O.D.

I am not on holiday. I've been busy with other matters and have had little time for pleasurable activities, - like sharing great music with you. Hopefully the quality of the next few posts will compensate for the -perhaps disappointing- quantity.

This record is a bit of mystery to me. I copied it from someone who bought the record in Ghana in the 1970s. Like Akwaboa at Highlife Haven I love the "I've found my love" CD on Original Music label. On this CD S.K. Oppong, who is the subject of this post, has three tracks. The tracks are similar to those, and also different.

As I have mentioned before, I have only a very limited knowledge of highlife music. And I can find surprisingly little information about S.K. Oppong on the internet. Surprisingly, because he was a popular actor on Ghana Television (GTV). The Oppong Drama Group of which he was the leader changed its name to "Osofo Dadzie Group". The Osofo Dadzie series apparently achieved cult status. When it comes to his musical achievements I have little or nothing to go on. It is clear he had a background in the concert parties (like E.K. Nyame) and that his music is in the palm-wine guitar band style.

And that's where the tracks on this lp are similar to those of "I've found my love". The difference is in the sound. This "Akwankwaa Hiani" album, released on the Ambassador label, has a more fresh, acoustical sound. I am guessing guitar highlife went through an acoustical stage in the seventies.
It's a great sound, and together with the seemingly casual but complex vocals it's what makes this record into an evergreen.

Ambassador LPAM 015

PS: S.K. Oppong died on December 3, 2001 (according to this).