“Conference of the Birds” is my weekly radio program on WNUR-FM. It airs on Tuesdays from 5-7:30 am Chicago time (UTC-6). And, of course, when technology cooperates, you can just come here for the archives. You can subscribe to the podcast with this URL (click here to subscribe in iTunes).

This week I decided to go long on Highlife music, one of the the wonderful popular musics of West Africa. This isn’t a particularly scholarly show, although I was inspired partly because I started reading a book on the subject. Of course, long time listeners have heard some of this before, but this show is a little more directly focused on Ghanaian and Nigerian highlife. Nevertheless, it wouldn’t be a Conference of the Birds show if I didn’t directly contradict a theme, so there’s a smattering of loosely related music like Calypso and some even more loose relations. Don’t sweat it!

Enjoy!

Listen:

download program (141MB, 2 hrs 12 min)

Artist: “Track” – Album (Label)

Stargazers Band: “Masan Makwo” – Telephone Lobi: More Giants of Danceband Highlife (Original Music)

The Melody Aces: “Suru Lo Dara” – The Great Unknowns (Original Music)

E.T. Mensah: “Asembon Tie M’Ansem” – All For You (RetroAfric)

Akompi’s Guitar Band: “Onyame Na Oye” – I’ve Found My Love: 1960’s Guitar Band Highlife of Ghana (Original Music)

Occidental Brothers Dance Band International: “Mafiwo” – Odo Sanbra (Not on Label)

Rex Lawson and his Rivers Men: “Peri Special Mbanga” – Highlife Time – Nigerian & Ghanaian Sound (Vampi Soul)

George Brown: “Calypso Mambo” – London Is The Place For Me 5 (Latin, Jazz, Calypso & Highlife From Young Black London) (Honest Jon’s)

Victor Olaiya: “Yabomisa Sawale” – Marvellous Boy: Calypso from West Africa (Honest Jon’s)

Professional Uhuru: “Konkomba Medley” – Giants of Danceband Highlife, 1950s-1970s (Original Music)

Ramblers Dance Band: “Gyae Su Na Nkomo Dzi” – The Hit Sound of the Ramblers Dance Band (Flame Tree)

Buddy Pipp’s Highlifers: “Ghana Special” – London Is The Place For Me 5 (Latin, Jazz, Calypso & Highlife From Young Black London) (Honest Jon’s)

African Brothers Int. Band Of Ghana: “Yenko Yemma” – Okwaduo! “Wodee Wokoo Na Wonuanom” (Executive)

Prince Kayosun Dosumu & his Dandies: “Eso Pele” – Azagas & Archibogs: The Sixties Sound of Lagos Highlife (Original Music)

Black Beats: “Meda Ho Mawo” – Telephone Lobi: More Giants of Danceband Highlife (Original Music)

Oriental Brothers: “Anyi Aiala Ozo” – Heavy on the Highlife: Nigeria’s Dr. Sir Warrior and the Oriental Brothers International (Original Music)

E.T. Mensah & the Tempos: “You Call Me Roko” – Giants of Danceband Highlife, 1950s-1970s (Original Music)

Royal Brothers: “Ohia Woa Enwu” – I’ve Found My Love: 1960’s Guitar Band Highlife of Ghana (Original Music)

The African Messengers: “Highlife Picadilly” – London Is The Place For Me 4: African Dreams And The Piccadilly High Life (Honest Jon’s)

Tunde Oshofisan & his Rhythm “Fadakas”: “Jeje L’Omo Eko Nlo” – Azagas & Archibogs: The Sixties Sound of Lagos Highlife (Original Music)

Ramblers Dance Band: “Better Ni” – The Hit Sound of the Ramblers Dance Band (Flame Tree)

The Semi Colon: “Nekwaha Semi Colon” – Nigeria Special: Modern Highlife, Afro-Sounds & Nigerian Blues 1970-6 (Soundway)

The Wellis Band: “Bindiga” – Ghana Special: Modern Highlife, Afro Sounds & Ghanaian Blues 1968 – 1981 (Soundway)

Dr. K. Gyasi & his Noble Kings: “Noble Kings (Yako Aba)” – Ghana Special: Modern Highlife, Afro Sounds & Ghanaian Blues 1968 – 1981 (Soundway)

Ensemble Etoile du Soir: “Messe Quatre Heures” – Haiti Direct (Strut)

Orchestre Tembo: “Yebo Edi Pachanga” – Racubah (A Collection of Modern Afro Rhythms) (Comet)

Ry-Co Jazz: “Siouvie Moin” – Bon Voyage! (RetroAfric)

West African Rhythm Brothers: “Adura” – London Is The Place For Me 2: Calypso And Kwela, Highlife And Jazz From Young Black London (Honest Jon’s)

Oscar Sulley’s Nzele Sounds: “Bukom” – Ghana Special: Modern Highlife, Afro Sounds & Ghanaian Blues 1968 – 1981 (Soundway)

Segun Bucknor: “You Killing Me” – Poor Man No Get Brother: Assembly & Revolution 1969-1975 (Afrostrut)

Imo Brothers International: “Mbata Aku (“The Coming of Wealth”)” – Ije Love: Nigerian Highlife Sound of Imo Brothers International (Original Music)

Black Santiagos: “Bani Wo Dzo” – The Great Unknowns (Original Music)

Orchestre Poly Rythmo de Cotonou: “Med Ma Gnin Messe” – Echos Hypnotiques, vol. 2: From the Vaults of Albarika Store 1969-1979 (Analog Africa)

L’Orchestre Super Vitesse: “Boiro” – Demo (self-released)