View basket “Ella and Louis” has been added to your basket. Highlife Peter Somuah SKU: ACTLP8001-1 Barcode: 0614427800114 20.00 £20.00 Genre: Jazz Label: ACT Released Date: 8th November 2024 Buying Format: 1LP Forthcoming Pre Order Add to your Wishlist Description Product Info The ‘Highlife’ album is an ode to the Ghanaian tradition of highlife music and features the legends of the genre. Highlife has a unique sound, with a distinctive finger-picking style of playing on the guitar, minimalistic yet groovy bass lines, percussive keyboard patterns, soulful melody lines by the brass section, and much emphasis on rhythm. The opening song of the album, ‘We Give Thanks’, features Pat Thomas, also known as ‘the golden voice of Africa’. Gyedu-Blay Ambolley, the first musician worldwide to incorporate rap into highlife music, appears on ‘Chop Chop’. And 93-year-old Koo Nimo, who was a leading highlife musician and the first Ghanaian to have their music be put on a CD, narrates some of the origins of the highlife genre. On the ten-track album, Peter Somuah, who grew up playing in highlife bands, mixes elements of the highlife genre with jazz, creating what he calls ‘highlife jazz’. The album emulates the vintage sound from the highlife era, with a modern touch. It also connects Ghana’s older and younger generations of musicians. Besides the members of his Rotterdam-based band, Somuah invited young Ghanaian musicians onto the album. Singer Lamisi Akuka features on African Continent and brings soulful musical influences from the northern part of Ghana, while Bright Osei Baffour provides traditional highlife riffs on the guitar and Thomas Botchway adds grooves on the talking drum. More than on his previous two albums, Somuah also reflects on the political context he grew up in. In ‘Mental Slavery’ Somuah sings of the remaining psychological impact of colonialism. Indeed, the very name of the highlife genre refers to the fact that it was originally mostly the colonial elite in Ghana (‘high life’) that got to enjoy the music. And in ‘Chop Chop’, featuring artist Ambolley takes a dig at greedy political leaders. The album conveys heartfelt messages of social justice, healing and gratitude but never fails to encourage the listener to swing along. Artist Peter Somuah Genre Jazz Label ACT Buying Options 1LP Format 1LP Condition New Country UK Track Listings The Rhythm (Feat. Koo Nimo) We Give Thanks (Feat. Pat Thomas) Bruce Road Drumbeat Chop Chop (Feat. Gyedu-Blay Ambolley) Conqueror Mental Slavery Re-imagined African Continent (Feat. Lamisi Akuka) Jamestown Share this On Facebook On Twitter Via Email More from Peter Somuah and more from Jazz View Product Quick View Peter Somuah Letter to the Universe Jazz | ACT | 1LP Released 2nd June 2023 £20.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Peter Somuah Letter to the Universe £20.00 Genre: Jazz Label: ACT SKU: ACTLP9969-1 Formats: 1LP Released Date: 2nd June 2023 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders View Product Quick View Tony Allen and Jeff Mills Locked and Loaded Jazz | Decca | 10", EP/Mini Album Released 28th September 2018 £12.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Tony Allen and Jeff Mills Locked and Loaded £12.00 Genre: Jazz Label: Decca SKU: 6778630 Formats: 10", EP/Mini Album Released Date: 28th September 2018 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders View Product Quick View Red Norvo Trio Men At Work Jazz | Vogue | 1LP, Coloured Vinyl Released 17th November 2017 £16.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Red Norvo Trio Men At Work £16.00 Genre: Jazz Label: Vogue SKU: 88985448291 Formats: 1LP, Coloured Vinyl Released Date: 17th November 2017 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders View Product Quick View Bill Evans Autumn Leaves (In Concert) Jazz | Vinyl Passion | 1LP Released 25th May 2019 £25.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Bill Evans Autumn Leaves (In Concert) £25.00 Genre: Jazz Label: Vinyl Passion SKU: VP90111 Formats: 1LP Released Date: 25th May 2019 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Nearly New View Product Quick View Frank Sinatra My Kind Of Broadway Jazz | Reprise | 1LP Released 21st September 2023 £7.00 Add to basket Reserve View Reservations Frank Sinatra My Kind Of Broadway £7.00 Genre: Jazz Label: Reprise SKU: nn272201 Formats: 1LP Released Date: 21st September 2023 Reserve View Reservations Read More Add to basket View Product Quick View Jacques Brel Infiniment Coloured Vinyl Jazz | Blue Wrasse | 2LP, Coloured Vinyl Released 29th July 2022 £36.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Jacques Brel Infiniment Coloured Vinyl £36.00 Genre: Jazz Label: Blue Wrasse SKU: 4576556 Formats: 2LP, Coloured Vinyl Released Date: 29th July 2022 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders View Product Quick View Vince Guaraldi Trio Charlie Brown Christmas Jazz | Craft Recordings | 1LP, Coloured Vinyl Released 26th November 2021 £22.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Vince Guaraldi Trio Charlie Brown Christmas £22.00 Genre: Jazz Label: Craft Recordings SKU: 7227073 Formats: 1LP, Coloured Vinyl Released Date: 26th November 2021 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders View Product Quick View Art Farmer/Jim Hall Big Blues Jazz | Pure Pleasure | 180g, 1LP Released 2nd April 2010 £34.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Art Farmer/Jim Hall Big Blues £34.00 Genre: Jazz Label: Pure Pleasure SKU: CTI7083 Formats: 180g, 1LP Released Date: 2nd April 2010 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders View Product Quick View Gil Evans Orchestra Out Of The Cool Jazz | Verve | 180g Released 24th May 2019 £21.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Gil Evans Orchestra Out Of The Cool £21.00 Genre: Jazz Label: Verve SKU: 7746429 Formats: 180g Released Date: 24th May 2019 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders View Product Quick View Chick Corea Elektric Band Light Years Jazz | Candid Records | 1LP, Gatefold Sleeve Released 19th July 2024 £33.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Chick Corea Elektric Band Light Years £33.00 Genre: Jazz Label: Candid Records SKU: LPCND3303 Formats: 1LP, Gatefold Sleeve Released Date: 19th July 2024 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders View Product Quick View Jacob Collier Djesse Vol. 1 Jazz | Decca | 1LP, Coloured Vinyl Released 8th September 2023 £30.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Jacob Collier Djesse Vol. 1 £30.00 Genre: Jazz Label: Decca SKU: 5552715 Formats: 1LP, Coloured Vinyl Released Date: 8th September 2023 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders See more in Jazz Start again
View Product Quick View Peter Somuah Letter to the Universe Jazz | ACT | 1LP Released 2nd June 2023 £20.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Peter Somuah Letter to the Universe £20.00 Genre: Jazz Label: ACT SKU: ACTLP9969-1 Formats: 1LP Released Date: 2nd June 2023 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders
View Product Quick View Tony Allen and Jeff Mills Locked and Loaded Jazz | Decca | 10", EP/Mini Album Released 28th September 2018 £12.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Tony Allen and Jeff Mills Locked and Loaded £12.00 Genre: Jazz Label: Decca SKU: 6778630 Formats: 10", EP/Mini Album Released Date: 28th September 2018 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders
View Product Quick View Red Norvo Trio Men At Work Jazz | Vogue | 1LP, Coloured Vinyl Released 17th November 2017 £16.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Red Norvo Trio Men At Work £16.00 Genre: Jazz Label: Vogue SKU: 88985448291 Formats: 1LP, Coloured Vinyl Released Date: 17th November 2017 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders
View Product Quick View Bill Evans Autumn Leaves (In Concert) Jazz | Vinyl Passion | 1LP Released 25th May 2019 £25.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Bill Evans Autumn Leaves (In Concert) £25.00 Genre: Jazz Label: Vinyl Passion SKU: VP90111 Formats: 1LP Released Date: 25th May 2019 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders
Nearly New View Product Quick View Frank Sinatra My Kind Of Broadway Jazz | Reprise | 1LP Released 21st September 2023 £7.00 Add to basket Reserve View Reservations Frank Sinatra My Kind Of Broadway £7.00 Genre: Jazz Label: Reprise SKU: nn272201 Formats: 1LP Released Date: 21st September 2023 Reserve View Reservations Read More Add to basket
View Product Quick View Jacques Brel Infiniment Coloured Vinyl Jazz | Blue Wrasse | 2LP, Coloured Vinyl Released 29th July 2022 £36.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Jacques Brel Infiniment Coloured Vinyl £36.00 Genre: Jazz Label: Blue Wrasse SKU: 4576556 Formats: 2LP, Coloured Vinyl Released Date: 29th July 2022 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders
View Product Quick View Vince Guaraldi Trio Charlie Brown Christmas Jazz | Craft Recordings | 1LP, Coloured Vinyl Released 26th November 2021 £22.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Vince Guaraldi Trio Charlie Brown Christmas £22.00 Genre: Jazz Label: Craft Recordings SKU: 7227073 Formats: 1LP, Coloured Vinyl Released Date: 26th November 2021 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders
View Product Quick View Art Farmer/Jim Hall Big Blues Jazz | Pure Pleasure | 180g, 1LP Released 2nd April 2010 £34.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Art Farmer/Jim Hall Big Blues £34.00 Genre: Jazz Label: Pure Pleasure SKU: CTI7083 Formats: 180g, 1LP Released Date: 2nd April 2010 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders
View Product Quick View Gil Evans Orchestra Out Of The Cool Jazz | Verve | 180g Released 24th May 2019 £21.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Gil Evans Orchestra Out Of The Cool £21.00 Genre: Jazz Label: Verve SKU: 7746429 Formats: 180g Released Date: 24th May 2019 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders
View Product Quick View Chick Corea Elektric Band Light Years Jazz | Candid Records | 1LP, Gatefold Sleeve Released 19th July 2024 £33.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Chick Corea Elektric Band Light Years £33.00 Genre: Jazz Label: Candid Records SKU: LPCND3303 Formats: 1LP, Gatefold Sleeve Released Date: 19th July 2024 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders
View Product Quick View Jacob Collier Djesse Vol. 1 Jazz | Decca | 1LP, Coloured Vinyl Released 8th September 2023 £30.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Jacob Collier Djesse Vol. 1 £30.00 Genre: Jazz Label: Decca SKU: 5552715 Formats: 1LP, Coloured Vinyl Released Date: 8th September 2023 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders