Journal Title: Popular music and society. Vol: § No: 2 Month: Year: 19830101 Pages: 35-44 Article Title: The place of the ‘folk’ in Ghanian popular music. Article Author: AVORGBEDOR, DANIEL KODZO , ISSN: 0300-7766 ltem Barcode: 3277017052866 Bin/location: 27010900993179 RO4MO9S22T13 ILLiad Transaction Number: 38698334 And Society Notes 7 | whose econ display capable ba shout 20,00 opis of jue usin and ait “ans The Place of the ‘Folk’ In Ghanian Popular Music Daniel K. Avorgbedor A. quick overview of the world’s history will reveal how individuals and nations have concentrated attentions on their folk waditionsas sources de iistie inspiration, social, political and moral ideals. In brie, generations have been furnished with guiding principles though a aoascious and systematic study, application and practice of traditions Selonging to previous generations.” In Ghana the situation is an interesting one, and itis, therefore, the purpose of this paper to ace, describe and assess the influence of folk musical taditions on Ghanaian popular music with focus on recent trends. “The term ‘folk’ shall be defined to include those musical forms and types that are original (o and identified with the various ethnic groups in Ghana? Although innovation and modification through time cannot be ruled out, Ghanaian ethnic musics have essentially evolved and persisted over a Jong period of times Present situations reveal that nonliterates, iterates and literates can all participate in one ethnic music-making. although sometimes the nonliterates may predominatet Methods of ‘componition, leaning, and practice,are however, carried out mainly inthe oral-aural modes. General Nature of Folk Music in Ghana Both JH. Nketia and B.A. Aning have provided us with elaborate descriptions on Ghanaian ethnic musics and for this reason only selected aspects which ate relevant to this paper shall be discussed * Ghanaian folk music can be broadly classed under “religious” and “Secular,” although both overlap in many respects.® The diverse social, cultural, economic, political and religious institutions (including rites of passage) have also been responsible forthe practice of different but related musical types within each ethnic group. This variety is further intensified by the number of ethnic groups which practice their own musical types.” ‘The nature, concept and practice of folk music in Ghana obligate us (0 include such other artistic components as language use, costume-complex and dance® In addition (o these components there are rules, regulations land social-artistic conventions which determine and guide individual or group musical involvements There is another aspect of folk music phenomenon in Ghana, and that is, musical interactions among the various ethnic groups. Factors responsible for such interactions include trade, warfare, polities, religion 3536 Popular Music And Society { the sharing of common geogn a oundaries. Conseque gs and this phenon ly there sical bon Id now have a second chance. i " ional cultu te are also programs at ly organize and supervise th jasize the buses othe than one's own.!t The program atthe University of Ghana Popular musicians from the city and apart from ethnic musics Iso take some : wentary ‘ory on a voluntary basis.!2 These opport so extended to ach people at regional le tists who graduate from a form tuctions in essons in western music ies for cultural | interaction of numerous rand participating groups. of the festival ethnic mong. t ldren’s groups are not excepted, a ages familarity with other istic excellence Ghana Music in Arts Cou s periodic workshops tural and musical life of the youth in on and aboration with to enrich the cul Major Factors Effecting Folk Consciousness specific t nd apart f J features ictors which are 1 Ghanaian d_persistence of folk ¢ \ctors are ther Organized Contests The Arts Co rpose of ere ives, music, 1 of its obje Ghanaiar a, ‘The Place of the ‘Folk’ In Ghanian Popular Music 37 nd their outcomes and dewails governing the initiation of the contests these are; In pursui rnder piece, and most of generates the crite! n group, the jury expects them to project t acteristics of the given piece in many ingenious This nt of competition therefore becomes a potential force that 1s and perpetuates concerns for and involvement with tradit musical forms. Such concerns also entail identification and familiarization with the traditional people systems of thought, concepts and attitudes that shape their music-making, The popularity of 's willingness and readiness nodes of thought and winner remains, on fests also indicates selves he young pe » Ghanaian traditional social reward given tore-establish expression, Any immedia nd prai ignition ana exert fluences on the practice and lovers of such foreign musical types disco and rock 'n es, there have been he Ghana Broadcast wusic (a widely-known Ghani: paper) on re often labe jade to in favor of Fans who bec shal obsessed with such foreign “ruthless” and ared. st, popular traditional bands and modest brands of highlife are looked upon and appreciated with pride and admiration. These traditional typesare generally regarded asappropriate to Ghanaian cultural goals and aest These positive and negative appraisals, therefore, present the Ghanaian youth with a choice, While not everybody is ready to give up or curtail his or her taste for foreign music, public opinion has been a s musics das “uncouth, ic tastes! nificant stimulus which directs mus ns and music lovers toward ethnic music and popular traditional bands, Public fear thatthe youth will mature as people without “roots thereby lessened.we opular Music And Soci Technological Li Most Ghanai hey are the reache y and wardware sophisticatio In the case Y quite aware of th n Euro-American popular music which concern themselves mainly with foreign music he appropriate musical skills and instruments is strong.2? decade now Ghana's ni onomy has been on this situation has pl both private purchase such keyboards lure some of musics and musical ins or about a ing side and Howances for nd corporate needs, nodern and ments as syni limitations, therefore, Bio-Ecological Factor Ghanaian pop en born and brought up in the is of Ghana, Fur mpulses (also artistic) which have © totally effaced by the process of ion of foreign music, the bio-ecological factor would permit certain forms of adaptation individual or group cannot be denied black race (Negroid), Ghanaian certain’ common preferences? The poi musician would have a h as rhythm and. specific sound being emphasized here is that the Ghanaian natural tendency to reproduce or exemplify ical charac ‘sin any form of music- some of his indige making, folk” isomniprese varying in quality, quantity and significance. Mediation The economic factor described above ( Limitations") further directs musicians to take specific courses of action it order to publicize and protest lack of government subsidy for the music Bands’ basic needs remonstrated for include inadequate recording and production facilities and the need for ic to realize oF appreciate the industry's foreign exchange ea In one protest held recently, folk musi were greatly enhanced, demonstrate the musicians’ industry instruments and costume only to draw public sympathy but also t0 tion of oward the sonnel ‘The Place of the ‘Folk’ In Ghanian Popular Music 39 ipulated to serve needs and wr first West African count Ghana is the (1957) from Britis Kwame Nkv promulgated cult reverberations im visions were widely disse “go back for he idea of cultural constantly reminds the people of Ghana of the n ce. The term, by virtue of i approach to implications. ie and preserve tra ians and thei I sector, nal musical forms es by turning to creativity and € can also be policies, In alll, we have seen how differ for popular music in Gi implementation of specific pol ese fa s and the organization of contests en within each band Internal struggles among the various bands (and even with for supremacy. patronage, wider audience and the diferent levels of creative and aesthetic quests are some of the informal and indirect factors Ik forms effecting return to Other Aspects of Ghanaian Popular Music Ghanaian popular music could hardly be identified as such during its incipient stages. Thus both Nketia and Jones have labeled the music in those early stages (ca. 1950) as “neo-folk."*® However, there wi obvious characteristics and these are stated in summary as follows: centain40 Music elements provided. id Ap hyth Popular Music And Society sical forms such as Br etand trombos ' fe music ting in such subf t sik ses of music smanship ind ability in adapting folk er validate and support folk Summary of Folk Elements (e paper to analyze and account for folk al “Concert ney The Place of the ‘Folk’ In Ghanian Popular Music 1" folk melodies as Chechekule, Pete-pete, and Nene Is.3* on is paid to made use of suc Bukubuku Nene w' Generally, the more tradition folk or traditional materials?” Although rhythmic texture in highlife is related in many ways to nd in Ghanaian ethnic musics, one outstanding apsect regards th +h patterns are generally mate music as “time Such rhythini wsies and There a yctural patterns in ethnic most of highlife n response, polyphonic ir such special s mel ululation, yells, » and spoken expression. It these musical characteris Land stylistic de should, however, be emp! reinterpreted in order to suit the contextu fe genre nands of the ce, Text and Costume sown dane note though local language Js, 10 folk, th in English and in local is the predominant sand folktales." a large role ies and ons and criticism wctings n of individual and group form, therefore, folk forms The Concert Party can also be described as largely influenced by play idiosyner: peoples’ daily and the ind the western formal attire yands which wusic, traditional wear nial and state fut is and choice. Du 1g cen encouraged, especially is involved. 1 a situation where highlife dar is are very specific in the terms of the w ic involved. Popular traditional bi ethnic mus as appropriate costun ted ritual ed costun to assume ometimes the dimensions. In42 Popular Music And Society cloth, necklaces and wristlets made from special beads and they may perform bare-footed. There are, howev ns as to what, how much and how to wear the costume and as {ar as popular traditional bands are concerned. Since the musicians are just botrowing these folk elements, they therefore haye freedom in the manner in which those elements should be used. In sum, this paper has tried to expose some of the levels and degreesat which folk consciousness in Ghanaian popular music can be described and interpreted. An attempt has been made to isolate, interrelate and explain how both general and specific factors influence the persistence and development of folk elements in Ghanaian popular music and musical musical elements have been emphasized. The definition of “folk” in the Ghanian contest folk ssic outlined, General characteristics of the Ghanaian popular music have been summarized in terms of folk influences. It is hoped that subsequent researches into Ghanaian popular music would address, in detail, the problem of defining Ghanaian popular music in order toclarify hose universals that would include highlife (and its subforms), fusion wands and popular traditional groups. A detailed musical analysis involving specific samples of both popular and folk musics is also recommended. Notes There ‘The Place of the ‘Folk’ In Ghanian Popular Music Darke a3 see J the NewSuadene in Both ave bad Review Essay 41 HURTS ME TOO" THIS IS BLUES AY 1D THE LATE 1960s BRITISH BLUES BOOM. Paul Fryer, NC ITBP, EF the mid-1960s, the lon; the simplest and most influential met styles (0 a national a were not native, whether to Britain or to Ame tinable to spread the style through consistent and local touring and performing. Whereas rock 'n’ roll spread through the single, through discs like Bill Haley's ‘Rock Around The Clock’ and Elvis Presley's’ Heartbreak Hotel,’ the blues booms of the 1960s were propagated and strengthened by albums, by both black and white blues artists. The album was the cential unit of production, the focal point for dissemination. Unlike the single, that could serve as no) inemory-stirrer or as one-off pop song, the album presented a cross-section ofan artist's repertoire, al atartist to develop thematic statement and, in some cases, world-view. m could have a tremendous hh its ability to spread musical fashion and bum could either feature previoush owing t influence on tastes thro e audien knowledge to a wi popular music, increasing its level of popularity, or it could present the music of a few fanatics to a national audience and, in doing so, t music of a small minority into an acceptably—mainstream style. The album, in the 1960s, was both catalyst for future change and mirror of past developme The popularity of any album that was to break new ground could ver be faitly predicted. Much would be dependent upon catching a national mood, or on appearing at exactly the right time to synchronise with the birth of a new fashion, The end result becomes the “seminal album,” the record possessed by the many and held as being a classic work, Such albums, as classics, can then expect tosell consistently overa number of years, to new devotees and to music historians looking for an album that represents a style of music. Blues was dependent upon record albums more than most other musics for success within the British market. No fe black blues musicians not resi ited Kingdom, with the exception of Champion Jack Dupree, butalso their work was rarely readily availabl discs issued by home-based companies. Many of the best artists were dead 's oft-quoted comment, nthe rat in the U s were ageing and infirm, Charles K 45