Music of Thursday, 25 August 2005

Source: ghanamusic.com

Wainaina Joins Accra Concert

Creative Storm, concert organizers of Africa Standing Tall against Poverty Concert have announced that Eric Wainaina, East Africa’s top star and his full band are coming to Accra to join other musicians for the September 3 showdown.

The concert also features Salif Keita, Mahotella Queens, Seun Kuti, and other international artistes. Eric Wainaina is the best songwriter in East Africa and has had several hits over the last few years.

He’s known for high tempo commercial songs as well as sizzling popular political songs. He’s a perfect artiste for this concert to raise awareness on poverty in Africa.

From the home turf, Ghana will come artistes who are similarly tested and talented. They include C.K Mann, Mac Tontoh, Reggie Rockstone, Amandzeba and Obour.

K Mann is Ghana’s musical legend whose name is synonymous with highlife, West Africa’s longstanding musical favorite.

CK, as he is affectionately called established himself as a promising guitarist in the 60’s.

He revolutionized highlife by introducing Caribbean and Latin rhythms and deploying electric guitars, keyboards and a brass section to great effect.

Mac Tontoh was co-leader of Osibisa, Africa’s first international super group of the 70’s and 80’s.He led their memorable live performances on the trumpet and playing assorted African percussion instruments.

He co- wrote ‘Woyaya’ and ‘Sunshine Day’, hits that stormed the British and US Billboard charts. Reggie Rockstone is the charismatic inventor of hiplife, the infectious fusion of highlife and hip hop, currently the most popular music in Ghana.

Rockstone was the first to popularize Ghanaian languages in rap music, winning numerous awards, including the Koran, Africa’s foremost music award.

Obuor is currently Ghana’s hiplife mega star, having released several hits over the last few years and winning 5 awards, including the ‘Most Popular Song of the Year’ at this year’s Ghana Music awards.

Obuor’s songs are catchy and socially incisive. Importantly, they are on the nation’s lips. His appearance at the STAP concert will no doubt delight his teeming fans.