View basket “Free Spirits” 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 Art Pepper Neon Art Volume 2 Jazz | Omnivore | 1LP, Coloured Vinyl, Includes Download Code Released 26th February 2014 £18.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Art Pepper Neon Art Volume 2 £18.00 Genre: Jazz Label: Omnivore SKU: 101297B Formats: 1LP, Coloured Vinyl, Includes Download Code Released Date: 26th February 2014 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders View Product Quick View Herbie Hancock The Prisoner Jazz | Universal/Blue Note | 180g, 1LP, Includes Download Code Released 27th April 2015 £14.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Herbie Hancock The Prisoner £14.00 Genre: Jazz Label: Universal/Blue Note SKU: 4717310 Formats: 180g, 1LP, Includes Download Code Released Date: 27th April 2015 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders View Product Quick View Joshua Redman / Brad Mehldau / Christian McBride & Brian Blade LongGone Jazz | Nonesuch | 1LP Released 9th September 2022 £22.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Joshua Redman / Brad Mehldau / Christian McBride & Brian Blade LongGone £22.00 Genre: Jazz Label: Nonesuch SKU: 0075597910018 Formats: 1LP Released Date: 9th September 2022 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders View Product Quick View Pat Metheny Road To The Sun Jazz | Modern Recordings | 2LP Released 5th March 2021 £26.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Pat Metheny Road To The Sun £26.00 Genre: Jazz Label: Modern Recordings SKU: 4050538639353 Formats: 2LP Released Date: 5th March 2021 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders View Product Quick View Blue Lab Beats Motherland Journey Jazz | Blue Note | 2LP Released 25th February 2022 £26.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Blue Lab Beats Motherland Journey £26.00 Genre: Jazz Label: Blue Note SKU: 3889152 Formats: 2LP Released Date: 25th February 2022 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders View Product Quick View Lee Morgan Leeway Jazz | Blue Note | 180g, 1LP Released 4th October 2016 £21.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Lee Morgan Leeway £21.00 Genre: Jazz Label: Blue Note SKU: LP84034 Formats: 180g, 1LP Released Date: 4th October 2016 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders View Product Quick View Dorothy Ashby The Rubáiyát Of Dorothy Ashby (Verve By Request) Jazz | Blue Note | 180g, 1LP Released 12th May 2023 £26.00 Add to basket Reserve View Reservations Dorothy Ashby The Rubáiyát Of Dorothy Ashby (Verve By Request) £26.00 Genre: Jazz Label: Blue Note SKU: 4899071 Formats: 180g, 1LP Released Date: 12th May 2023 Reserve View Reservations Read More Add to basket View Product Quick View Get the Blessing OC DC Jazz | Naim Jazz | 1LP, Includes Download Code Released 29th October 2012 £17.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Get the Blessing OC DC £17.00 Genre: Jazz Label: Naim Jazz SKU: NAIMLP177 Formats: 1LP, Includes Download Code Released Date: 29th October 2012 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders View Product Quick View Johnny Hodges Blues A Plenty Jazz | Analogue Productions | 180g, 2LP, 45rpm Released 11th February 2014 £60.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Johnny Hodges Blues A Plenty £60.00 Genre: Jazz Label: Analogue Productions SKU: AVRJ612345 Formats: 180g, 2LP, 45rpm Released Date: 11th February 2014 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders View Product Quick View Pharoah Sanders Welcome To Love Jazz | Music On Vinyl | 180g, 2LP Released 21st April 2023 £34.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Pharoah Sanders Welcome To Love £34.00 Genre: Jazz Label: Music On Vinyl SKU: MOVLP3272 Formats: 180g, 2LP Released Date: 21st April 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 Art Pepper Neon Art Volume 2 Jazz | Omnivore | 1LP, Coloured Vinyl, Includes Download Code Released 26th February 2014 £18.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Art Pepper Neon Art Volume 2 £18.00 Genre: Jazz Label: Omnivore SKU: 101297B Formats: 1LP, Coloured Vinyl, Includes Download Code Released Date: 26th February 2014 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders
View Product Quick View Herbie Hancock The Prisoner Jazz | Universal/Blue Note | 180g, 1LP, Includes Download Code Released 27th April 2015 £14.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Herbie Hancock The Prisoner £14.00 Genre: Jazz Label: Universal/Blue Note SKU: 4717310 Formats: 180g, 1LP, Includes Download Code Released Date: 27th April 2015 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders
View Product Quick View Joshua Redman / Brad Mehldau / Christian McBride & Brian Blade LongGone Jazz | Nonesuch | 1LP Released 9th September 2022 £22.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Joshua Redman / Brad Mehldau / Christian McBride & Brian Blade LongGone £22.00 Genre: Jazz Label: Nonesuch SKU: 0075597910018 Formats: 1LP Released Date: 9th September 2022 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders
View Product Quick View Pat Metheny Road To The Sun Jazz | Modern Recordings | 2LP Released 5th March 2021 £26.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Pat Metheny Road To The Sun £26.00 Genre: Jazz Label: Modern Recordings SKU: 4050538639353 Formats: 2LP Released Date: 5th March 2021 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders
View Product Quick View Blue Lab Beats Motherland Journey Jazz | Blue Note | 2LP Released 25th February 2022 £26.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Blue Lab Beats Motherland Journey £26.00 Genre: Jazz Label: Blue Note SKU: 3889152 Formats: 2LP Released Date: 25th February 2022 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders
View Product Quick View Lee Morgan Leeway Jazz | Blue Note | 180g, 1LP Released 4th October 2016 £21.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Lee Morgan Leeway £21.00 Genre: Jazz Label: Blue Note SKU: LP84034 Formats: 180g, 1LP Released Date: 4th October 2016 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders
View Product Quick View Dorothy Ashby The Rubáiyát Of Dorothy Ashby (Verve By Request) Jazz | Blue Note | 180g, 1LP Released 12th May 2023 £26.00 Add to basket Reserve View Reservations Dorothy Ashby The Rubáiyát Of Dorothy Ashby (Verve By Request) £26.00 Genre: Jazz Label: Blue Note SKU: 4899071 Formats: 180g, 1LP Released Date: 12th May 2023 Reserve View Reservations Read More Add to basket
View Product Quick View Get the Blessing OC DC Jazz | Naim Jazz | 1LP, Includes Download Code Released 29th October 2012 £17.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Get the Blessing OC DC £17.00 Genre: Jazz Label: Naim Jazz SKU: NAIMLP177 Formats: 1LP, Includes Download Code Released Date: 29th October 2012 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders
View Product Quick View Johnny Hodges Blues A Plenty Jazz | Analogue Productions | 180g, 2LP, 45rpm Released 11th February 2014 £60.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Johnny Hodges Blues A Plenty £60.00 Genre: Jazz Label: Analogue Productions SKU: AVRJ612345 Formats: 180g, 2LP, 45rpm Released Date: 11th February 2014 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders
View Product Quick View Pharoah Sanders Welcome To Love Jazz | Music On Vinyl | 180g, 2LP Released 21st April 2023 £34.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Pharoah Sanders Welcome To Love £34.00 Genre: Jazz Label: Music On Vinyl SKU: MOVLP3272 Formats: 180g, 2LP Released Date: 21st April 2023 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders