Footprint International, a Cape Coast based music and dance group last week held a one day workshop for over one hundred students of the Aarhus Efterskole in the Danish city of Aarhus.

Currently on a performance tour of Denmark and other Scandinavian countries, the group led by Samuel Kweku Addison introduced the students to the rudiments of various Ghanaian traditional rhythms, dances and songs.

With diverse rhythms from musicians of the African Footprint International, the exuberant students moved in circles and sang Ghanaian folk songs as they danced elements of Northern Ghanaian dances such as “Bamaya” and “Damba”.

Drummers from the school, which included both students and teachers, were equally taken through various Ghanaian drum rhythms as they freely explored their skills through improvisations.

“It is always interesting to meet other cultures – we like other cultures and improvisations. Indeed, it was a huge experience for the students as it stimulated the creativity in them”, said Mikkel Søltoft, a teacher at Aarhus Efterskole.

“I really like the dance movements, it was very interesting and we had a lot of fun. I will surely like to do it again whenever they are here”, added Jennyfer Valderrama Ramirez, a student.

“It was great for us to learn new rhythms and dances from Africa – we managed it despite the fact that they were faster than we are normally used to”, continued Johan Skjold Knudsen, also a student.

Based in Cape Coast, the tour of African Footprint International in Denmark is being supported by Keld Hosbond, Royal Music Academy (Aarhus), Klejtrup Musikefterskole, Addison’s Mighty Works Aps and www.artsghana.org.

By John Owoo

At large in Aarhus, Denmark

African Footprint International (AFI), a Cape Coast based group currently on tour in Denmark, last week vividly revealed the power of cross cultural collaboration during a concert with Total Hip Replacement, a youthful Danish group.

Performing at the Atlas Theatre, which is located in the second Danish city of Aarhus, the two groups enthralled the audience with a dramatic fusion of Danish and Ghanaian rhythms, beats and songs that turned the theatre into music groove.

With trombones, trumpets, keyboards, bass / lead guitars, western and assorted Ghanaian traditional drums, they managed to satisfy the varied tastes of the audience – fusion fanciers and music fundamentalists – as they jammed the hall with sounds that tend to tickle the most insensitive ear.

Full of smart lyrics, improvisations and refreshing solos, the musicians appeared to be having fun resulting in a knock-on effect on the audience who cheered in response.

“It was a remarkable performance by young and experienced musicians – this collaboration should definitely continue in order to help boost cultural partnership and exchange between Denmark and Ghana”, said Morten Andersen, a painter in Aarhus.

“The show was really cool – the energy coming out of the stage was truly amazing – these are artistes from different countries and cultures yet they tend to speak the same language”, continued Lisa Clarke, a teacher from London, United Kingdom.

Keld Hosbond, Royal Music Academy (Aarhus), Klejtrup Musikefterskole, Addison’s Mighty Works Aps and www.artsghana.org are supporting the 2014 tour of African Footprint in Denmark.

By John Owoo

At large in Aarhus, Denmark

Brilliant Ghanaian guitarist Akablay alongside Danish musicians last week rocked the Waka Waka Festival in the Danish capital Copenhagen with a dramatic blend of “Kundum Highlife” and Danish rhythms.

With Jesper Tychsen (Saxophone), Anders Boldsen (Keyboard), who created the official song for the festival, Christian Lemming (Drums) and Ghanaian bassist Kojo Amissah, the group showcased a vivid blend of fresh, unique and uplifting style, which threw the audience into a trance-like state – culminating in long cheers and applause.

“Kundum Highlife”, which is a fusion of diverse African rhythms, highlife and those of Kundum from the Western region, took the crowd by storm alongside poignant stagecraft and deft dance movements from Akablay that are quite inventive and natural.

Organized by Shelby Production, Waka Waka Festival is an annual event, which was initiated in 2011 to celebrate African culture in its diversity in Denmark. Including dance and fashion, it is held at the City Hall Square in Copenhagen and attracts between 1000 to 3000 guests.

In a related development, Akablay has created a highlife version of “Sunshine Reggae”, a popular composition by “Laid Back”, a Danish electric duo that stunned Denmark in the late 1970s and early 80s.

The duo is delighted by Akablay’s re-composition and a video clip is currently being worked on with saxophonist Jesper Tyschen, who shot scenes from Ghana early this year.

“Sunshine Reggae”, which became a chart-topper in Demark, was later included on the band’s second album, “Keep Smiling” in 1983, and went on to become a number-one single in Italy, West Germany and nineteen other countries around the world.

The guitarist is scheduled to perform at other festivals / theatres and moderate workshops before returning to his base in Accra in late September through Jam Yard Production.

By John Owoo

At large in Copenhagen, Denmark

Picture Credits – Waka Waka Festival

After a cool dinner, over one hundred students of a high school in Aarhus, the second Danish city, walk excitedly to the school theatre for a performance by African Footprint International, a Cape Coast based music and dance group.

They have every good reason to feel enthusiastic having participated in a highly charged and fun packed workshop the previous day with dancers and musicians from African Footprint International.

A loud applause greets the group as they move on stage with a variety of African percussive instruments alongside trumpets, guitars and bells. In the process, a dramatic blend of highlife, jazz and traditional Ghanaian music engulf the school auditorium.

A drum ensemble from the school joined the group on stage drawing more cheers from the audience who were mostly students and teachers, while majority of the students joined two Footprint dancers on stage with “bamaya” and “damba”.

Danish guitarist Otto Dahlgaard later moved on stage with wild tempos thereby turning the evening into a mini Danish Ghanaian festival, as both Ghanaian and Danish rhythms embellished the night, which formed part of activities marking a new academic year for the school.

The group is noted for a delicate adoption of the elements of Ghanaian tradition rhythms, which they noticeably blend with western beats to create a new synthesis that has captivated audiences in Europe, the United States and other parts of Africa.

With three albums to its credit, AFI was established in 2000 by Samuel Kweku Addison, who recognized and appreciated and harnessed the talents of the underprivileged and disabled.

Keld Hosbond, Royal Music Academy (Aarhus), Klejtrup Musikefterskole, Addison’s Mighty Works Aps and www.artsghana.org are supporting the 2014 tour of African Footprint in Denmark.

Easily one of the few artists who make indigenous people the center of her work, Australian artist Naomi Dodds effortlessly captures attention with sharp contrasts of light and dark, roughness and spontaneous craftsmanship.

Employing line and dot painting, which abound throughout her work, she incites a rigorous tension between innocence and sophistication through works that posses a complex appeal and drama.

“The “Maasai Journey” (one of her projects) collection was painted on recycled canvases. The layers of paint make them touchable like brail art. Indeed, my authentic style of line and dot paintings is unique to indigenous artists globally”, says Naomi, who has been engaged in various projects in Kenya and Thailand.

With recycled canvases that result in thick layers of paint, she makes a highly successful foray into exotica – through a lacy mix of human figures, stripes and blotches alongside patches and patterns from African fabrics and jewelry.

She embellishes the figures with assorted colourful traditional Kenyan jewelry, which could be cues to spirituality while acting as a kind of stylized signature as they hang conspicuously on the necks and heads of most of her figures.

“My works posses an aura of texture and depth – undeniably, the dots stick out of the lines enabling one to feel the jewelry as well as the capacious layers of paint with his/her fingers”, adds Naomi, who is also the director of a community association known as United One Project.

The naïve-like works by Naomi equally reveal a quality of child-like wonder especially in the primary colours and wide-eyed / teeth poking human figures. Nevertheless, there is a hint of magic belying the pieces rigorous philosophical underpinnings.

By John Owoo

HE Rüdiger John, the German Ambassador in Accra last Thursday presented a set of instruments worth 7,500.00 Euros to the Kopeyia School Brass Band during a brief ceremony at the Goethe-Institute in Accra.

The instruments, which include assorted horns and keyboards, forms part of a project dubbed “Music Works”, which is being supported by the German Federal Foreign Office in Berlin and the Goethe-Institute in Accra.

Presenting the items, HE John said melody, rhythm and harmony have the power to connect people across countries, continents and the world at large adding that both the German teachers and local students have benefited immensely by learning from each other.

He noted that alongside political and economic, cultural relations is also a cornerstone of German foreign policy while stressing that cultural programmes create a broad basis for stable international relations while fostering mutual dialogue and appreciation.

In a brief speech, the CEO of the National Youth Authority, Ras Mubarak expressed appreciation for the gesture by the German Foreign Office and the Geothe-Instut adding that the Authority will put in mechanisms to help sustain activities of this nature for the youth.

Members of the Kopeyia School Brass Band, which is based in Kopeyia, a town in the Ketu South district of the Volta region, later entertained the audience with a performance that showcased the beauty of cross cultural collaborations.

Alongside German musician Jo Junghanns, who trained the students, the group dished out a cool blend of Agbadza / Borborbor rhythms and German music forms thereby creating an atmosphere of joy as over two dozen horns and traditional drums from the Volta region turned the Goethe-Institute into a music groove.

Present at the ceremony include Togbui Kpotaka IV (Chief of Kopeyia), Norvisi Togbe (Youth Chairman of Kopeyia), Emmanuel Agbeli (Director of the Kopeyia Brass Band) and Hon Dumega Seshie (registrar of the Aflao Traditional Council), who represented Togbui Fiti V, Fiaga of Aflao.

By John Owoo

When the 2014 edition of the Commonwealth Games opened in the Scottish city of Glasgow on July 23, the first and only African orchestra in the United Kingdom took center stage and spiced it with some irresistible Afro-classical renditions.

Spearheaded by Ghanaian multi-artist, Gameli Tordzro, the Ha Orchestra, playing exclusively traditional African instruments such as the Gimbre, Kalimba, Zylophone, Kora, Atumpan, Kpanlogo, Dondo, Brekete and Sogo drums, flutes, Axatse and  Kagogui, features Malawian original Bhundu Boy, Rise Kagona, Denmark based Alfred Tamakloe and Samuel Kwamina Takyi, Gambian Kora Brothers Sura and Suntu Sosso, Glasgow’s own Clare Roberson and Lillias Kinsman-Blake and Edinburgh based Andy Cooke and Tom Oakes.

“With musicians from all over Africa and Scotland, Ha Orchestra taps into a vast unexplored musical wealth and cross cultural experiences of the African diaspora living in Scotland”, says Gameli Tordzro, founder, composer and producer of the orchestra.

“What we are doing today, is writing the history of tomorrow. These are treasured opportunities to share in Glasgow”, stresses Gameli, who doubles as the Artistic Director of Pan African Arts Scotland (PAAS), under whose auspices the orchestra was established.

Explaining the concept of Ha Orchestra, Tordzro said “it stems from Nana Danso Abiam’s practice of integrating regional music of Africa into a new classical synthesis thereby creating a symphonic system which is different from established western classical repertoire in Africa and the African Diaspora”.

Maggie Maxwell of Creative Scotland says, “everyone who has come together to create the Ha Orchestra is bound by skill and passion for their art, by shared links between different cultures and musical traditions, and by the desire to build on these links and create something truly new, truly special. We can all now enjoy the results of their inspirational work”.

The Queens Baton Relay, Merchant City Festival, BBC’s 16-Day Pop Up Festival, PASSfest and Reaches Heights at the newly refurbished Kelvingrove Band Stand during Glasgow Mela 2014 followed their debut appearance as they open Emancipation Day Carnival at Glasgow Green Live Zone.

They climax their performance with a concert at Kelvingrove Band Stand to wrap up their act on August 2. Ha Orchestra is a Culture-2014 funded collaboration between Pan African Arts Scotland, University of Glasgow-GRAMMNet and The Community Central Halls.

By Alfred Tamakloe in Glasgow

Pictures: Gameli Tordzro, Setor Tordrzo, Federica di Lascio