Jahcoustix-German-born reggae musician live in Accra

As the reggae lover that I am, I wouldn’t miss any reggae show in Accra especially when it’s an international artiste visiting Ghana to perform live. Tuesday I was present at the Alliance Francais to unwind to the reggae music of Jahcoustix.

Jahcoustix started it all in East Africa in Nairobi-Kenya in 1992 where he found the music that would give his life a clear musical direction, reggae.
In Kenya, he spent his free time wandering through the downtown streets of Nairobi, where he would get his first contacts to Rastafarians and to reggae music.

With his accompanying band, he’s done about 500 live concerts around the world.
Just like most reggae artistes Jahcoustix sings about societal challenges and love. His music was well received by all who made it to the free live show at the open air theatre within the Alliance Francais premises. Most of the attendants being expatriates working in Ghana, tourists and students.

Performing “invitation”, which I suppose was the hit track of the night, the audience invited themselves onto the dance floor to boogie.
Before Ghana, the band has already been to Dakar (Senegal), Abidjan (Ivory Coast) and will be in Lagos as I publish this post.

Ghariokwu Lemi in Ghana

Album sleeve illustrator, Ghariokwu Lemi made a return to Ghana after 33yrs of his last visit with late Afro beat King Fela Anikulakpo Kuti in 1976. With his deft fingers, he singularly designed 26 cover sleeves out of Fela’s discography of about 70 records that were produced. To him that feat was his call to fame comfortably strapped to Fela’s progress, starting with the “alagbon close” album that was released in December 1974. At the time, he was only 18yrs and the love story between him and the man, whose name “Anikulakpo” means death in my pocket, begun.

"Those works specifically helped to brand Fela as a rebel, a rebel leader, a revolutionary, political activist, a humanitarian and otherwise,” Lemi said in his introductory remarks at the Alliance Francais Arts Exhibition Gallery in Accra to showcase his artworks as part of his world tour programme, the last place before making it to Accra was the in UK where he also exhibited at the Bass Festival 09 in June.

The exhibition in Accra was a prelude to an afrobeat musical concert dubbed “AFROBITTEN” organized under the auspices of the French Embassy in Ghana, which featured Wunmi(a former backup vocalist for Fela), Ayetoro Band (put together by Nigerian composer and also former pianist for Fela, Funsho Ogundipe) and Atongo Zimba(a Ghanaian musician who also spent 4yrs studying music in Fela’s shrine).
At the Arts exhibition gallery, Lemi was poised to share his experiences and interact with Ghanaians and expatriates who had come to admire his works and also to hear stories about Fela; a lecture he said he was ready to give for 5hrs running non-stop for anyone interested.

He also recollected how he became an instant star in Nigeria, “for the first time in Nigeria, after the press reviewed Fela’s music, they also reviewed the album cover and I became an instant star.”
Ghariokwu Lemi has a variegated style of painting; laying out a selection of his portfolio of designs in Accra, one would have easily suggested that those pieces of art works on display were done by different illustrators. Interestingly the 53yr old man started his profession as an album sleeve illustrator in 1973 by self-tuition, researching, asking questions, trying out new techniques and blueprints he encountered. He has been able to develop this eclectic style without attending any arts institution. Since then the humble and self-made man has gone on to design over 2000 album covers both in Nigeria and internationally till date.

Upon invitation by pidgin music rapper, Wanlov the Kobolor, Ghariokwu Lemi reappeared in Ghana with fond memories and feeling at home. Then living in New Jersey, Kobolor sought after Lemi’s services via email on completion of his afro-beat inspired debut album, Green Card, which tells the thoughts of an immigrant in the United States.
Indeed in 2007, after meeting up with Kobolor in New York at “Fela-bration”, the green card album sleeve illustration became the latest addition to his works for a Ghanaian musician after designing for the late King of Highlife E.T Mensah, Bunzu Soundz, and Hedzelo Sounds (in 1976 for the acclaimed Ghanaian music producer, Faisal Helwani, who passed away in 2008). Ghariokwu Lemi told the AficanCourier that he’s currently working on the album cover sleeve for Yabba Funk, another Ghanaian group based in the UK.

Before leaving Accra for lagos, Lemi did not hide his admiration and respect for Ghana and Kwame Nkrumah, whose Centenary celebration is currently underway.
“Kwame Nkrumah laid a strong foundation for Ghana and it can never be completely scattered, I hope all African leaders learn from this great man”, he said giving the assurance to return more often to interact with young people as an effort to exchange knowledge.

In praising the country, he began with an advise and a wish, “Ghana, keep on doing what you’re doing, you’re a beacon light in West Africa”, he said,” you’re a good example to follow, I wish my country Nigeria will follow, because positivity, genuine awareness, integrity and consciousness towards whatever we do is a very vital fibre for human production and development.

Ghariokwu Lemi has upcoming exhibitions that he says will outdoor his new form of art to replace himself after 35yrs of professional work, starting from Lagos-Nigeria on October 3rd and 16th at UK’s Black History Month.

Talents shine @ Bless the Mic- arts and music festival

When Emcees Africa came to town last week to look for a freestyle rapper to represent Ghana in South Africa later this year, many folks who were at the contest went wild against the final choice. Others also thought it was a poor showing by talents who came out to exhibit their on-the-spot skills in stringing rhyming words.

Contrary, there was an exciting show of class last Saturday when Alliance Francais hosted Bless the Mic-Arts and Music festival at their open air theatre to a lively audience of spoken word and music lovers. The event brought together unsigned artistes and performers in attempt to support local talent as well as revive the arts. Interestingly, almost all the artistes who represented at the show performed together with a live band with ease.

“We organised this event this event to give a platform to emerging and established artists to share their talents, hone their skills, and network with industry professionals” said PY Addo-B Annan, co-emcee and main organiser of the event.

Bless the Mic featured performers of spoken word, acoustic music, sax collaboration, traditional music, reggae, hip-hop and hip-life rap. The rap and reggae performers delivered smoothly with the support of the well-known 4-man live band, Sound factory, which without a fault played classic tunes with jazz effects that swept over the audience to also sing along.

The night started off with a six-minute spoken word out-pour by Yasmin with her lamentations of a Diasporan longing to see the Motherland. The Black American and Afro centric student, who is currently studying in Ghana, was accompanied with a faint live sax tune in the background under dim lights for a perfect mood and feel.

Also on the night’s bill was Motombo, another astounding and exciting spoken word artist to listen to, whose popularity seemed to be soaring among poetry enthusiasts after featuring in 20-minute NT1 Poetry series that was aired on TV Africa during the latter part of the previous year.

When it was his turn to perform, he took the audience through a captivating ode to the hip-life music genre that recognised founder, Reggie Rockstone, Nananom, Nana King, Obrafour and a host of other artistes who have contributed to the genre.

“This was my mission to a Chief’s palace to find hip-life because they said hip-life was dead”, he said.

Motombo has also performed as a guest artist on the famous music reality show tagged Mentor, on TV3.

The petite freestyle rapper and first runner up of Emcees Africa, Props, gave a good account of himself to a rapturous audience. PY Addo B Annan, CEO of MI Prime Entertainment, openly asserted Props should have won the Emcees Africa-Ghana contest, before introducing the young rapper to patrons at Alliance Francais.

PY says “only if you were at the Tantra Night club last week, everybody knew he was the one who should have won.”

Reggae and dancehall were also fully appreciated when the talented and budding reggae sensation, Stone boy collaborated with Patan, the Jamaican-speaking and eccentric rastafar-i ragga artist aided by the sound factory live band. The duo entertained everyone to their exceptional music flow amid wild stage antics and dance moves.

Traditional music was not left out of the package as opportunity was given to Gunna Music, formerly Hewale Soundz, an 8-member cultural troupe to also shine with their unique indigenous music and choreography.

some performers who also showed class at the event were, Trig-matic, rapper and YFM “Campus Level” host, Kweku T/D-Black teaming up to perform a live rendition of “move”, their latest release and D.K Osei, another distinctive Ghanaian spoken word act based in the UK.

Others also include fast and witty rapper Kochoko, acoustic poets Ras Bomba/Rhyme Soni, The Matcho Rapper, Dre, RonnyO, Skillionz, and the underground hip-hop character Illa.

Bless the Mic was started 4years ago by MI Prime Entertainment and it takes place every Thursday night at the Baze Lounge and Bar in Osu Re-Accra.