Various Artists: Ghana Soundz

The '60s and '70s were indeed a happening time in West Africa, following the advent of jazz-based highlife bands and the surging influx of funk. What drove the whole scene was the fact that all this music was dance music, which made it popular and thus encouraged a whole generation of musicians to take part.

And so that brings us to Cleret's discoveries, combed from releases by independents like Essiebons Music and Agoro Music. (Ghana, unlike Nigeria, did not receive much industry attention during this period.) Each one is lovingly documented with date and source (where available) and generous background information about the artist.

One highlight: "Eyi Su Ngaangaa" by the Sweet Talks (1976), a deeply funky excursion into simple harmonies, slyly decorated with an extended trumpet solo by Arthur Kennedy. What makes this tune so special is not its hip groove or catchy melody, but the level of depth and detail that develops in the percussion department. Of all the countries in West Africa, Ghana has perhaps the most complex drumming tradition—and while funk and fusion tended to distill rhythms down to the backbeat, the Sweet Talks draw upon the country's greatest traditional strength.

K. Frimpong and his Cubanos Fiestas make an appearance with "Hwehwe Mu Na Yi Wo Mpena" from 1977—which draws, not surprisingly, from the congas and the bright Cuban horn tradition. But it's also very jazzy, with improvised solos on sax (George Amissah) and trumpet (Arthur Kennedy). The mix of styles here works very well.

"Self Reliance" by the African Brothers International Band is essentially all rhythm section, except for the vocals. The guitars, drums, and organ beat as one supercharged entity along time signatures that twist and turn, traveling through complex territory. Remarkable more for the tightness of the band than any sort of deep musical statement, the extreme is still breathtaking.

Like any culture in transition, Ghanaian music during the '70s had a difficult time asserting its own identity. So many influences were pouring in and out of the region that there wasn't time or opportunity to form a nucleus. As a result, many of these tunes sound a bit derivative; or maybe that's the point. Deriving ideas from Afrobeat, funk, psychedelia, or fusion is hardly a crime. It's what made West African music strong during this fertile period.

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