King Onyina
King Onyina's Guitar Highlife
Popular African Music (pam), 1999
Kwabena Onyima is a mostly unsung hero of West African pop music, stunningly revealed here in 26 short, snappy singles from his native Ghana in the '50s, '60s, and '70s. The sound is neat and simple---acoustic guitar, bass, hand percussion (including shaker, struck bottle, and a single hand drum), and a spot-on vocal chorus backing Onyima's lead. Onyima's takes on the styles of his day are as delightful as they are fascinating. His "swing" is convincing, although his "blues" sounds more like a gentle reflection of '50s doo-wop, and his "calypso," "mambo," and "cha cha" all bear the rolling lilt of his principle sound: highlife. This was the era when dominant seventh and diminished chords came into the Ghanaian sound, and the music is greatly enriched both by quirky guitar cadences, and also rich vocal arranging that goes far beyond the straight, pretty harmonies we associate with African church choirs, or even the sweet rumba harmonies emanating from the Congo during this same period. This irresistible collection is a must for anyone interested in the roots of African pop, or anyone who loves folksy, danceable pop music from anywhere.
Contributed by: Banning Eyre
Originally published in: Boston Phoenix
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