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

An exhibition of large-scale impeccable wooden sculptures by Alex Sefah-Twerefoah is currently underway at the Seflex Gallery, which is located at Tantra Hills in Accra.

Repeated shapes from woodcarving characterize the sculptures, some of which are two meters high. However, on close observation, one will surely notice that they are both impersonal and abstract while exuding an aura of intimate feeling.

Trained at the College of Art, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (Kumasi), Sefah-Twerefoah’s work, which also comprise exaggerated human and animal figures, serve as eloquent testament of his deeply held philosophical, social and cultural beliefs.

“I usually work with discarded wood because it is abundant in our part of the world. Undeniably, the types of wood I use (ebony, cedar, mahogany etc) are easy to find. I use what I find and my theme is dictated by what I find”, says Sefah-Twerefoah, who is a former director of the Centre for National Culture in Accra.

With a symmetrical interplay of solid, void and light alongside qualities of uprightness, dignity and balance, Sefah-Twerefoah’s work are realized with sculptural energy and emotional resonance.

A number of his works are calculatingly placed in the huge gallery to augment texture whilst enhancing the visual impact of these “high rise” sculptures. On the other hand, he brings exotic difference and intellectual attachment to discarded wood through sheer creativity.

“Ghanaians are gradually being educated about the merits of art hence the increase in the appreciation of artworks. Government and corporate bodies must be proactive in the support for the arts while setting up foundations to ensure its development”, continues Sefah-Twerefoah, who has exhibited widely in Ghana, Canada, the United States and other parts of Africa.

Collectively put together, the sculptures tend to evoke rich primordial forests that suggest humanity’s lost intimacy with nature. It reminds us of the environment and its associated problems. The gallery /exhibition was opened by Michael Attipoe, Director of Finance at the National Commission on Culture.

By John Owoo

The Damba festival is an ancient celebration of the Dagamba of Northern Ghana and brought along from Zamfara in the North of Nigeria into Dagbon in the first quarter of the 18^th Century during the rign of Naa Zangina.

Festivities take place on the 11^th, 17^th and 18^th days of the Damba month (moon) ie the third month of the Dagbamba calendar (lunan in calendar). Damba is the most important or widely celebrated festival of the Dagombas/Dagbamba, which has spread to other stratified northern societies such as Mamprusis, Nanumbas and Gonjas – and also to the Walas in the Upper West region, which is called “Dumba”.

The origin of Damba as a festival and dance form is not certain. To some, it was instituted in commemoration of the birth and naming of Prophet Mohammed (PBUH). However, to most people, this claim is contrary to many known facts about the festival and the Dagbamba people.

The name of the month Damba is according to the Dagbamba calendar and not the Islamic calendar – it means it’s over 500 years since the beginning of Dagban Kingdom. Also the name Damba is given to a very popular dance for the Dagomba/Dagbamba royalty that almost certainly predates the introduction of Islam into the Kingdom. Again, both the festival and dance are essentially ritual in character.

The only seemingly religious parts of the festival relate to the slaughtering of animals on the 11^th and 17^th days of the month, which are said to be the dates of the birth and naming of the Prophet (Issah Red). One can therefore say that it is a blend of Dagbon and Islamic elements – a duality of cultures.

The festival is the occasion for most people to purchase new clothes and gifts, as everyone wants to be dressed as beautifully as he or she can be. (Aljahi Musah Adam). The males dress in colourful, hand woven smocks that are designed for dancing while women wear traditional hand woven cloth wrapped around their waists and expensive jewelry.

It is also the occasion for feasting, exchanging gifts, shooting of muskets and display of warrior dance and war exploits or mimicry of war motifs. It also serves as training grounds for the youth and eventual display of bravery and splendor (Madam Fuseini Wumbei).

There is a display of horsemanship skills while people celebrate chieftaincy. Indeed, Chiefs show themselves to the people in beautiful regalia through solemn processions. People troop into the festival grounds or palaces to shower praises, show respect, dance, entertain, show sympathies, love, accord respect and to show off their finery while listening to oral history as praise singers sing to the paramount chiefs or king and subjects.

For the first ten days or nights after the appearance of of the new crescent (moon) of Damba month (on the Dagbon calendar), young people gather at the chief’s palace for dance rehearsals. They are called to the palace by the beating of drums every night.

This is an opportunity for young people to practice their dance forms from the elders. During this time, women may also gather to sing praises to the chiefs – for their exploits, enticement and bravery at the palace for ten nights (Fuseina Wumbei).

On the 11^th day of Damba, the second part of the festival takes place. In the morning, the Muslim chiefs and their disciples come to the palace where a bull is slaughtered according Islamic ritual. Those present form a circle around the bull and walk or jump over it three times. During this exercise verses of the Holy Quran are recited. The bull is slaughtered and the meat is distributed for feasting (Alhaji Von Salifu).

The Chief does not appear in the morning. However, the ceremonies are directed by a state elder in charge of Damba festival/festivities (Somo Damba) for this day. Late in the afternoon, people gather at the palace in response to drumming.  The chief (King/Ya-Naa) is led out by his elders after a sizable crowd has gathered. He walks very slowly as the musketeers fire their weapons while praise singers sing appellations. The chief sits on a pile of animal skin covered with beautiful oriented rugs (fithes) also known as skins in Dagbon. (Chief Von Salifu).

Everyone must approach the chief for permission to dance while the chief provides money for the drummers and gonje (stringed musical instrument) players. Once someone is on the dance floor, the audience donates or shower money and calculated praises at the dancers and musicians.

The Chief is the last to dance and he exists in the same manner as he entered thus bringing to an end the activities for the evening on the 11^th day of Damba. On the 17^th, the Naa (chiefs Damba) is celebrated. It is the most important of the festival days characterized by dancing and chiefly processions like that of the evening. (Imam Mole Sibido).

Everyone tries to make it grand in Naa Damba, which includes feasting and acts of homage and excitement. It is also celebrated like that of the 11^th with rice picking in the morning and dance in the evening. The 18^th day is the farewell Damba, which is known as Belkusi. The highest-ranking sub chief will lead other low sectional chiefs and elders to thank the sectional chiefs leading to the climax where the people, chiefs and others assemble at the palace of the Yaa Naa or chief of the town.

They will move from house to house to greet the sectional chiefs and mobilize the people on issues such as peace, development, fund raising and resource mobilization among others. Politicians, NGOs, Companies and wealthy individuals are approached for support.

At the durbar grounds, most of the chiefs and the affluent in society ride on horses to display their culture, values, and heritage for admiration, tourism, education and advocacy. They display horse riding and dance skills while the farewell and thanksgiving continue into the night. Balogu, chief of Yendi is the last to be thanked while Zohi Naa is the first to be thanked.

Thus, the Damba at Yendi, the seat of the Ya-Naa is elegant (Laggard Issah). The historical and cultural heritage is on display for general education of the public, tourism and entertainment. It is worthy to mention that there is Night Damba on the 11^th and the 17^th day of celebrations at the Chief’s palace. Chiefs, elders, drummers and the people assemble by 12.00 noon and dance till daybreak. During the night, women sing praises to the chiefs in Dagbon while drumming and dancing continue till daybreak.

Damba festival is in effect a thanksgiving festival and a time for families to meet, and socialize. It is also for auditing and evaluating the past and planning for the future. This is the period the Dagbamba who reside outside Dagbon travel home for the festivities.

By Kombat N. Fuzzy

When the largest North European culture and music festival gets underway this weekend in Denmark, one of Ghana’s strongest music profiles who will be robbing shoulders with world acclaimed artists, is the king of kologo music, King Ayisoba. This is the second-leg of Ayisoba’s European tour, which kicked off early this year in several cities across Europe.

Roskilde Festival, which has existed since 1971, attracts about 80,000 people from Scandinavia and other parts of Europe. This year, the festival presents an array of African acts including Malian singer, Salif Keita, regrouping with his earlier band, Les Ambassadeurs, featuring Amadou Bagayogo and Malian keybord virtuoso, Cheick Tidane Seck.

Other African stars are Malian kora Maestro Toumani and his son,  Sidiki Diabaté, Ibibio Sound Machine (Nigeria), Mama Kasey (Niger), Fendika (Etiopia), Atomic Bomb! Who Is William Onyeabor? (Nigeria/US) The Master Musicians of Jajouka from Marokko, Jupiter & Okwess International (DR Congo) and Mark Ernestus and Jeri-Jeri (Germany/Senegal)

Just after Roskilde, the kologo musician will pitch camp in the Danish capital where he’ll dish out his own bony blues full of enchanting rhythms, call-and-response vocals and hoarse beauty to thousands of audience at Copenhagen Jazz Festival. His dancers and musicians, including his younger brother, who masters a distinct northern Ghanaian hunting horn developed by King Ayisoba, will accompany him.

King Ayisoba hails from Kalaga, in the Upper East Region of Ghana. He learnt to play the kologo (a traditional two stringed guitar) from his grandfather, a traditional healer. He started playing music at pito bars (a local brew from northern Ghana) and festivals. Soon, he became a child prodigy, known throughout the region. His musical career and fame grew from strength to strength.

Having conquered the waters in his home region, King Ayisoba felt he had accomplished everything he could at home so he headed for Ghana’s capital, Accra. By an act of fate, he met and struck a partnership with the late Terry Bon Chaka, another Ghanaian musician. The pair soon became the toast of every performance across the country as they stunned audiences with their unique blend of flawless traditional instrumentation and rhythms. Their reign ended abruptly with the tragic death of Terry in a motor accident. This left King Ayisoba by himself, contemplating his return home to Bolgatanga.

But with the intervention of BB Menson and Prime I, King Ayisoba decided to stay in Accra. During this time, he collaborated with other artists while developing new material for his album. His debut album was a delightful masterpiece and each song, was a journey of pure musical pleasure. It featured several of the finest of Ghanaian contemporary artists including Samini, Sydney, Kontihene, Kwabena Kwabena and Kwaku-T. However this is neither a hiplife nor highlife nor even a traditional album. It is simply distinctive. It is an eclectic infusion of various musical styles and flavours.

In 2008, he released his second album, which enjoyed enormous airplay. He featured Kwaw Kesse, Moking and Wanluv on “Look My Shoe” which equally enjoyed heavy airtime on radio. He has also collaborated with Becca, Shegee and many other artists since his groundbreaking debut album. King Ayisoba sings in Twi, English and Frafra.

His songs include Obiara eni begye, Fa mi sika mami, Oko agyae mi, My friend, my friend (a tribute to Terry Bon Chaka), Modern Ghanaians and Champion no easy. He is married with two children. Ayisoba’s tours are possible owing to the efforts of the indefatigable Dutchman Arnold Zea.

By Alfred Tamakloe 

In Copenhagen

The late sunday afternoon heat is quite bearable as a gentle breeze flows in subtle succession through centenarian nim trees that dot the Youth Home Centre in the Northern regional capital, Tamale.

Five young bands go through sound check formalities as they prepare for the 2014 edition of New Music Ghana Festival – a competition that is dedicated to the empowering of youthful artistes throughout Ghana.

Comprising young musicians under the age of 25, some of whom have never been on stage, they appear nervous as they emerge from makeshift dressing rooms to a worn-out basketball court that served as a performance venue.

Five groups – namely Bizung School, Yurlim, North Wings, Suhuyini and Young Echoes Bands, who have been rehearsing over the past few months, perform a cool blend of rhythms from Northern / Southern Ghana with western rhythms as they woo both the audience and jury members.

North Wings Band, led by Frank Elinam emerge as the first group with a dramatic fusion of Bamaya, Gahu and Agbadza with jazz to create a new music synthesis that drew wild cheers from the audience, which encompassed several music lovers from Accra and tourists.

Suhuyini, Yurlim, Young Echoes and Bizung School Band, who took the second, third, fourth and fifth positions respectively, received cash prizes totaling Ghc 3,000.00 alongside the winning group for their dedication in employing the use of local musical resources in their compositions.

Earlier, flute dynamo Dela Botri held an improvisation and composition workshop for all participating artistes while MUSIGA Northern regional director BA Konlaan gave a lecture on effective lyrics. Dance director Abdul Rahaman Mohammed equally took on the use of traditional dance on stage by musicians.

Korkor Amarteifio, Director of New Music Ghana Festival, moderated a round table discussion of the effective strategies to employ in the quest to embolden and support young artistes in Northern Ghana.

Undeniably, the seeds of full-blown inventive musical creations in Ghana are being sown in the savannah highlands of Northern Ghana through this vibrant, radiant and transformative musical experience.

Goethe-Institut in Accra and the Ghana chapter of Arterial Network supported New Music Ghana 2014, which was organized by the Institute Music and Development.

By John Owoo

The Ghana Denmark Cultural Fund (GDCF) has approved GHc 259,622.55 for eight arts organizations, associations, groups and individual artists for a variety of arts projects.

Successful applicants are Afro Maestros Band, Dwenesie Music Institute, Centre for National Culture (Tamale), National Commission on Culture (Accra), La Akaibi Group, Rev. Dr. Elias Asiama, Allotey Bruce Konuah and Isaac Opuni Frimpong.

This follows recommendations made by a peer review committee set up by the Institute for Music and Development (administrators of the fund) to vet applications from various parts of the country and make recommendations to the board of GDCF.

Projects to be executed under the grants include purchase of musical instruments, notation of classic highlife tunes, creation of a moving image archive, drama festival for schools, sensitizing the public on Ga culture, story-telling festival, seminar on women leadership, websites and blocs for photographs and tourism among others.

Members of the Peer Review Committee encompass Franka Maria Andoh (author), Stephen Ofori (photographer), Mawuli Semevor (actor), Agyemfra Tettey (physicist / music programmer) and Diana Hopeson (musician / former president of MUSIGA)

GDCF board members comprise Mille Sofie Brandrup (First Secretary / Political Officer, Royal Danish Embassy in Accra), Prof. Irene Odotei (Director, Historical Society of Ghana) and Dr. Agyemang Osei (School of Performing Arts, University of Ghana).

Others are William Attipoe (Director of Finance & Administration, National Commission on Culture), Oh Nii Sowah (Lecturer, Dept. of Dance Studies, University of Ghana, Legon) and Akoss Ofori Mensah (Director, Sub Saharan Publishers).

Since 2012, when the GDCF commenced its second phase, it has released a total of GHc 987,622.55 for various arts projects throughout the country. These include publishing of books, documentary films, dance productions, acquisition of instruments / equipment, story telling and reading programmes for school kids among others.

The GDCF, which was set up in 2007, focuses on Ghana/Danish art/cultural exchanges while enhancing the work of Ghanaian artists and art professionals with emphasis on contemporary ideas based on Ghana’s rich cultural and traditional practices.

Five youthful groups from the Northern regional capital Tamale and its environs will on Saturday June 21 take part in the 6^th edition of New Music Ghana Festival.

Bizung School, North Wings, Suhuyini, Young Echoes and Yurlim Bands will participate in the festival, which would be held at the Youth Home Centre in Tamale. They are poised to showcase skills acquired following months of rehearsals and mentorships by senior musicians.

Various resource persons would hold workshops/seminars on “Domestic Hygiene/Sanitation”, “Use of Traditional Dance Movements on stage”, “Effective Expression of Ghanaian Music” and “Use of Social Marketing Tools” for participating musicians.

New Music Ghana Festival, which was initiated in 2009 by the Institute for Music and Development, empowers young musicians to develop a new music genre that originate from the numerous musical traditions in Ghana.

It also sensitizes the youth to appreciate and admire their own traditional musical forms and those of others while enhancing the understanding of cultural diversity through interaction with people from other cultures.

Undeniably, it has proven to be a resounding success.  Indeed, it has brought together young and veteran musicians and has been a catalyst for the re-emergence of live band music among the youth while revitalizing a proud sense of cultural identity among young Ghanaian musicians.

New Music Ghana 2014 is being organized in collaboration with Arterial Network Ghana Chapter with support from the Goethe-Institut in Accra.

Ayi Solomon, a percussionist from Ghana was born in 1956 and raised at Mamprobi, a suburb of Accra. He is a self taught musician and composer. He started his musical carrier as a drummer in the erstwhile Ghanaian reggae group Classic Handles that later became The Classic Vibes.

In 1982, Ayi Solomon came to Copenhagen with the Classique Vibes to participate in the Annual Afro Festival, organised then, by Denmark based Ghanaian, Kwabena Manu.

At the end of the festival he went to Germany with Classique Vibes under a one-year management contract playing in American and German clubs. The following year he returned with the band touring Scandinavia.

However, inspired by the new environment and the different musical of styles, he decided to stay in Copenhagen after the tour, to work with different musicians in Denmark. Eventually, Ayi Solomon joined the Danish group, The NEW JUNGLE ORCHESTRA, led by Pierre Doerge. Solo, as he is affectionately called in Denmark, has remained a member of this group for nearly two decades.

Ayi Solomon is a well sought after percussionist in Denmark and list of groups he plays in, is endless. Today, he is working and playing with the following groups and musicians: Danish-Malian basist, Moussa Diallo, Palle Mikkelborg, Simon Spang Hansen, Dalia Faitelson’s Global Sound in 2001, with Jerry Bergonzi, Randy Brecker, Adam Nussbaum, Chris Cheek, Lelo Nika, & Thommy Anderson.

Others are John Sund’s Special Venture/ Acoustic Sense – “World/Fusion,” Hugo Rasmussen, Susy Hyldgaard, Mikkel Nordsø, Klaus Menzer, Jakob Fischer, Uno Mundo – Latin Reggae, Michel Nielsen’s Fulani, Morten Groenvad, Jakob Andersen, John Tchicai, Somalian singer Marian Mursal, Benjamin Koppel, Ed Epstein among others.

Presently, he is working with the Danish Folk Band Himmerland which is  taking him around the world, playing gigs Australia, New Zealand, Russia, Chile, Bulgaria, Italy, and  Scotland to mention a few.

He has two albums to his credit. The first one ”BACK HOME” his debut CD, is released on Cope Records (Denmark). Majority of the compositions are Solomon’s, and besides being featured as a percussionist he also handles the vocals.

The music, which is hard to put a label on, can best be described as a fusion between African (modern and roots), jazz, pop, rap and funk with a spice of electronic additions. His second album, “Life Force”, portraits Ayi Solomon as a creative, enlightened musician with a broad vision of the kind of sound he meditates on.

Life Force released on Yisol Music, his own label, is a piece of work of an inspired master, accompanied by a group of talented musicians. Here, Ayi Solomon in a high spiritual bliss, expressed through his invigorating drums, chanting and compassionate singing.

“I believe, the world today needs to hear voices and compositions of dedicated artists like myself – a musician and a great humanist with a profound philosophy of life”. “Life Force is a music of celebration, joy, meditation and ecstasy. Indeed, it is a tour-de-force of a deep ocean of melodies and soul awakening beats”, he explains.

Ayi Solomon is a composer with that sophisticated taste for universal elements – mixing jazz, highlife, funk, Latin and traditional Ghanaian rythms. With this exclusive blend of rhythms, Life Force becomes a delightful creation of world-fusion. To music lovers Life Force is a precious gift.

By: Alfred Tamakloe in Copenhagen

The afternoon breeze inertly shifts the leaves on the numerous trees at the British Council in Accra as we await a lecture by the acclaimed ethnomusicologist Prof JH Kwabena Nketia.

As the audience builds up for a lecture on the “Transformation of Ghana’s Traditional Music” my mind is focused on the Ghanaian music legend Ebo Taylor, who is scheduled for an hour-long chat with me at the same venue.

Frustrated drivers trapped in a slow moving traffic in front of the British Council angrily toot their horns as Taylor walks in creating in the process some sort of “history” – three living legends under one roof – Egya Koo Nimo, Prof Nketia and Taylor. Our chat begins almost immediately.

“It is my effective use of Afro Beat and Highlife alongside strong jazz elements that rekindled the interest in my music throughout the world – indeed, it has been a live long ambition to develop Highlife”, says Taylor, who has in recent years being a regular feature in major music and arts festivals all over Europe.

Taylor, who is a guitarist, composer, arranger and producer, has been a fundamental influence on the Ghanaian music scene over sixty years. Undeniably, he was a significant force of Highlife bands in the 1960s. In 1962, he took his own group, the Black Star Highlife Band to London (UK), which led to collaborations with the late Afro Beat King, Fela Anikulapo Kuti.

Returning to Ghana, he worked as a producer, crafting recordings for Pat Thomas, C.K. Mann and others. He found time to explore his own projects, combining traditional Ghanaian material with Afro-beat, jazz, and funk rhythms to create his own recognizable sound in the 1970s.

“Taylor’s work became popular internationally with the release of “Love and Death” on Strut Records in 2010, which is without doubt his first globally distributed album. Its apparent success encouraged Strut to release the all-star retrospective Life Stories: “Highlife & Afro Beat Classics” (1973-1980) in 2011.

“Education is the key for young Ghanaian musicians – they need to educate themselves, conduct research, use local material in their compositions and the sky will be their limit because Ghanaian music is in demand all over the world”, adds Taylor, who received a meritorious award from the Navarro Jazz Festival (Italy) in 2012.

Later in 2012, a deeply personal album titled “Appia Kwa Bridge”, appeared and proved the fact that at a “ripe” age of 77 – Taylor is still intensely creative and focused – mixing traditional Fante songs and chants with children’s rhymes and personal matters into his own satirical visualization of highlife.

A graduate of Eric Guilder School of Music (London, United Kingdom), Taylor vigorously advocates the return of music to school curricula in Ghana since its absence has contributed to the gradual but steady decline of the quality of music being produced in the country.

Barely forty-five minutes into our chat – the living legend needs to leave – he is catching a flight at the Accra International Airport for yet another performance tour of Europe. As he settled in a waiting car he gives me a thumps up – I equally raise both thumps in return.

By John Owoo