Ebo Taylor – Palaver
https://amf.didiermary.fr/ebo-taylor-palaver/
“Palaver” is a long-lost, previously unreleased 1980 album from Ghanaian guitarist and songwriter Ebo Taylor.
“This was done with my touring band, pretty much the same guys as on the Essiebons records I was making back then,” Ebo Taylor says […]
Kola Ogunkoya – Easy Motion Owambe
https://amf.didiermary.fr/kola-ogunkoya-easy-motion-owambe/
Kola Ogunkoya is a Nigerian Afrobeat musician who uses the term “Afro Gbedu” to describe his style of music, which includes Jazz, Highlife, Jùjú, Funk and traditional Yoruba music.
Chief Stephen Osita Osadebe
https://amf.didiermary.fr/chief-stephen-osita-osadebe-nigerian-tv/
Chief Stephen Osita Osadebe had his own show on Nigerian TV in the late 80s, here singing the classic “Osondi Owendi” (1984) with his Nigerian Sound Makers.
His career spanned over 40 years, and he is one of the best known Igbo highlife musicians.
“Osadebe succeeded in breaking away from the conventional big band format established […]
Easy Motion Tourist
https://amf.didiermary.fr/easy-motion-tourist/
If you love old African music, from the Golden Age of Nigerian music in particular, you’ve known the song “Easy Motion Tourist”, made popular by Fatai Rolling Dollar in his last records before his death. But, there’s a long story behind this song since the ‘50s: who created it, who made it famous…
What’s for […]
#50smusic #Highlife #Nigeria #PalmWineMusic #OldAfricanMusic
Dr K. Gyasi & His Noble Kings (1974)
https://amf.didiermary.fr/dr-kwame-gyasi-noble-kings-1974/
Kwame Gyasi (1929–2012), aka Dr K. Gyasi, was a Ghanaian highlife musician. He originated the Sikyi highlife sub-genre which combined electric organ with the known highlife genres.He formed the Noble Kings Band with which he spent a large portion of his career.
No collection should be without this classic by Dr. K. Gyasi and his […]
Geraldo Pino, Afrobeat’s Godfather
https://amf.didiermary.fr/geraldo-pino-afrobeat-godfather/
Geraldo Pino is considered, including by Fela himself, the Godfather of Afrobeat.
Geraldo Pino Biography
By Jason Ankeny / AllMusic
The acknowledged godfather of Afrobeat, Sierra Leone native Geraldo Pino laid the foundation for the West African soul and funk revolution of the 1970s.
Born Gerald Pine in Freetown on February 10, 1939, he was the […]
Nigeria Special 1970-76
https://amf.didiermary.fr/nigeria-special-1970-76/
“Nigeria Special: Modern Highlife, Afro-Sounds and Nigerian Blues 1970-76” is a compilation released in 2008.
Ata Kak – Batakari
https://amf.didiermary.fr/ata-kak-batakari/
A pioneering electronic highlife artist, Ata Kak has released a new album in 2025, his first in 30 years. “Batakari” offers “an addictive mix of offbeat electronic music and Twi-language hiplife—hiplife itself being a fusion of hip-hop and highlife.”
Ata Kak created a peculiar slice of Ghanaian music history with his debut album “Obaa Sima”. […]
Rex Omar
https://amf.didiermary.fr/rex-omar/
Modern Highlife / Hiplife by Rex Omar, born Rex Owusu Marfo in Kumasi, Ghana. With a career spanning 30 years, he has evolved the genre, pushed boundaries and dazzled listeners with his inventive output.
A definitive piece of Omar’s repertoire comes via his Dangerous album – critically acclaimed in Ghana. It’s a self-produced gem recorded […]
Okwy Osadebe – Igbo Highlife
https://amf.didiermary.fr/okwy-osadebe-igbo-highlife/
Highlife royalty Okwy Osadebe, son of the late Chief Stephen Osita Osadebe represents West African Highlife music and embraces what his father left behind, anchors his hopes and aspirations for humanity.
Eastern Nigeria created its highlife music style by the mid-1950s. Chief Osita Osadebe, the little man from across the great River Niger, was the […]
If You Want to Make a Lover
https://amf.didiermary.fr/if-you-want-to-make-a-lover/
“Palm Wine, Akan Blues & Early Guitar Highlife, Pt. I & II” is a collection encompassing Akan blues, PalmWine and early guitar-based Highlife music, with recordings dating from the late 1920s through to the end of the 1950s.
The music included here can probably all be said to have all stemmed from a style that […]
Locomotive Train (Keteke)
https://amf.didiermary.fr/locomotive-train-keteke-african-brothers-band/
Released to coincide with the Ghanaian Independence Day celebrations on 6th March 2024, African Brothers Band International of Ghana’s “Locomotive Train (Keteke)” album is a fine example of the band’s fusion of Highlife, guitar based Rock and Reggae.
Originally formed as The African Brothers in 1963 as a concert party, the band has had a […]
Oriental Brothers International Band
https://amf.didiermary.fr/oriental-brothers-international-band/
The Oriental Brothers International Band of Nigeria was a popular Igbo highlife band from Nigeria [based in Owerri] for several decades, known for their powerful lyrics (whether it be of proverbs, or specials dedicated to special people in the country of Nigeria), and deft instrumental work (whether of the lead guitar, or the conga man’s […]
Ebo Taylor – Ayesama
https://amf.didiermary.fr/ebo-taylor-ayesama/
“Appia Kwa Bridge” features new compositions by Ebo Talyor in 2012, including "Ayesama."
His sound is more dense and tightly locked than ever with Berlin-based musicians Afrobeat Academy, a rock solid unit since regular touring worldwide following his “Love And Death” album in 2010.
“I wanted to go back to a highlife feeling with […]
Nath & Martin Brothers – Money
https://amf.didiermary.fr/nath-martin-brothers-money/
The Martin Brothers, actual brothers, also known as The Shadows International with Saxon Lee, behind Pax Nicholas on the “Na Teef” album or as Tabansi Studio Band, made themselves known as one of THE backing-studio-bands in Nigeria before working on this album together.
“Money” was recorded in the legendary Arc-studios, supervised by Fela Kuti’s drummer [...]
Lagbaja – Me (Full Album)
https://amf.didiermary.fr/lagbaja-me/
Lágbájá (aka Òpátàmèdù) is a Nigerian musician, singer-songwriter and percussionist as well as a musical humourist.
His stage name means “anonymous” in the Yoruba language.
Lagbaja’s music is a symbolic bridge that connects the old to the new; the dangers, apprehension, and injustices of the Nigerian military era [see also Fela Kuti] to a new […]
Orlando Julius – Disco Hi-Life
https://amf.didiermary.fr/orlando-julius-disco-hi-life/
“Disco Hi-Life” is a 4-track vinyl released in 1979 “this international year of the child, with love, peace and happiness,” this last part being the title of a song and LP by Orlando Julius in 1978.
#Disco #Highlife #Nigeria #OrlandoJulius #Vinyl #OldAfricanMusic
I Take U Highlife by Kay Slice
https://kayslicemusic.bandcamp.com/album/i-take-u-highlife
To be released on September 25, 2026
"This isn’t fusion. It’s ancestral alignment with a futuristic edge."
Tracks feature Gyedu-Blay Ambolley, Pat Thomas, etc.
Chief (Commander) Ebenezer Obey
https://amf.didiermary.fr/chief-commander-ebenezer-obey-aimasiko/
Ebenezer Obey (born in April 1942), aka Chief or Chief Commander, began his professional career in the mid-1950s after moving to Lagos. After tutelage under Fatai Rolling-Dollar‘s band, he formed a band called The International Brothers in 1964, playing highlife–jùjú fusion. The band later metamorphosed into Inter-Reformers in the early-1970s, with [...]
Dr Victor Olaiya & his All-Stars
https://amf.didiermary.fr/victor-olaiya-all-stars/
Dr Victor Olaiya is considered the bridge between Ghanaian Highlife and what would become Afrobeat.
His musical style was influenced by James Brown, with horn parts harmonized in Brown’s style, as opposed to the mostly unison lines of Afrobeat. The music includes the swinging percussion of Tony Allen, but not the syncopated style that [...]
Orlando Julius, titan of Nigerian music
https://amf.didiermary.fr/orlando-julius-titan-of-nigerian-music/
African music pioneer, titan of Nigerian music around the world, mixing highlife and other African styles with American influences, Orlando Julius helped Fela Kuti form his early band Koola Lobitos and collaborated with Hugh Masekela & Lamont Dozier.
Orlando Julius made his debut as a musician in the 1950s in [...]
#AfroFunk #FullAlbum #Highlife #LiveMusic #Nigeria #OrlandoJulius #AfroBeat
Ebo Taylor & the Sweet Beans – Odofo Nyi Akyiri Biara
https://amf.didiermary.fr/ebo-taylor-sweet-beans-odofo-nyi-akyiri-biara/
Ebo Taylor, here with the Sweet Beans (aka Marijata), one of the bands leading Highlife music in Ghana in the 70s.
Dr Victor Olaiya – Baby Mi Da Feat. 2Face Idibia
https://amf.didiermary.fr/victor-olaiya-baby-mi-da-2face-idibia/
“Baby Mi Da (Baby Jowo) remix” is a revisited version of a classic track by Dr Victor Olaiya, featuring 2Face Idibia.
Pat Thomas & The Sweet Beans – Revolution
https://amf.didiermary.fr/pat-thomas-sweet-beans-revolution/
Ghanaian highlife master and “The Golden Voice Of Africa,” here’s Pat Thomas’ first full career retrospective, “Coming Home,” covering his career from his late ‘60s big band highlife recordings through to the “burger highlife” movement of the early ‘80s.
Growing up with music around him (“my uncle, [...]
#60smusic #70smusic #80smusic #Compilation #Ghana #Highlife #OldAfricanMusic #Reggae
Blay Ambolley – Simi Rapp
https://amf.didiermary.fr/gyedu-blay-ambolley-simi-rapp/
A major force in Afro-funk since the early 1970s, Gyedu-Blay Ambolley is considered the godfather of Hiplife, transforming the Highlife genre by adding elements of Hiphop, Funk and Jazz, as can be seen in this amazing and influential “Simi Rapp”.
This song was originally released in 1996, as part of the album “Blay Ambolley – […]
