Search - Various Artists :: Living Is Hard: West African Music in Britain

Various Artists
Living Is Hard: West African Music in Britain
Genres: International Music, Pop

Track Listings (23) - Disc #1
1. Garse Yer Fido
2. Nitsi Koko Ko Ko - Fanti
3. (Blank)
4. Anadwofa - Twi
5. Mu Kun Sebor Wa Wu - Fanti
6. Kuntum
7. Ligiligi - Ga
8. Adersu, Pt. 2
9. Abowe Dsane Nmaka Tso
10. Buje [Yoruba]
11. Obu Kofi [Fanti]
12. Rue Bai Rue Bai
13. Bukay
14. Asin Asin, Pt. 2 [Fanti]
15. Sakyi [Fanti]
16. Jon Jo Ko
17. Edna Buchaiku [Fanti]
18. Akuko Nu Bonto [Fanti]
19. Ewuri Beka [Fanti]
20. Agur Bi Dzi Mansu ABA [Fanti]
21. Mukorin-Mantun
22. Wasiu Dowu [Fanti]
23. Alahira

CD Details

All Artists: Various Artists
Title: Living Is Hard: West African Music in Britain
Members Wishing: 1
Total Copies: 0
Label: Emd Int'l
Original Release Date: 1/1/2008
Re-Release Date: 5/27/2008
Album Type: Import
Genres: International Music, Pop
Style:
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaCD Credits: 1
UPCs: 5099920825423, 4047179196918, 5099920825454

Synopsis

Album Description

Honest Jon's has prepared a series drawing on some of the earliest recordings in the EMI Hayes Archive, recovered from more than 150,000 78s, staggering music from Iraq, Turkey, Caucasia, Lebanon, Iran (including sides made in Old Street, London, in 1909), Egypt and the Belgian Congo. This series opener presents the music of the West African underground of 1920s Britain, recorded at Hayes and released on the Zonophone label (which exported nearly all the records to West Africa). You can hear Caribbean influences here, the promise of highlife there, but Living Is Hard mostly disavows fusion and assimilation. And by contrast with antecedents in the history of black music in Britain, minstrelsy and spirituals, for example, ragtime and jazz.

CD Reviews

Living is Hard, Listening is Easy!

Josh Z. Bonder | Toronto | 08/28/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"As a big fan of vintage world music with a penchant for all manner of African styles, I'm pleased as punch with this collection. Are these pure unaffected West African songs? Not quite. Were they even recorded in Africa? Not even close. But don't let either of those factors dictate your decision. This collection is brimming with music of the highest calibre, and should impress and astonish the discerning world music collector.

The tunes on this CD range quite a bit stylistically, some retaining quite a traditional west African feel, while others (though still undoubtedly African in origin) display the effects of cross-cultural mingling, particularly with other popular African American or African European styles of the day. This does not detract from the music to my ears, and adds layers of complexity and meaning. This "bastardization" may read as tragic for some, but ultimately it only serves to create a rich and multi-faceted listening experience which says something of the time and place in which these songs were recorded.

The tracks themselves present an incredible variety of instrumentations and styles, from gorgeous guitar/vocal pieces, to some astonishing drum ensemble work, to outright bizarre growled vocal performances, to some larger ensemble pieces and vocal choruses. This album has only grown on me since I purchased it, and I must say that it's one of the most satisfying vintage African collections I've heard in quite a while. This is allegedly the first in a series of world music releases from the people at Honest Jon's, and I for one am very eagerly anticipating their next release. Very highly recommended to anyone whose interests brought them this far."