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LP
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| "Sophisticated powerful rhythms… just magical - Serious shit for any dancefloor, with the big names in killer form." |
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MOJO (UK)
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| "Vampisoul's Highlife Time is comprehensive and guides the listener into the highlife world far enough to show that there indeed a host of different angles and approaches representing this chiming, languid, sweaty and sometimes freaky music." |
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DUSTED (USA)
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| "The latest exercise in African retro from the musical archaeologists at Vampisoul takes us on an enticing journey back to the golden era of post-colonial West African highlife. Compiler John Armstrong has sensibly decided to allow the biggest names a very liberal representation, giving them two or three tracks each, although there's still space for some thrillingly obscure one-hit wonders.- 4/5" |
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SONGLINES (UK) |
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Various Artists
Highlife Time |
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2XCD Digipack. Barcode: 84350088-61827
2XLP 140 Gram. Barcode: 84350088-61810
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IT'S HIGHLIFE TIME!
Highlife, dance music played mostly in Ghana and Nigeria, represents one of the century's first fusions of African roots and western music, and before 1970 it ruled dancefloors across much of West Africa. The story of West African big-band Highlife is the story of West African independence itself. From its early roots in church music, old African song forms, sea shanties and military brass bands to the orchestra podiums of the slickest nightclubs and concert halls of Lagos and Accra, Highlife has charted the growing confidence of a proud and gifted people casting off the shackles of empire: a people ready to live the High Life. Accra's E.T.Mensah was the pioneer, but Lagos was not far behind, with superstars such as Roy Chicago, Rex Lawson and Dr. Victor Olaiya performing to packed dancefloors where, unusually for West Africa, ethnicity didn't matter – Igbo people danced with Hausas, and Efik guys with Yoruba women. West Africa was prosperous, there was work for all – and for several glorious years, Highlife was the soundtrack for the good times. In 1967 the tragic Biafran War wrought three years of misery in eastern Nigeria, but soon after Highlife came to the rescue, the 70s music of legends such as Stephen Osita Osadebe helping to heal the scars as only music can.
In our collection you'll find all of these Highlife stars and more, from the most celebrated to the obscure one-hit wonders. Not content with just churning out material available from European and American catalogues, Vampisoul journeyed to Lagos, scoured the record crates, dusted off the forgotten mastertapes and started afresh. As the radio DJs used to say back then: "People, Highlife is King! Long live Highlife!"
Available on 2CD and 2LP formats, both with complete and informative essay by African music authority John Armstrong. |
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| Tracks list |
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 1. CD1: Trumpet Highlife (Dr. Victor Olaiya & E.T. Mensah)
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2. Belama (Opotopo)
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3. Numfinye (Nome Alobo) (Rex Lawson And His Rivers Men)
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4. Grazing In The Grass (Stan Plange And The Uhuru Dance Band)
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5. Jolosho (St Augustine)
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6. Yellow Sisi (Rex Lawson And His Rivers Men)
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7. Dabra Ba (Stan Plange And The Uhuru Dance Band)
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8. Won Bum (Opotopo With Fatai Rolling Dollar)
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9. Makojo (Chief Stephen Osita Osadebe)
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10. CD2: Joromi (Sir Victor Uwaifo And The Melody Maestroes)
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11. Mofe Muyan (Dr. Victor Olaiya)
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12. Oko (Rex Lawson And His Rivers Men)
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13. Aasem (Stan Plange & The Uhuru Dance Band)
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14. Peri Special Mbanga (Rex Lawson And His Rivers Men)
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15. Ikoro Special (Dan Satch And His Atomic 8)
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16. Esonta (Chief Enyang Henshaw)
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17. Afro Baby (Professional Seagulls Band)
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18. Pay Me My Money Now (Rex Lawson And His Rivers Men)
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19. Etuk Owo (Opotopo)
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20. Okina (Akana Man)
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