It does have a couple of pops and some scratches,
somewhere over the years it has lost a corner of it’s sleeve.
This album by the great I.K. Dairo has made a journey before
ending up with us. Baba Aladura was his nickname, the very
popular I.K. Dairo played guitar, acordeon and talking drum.
He called his juju ‘ashiko music’ like it used to be called in the
past. This is volume two to begin with, I’ll post the first volume
some time later. Enjoy listening to I.K. Dairo & his Blue Spots
and don’t forget to find the other seven I.K. Dairo lp’s..

tracks;

01 – Okin omo ni
02 – Adupe baba, oseun
03 – Omo owa ijesha
04 – Talo ba mi ri
05 – Labondo
06 – Omo alaro 1972

Two of the greatest artists in highlife combined their forces
on this here album. Ghana’s ‘King of Highlife’, E.T. Mensah
and Nigeria’s ‘Evil Genius of Highlife’, Dr. Victor Olaiya both
have their impressive career and decided to make a record
together. It is from 1984 and contains 7 wonderful songs.
A must have for every lover of the genre, better get
it and spread it as usual, enjoy..

P.S. Also take a look at our very first post,
seven years ago we started the blog with this lp

tracks;

01 – Trumpet highlife
02 – Anyanko goro
03 – Mr. judge
04 – Odofo nuapa
05 – Omolanke
06 – Essi nana
07 – Yabomisa no.2

It is from 1961 on Decca West Africa, this swell collector
of Nigerian and Ghanaian highlife. It contains hits from
both countries in six languages. Nice vatiation in highlife
playing fairly well part from two small pops. Hope you
like’m, get, listen and pass on..

tracks;

01 – Black Beats Band – Amma mere wu
02 – Black Beats Band – Sore be tie’m
03 – E.T. Mensah & his Tempos Band – Me da wo ase
04 – E.T. Mensah & his Tempos Band – Gbaa anokwale
05 – Stargazers Dance Band – Obi nkabi mma’m
06 – Charles Iwegbue & his Archibogs – Gbamigoro
07 – E.C. Arinze & his Music – Ogbuefi nnamdi
08 – E.T. Mensah & his Tempos Band – Ghana- Guinea-Mali
09 – E.T. Mensah & his Tempos Band – Onipa
10 – Black Beats Band – Telephone lobi
11 – Black Beats Band – Nkome nkomo
12 – E.C. Arinze & his Music – Ozo emena
13 – Charles Iwegbue & his Archibogs – River jordan
14 – Stargazers Dance Band – Obra aye me pasaa

They appear first time at the Groove, we never had any of their
work so far. The white Eagles from Nigeria, fortunately they
sound as black as we hoped for. It’s been some time we had
Nigerian highlife but this one can make up for the hiatus.
A twelve man band with subtle sound, hypnotising
groove with astonishing rhythm, dancing tunes
for your hot summer evening parties,
get it, spread it and play it..

tracks;

01 – Buruindi uyakemedein
02 – Sabagreia ebiama
03 – Bibeti biwenighafiri uruololo
04 – White eagles dance time
05 – Sei-oru

We had a couple of his records, Dan Amakye Dede
and his Apllo International Band of Ghana. He started
as composer and treble singer with the Kumapim Royals.
In 1980 he began forming his own group. The first record
they made was “To be a man na wah !”, I have it waiting
for another occasion, it is scratched a little. Today we’ve
got their second album which was a huge succes in 1984.
Recorded in Onitsha, Nigeria. Listen..

tracks;

01 – Jealousy
02 – Yaba
03 – Abusua
04 – Ife anyi chukwu
05 – Mensuro

The album I intended to post last sunday was this one Kwabena.
When going through them I picked the one with more or less
similar front sleeve. Anyway, here is another of their lp’s from
the same year 1978. It is a little bit noisy but I think it’s one
of their better records, Yellow Sisi and Okponku Special
are straight hits and at least worth a couple of
spins, enjoy doing so..

tracks;

01 – Awisaah
02 – Yellow sisi
03 – Okwan da ma mini
04 – Okponku special

A very popular highlife group in our little music community
is without doubt this one. Sammy Kofi and his Okukuseku
International Band of Ghana worked from Lagos Nigeria.
It’s on Muomaife Records and from 1978. Recorded in a
christian radio studio I do not wish to know what the
lyrics mean. I do know I like it very much musically.
Great rhythms, Sammy Kofi’s wonderful voice,
more sweet highlife, don’t miss..
p.s.
Track #3 has two small pops,
I’m sorry about that.

tracks;

01 – Bz mi dua nie sae
02 – Abua zni dua nyane na pra no tio
03 – Sanka me wo adekye bi sen obia
04 – Mede meho aba munye mami

Hello groovers, yesterday I received some really nice
feedback from one of our visitors. Obiora Obikwelu from
Minnesota USA is from Nigerian descent and grew up with
the Nigerian Highlife of Oliver de Coque, Oriental Brothers
and such. He started his own little group inspired by the
music of his ancestors and sent us some copies of their
songs to share with you. Let’s see what happens.

To begin with, some more studying material from Nigeria.
Chief Stephen Osita Osadebe is back with an album I did
not post yet. Other blogs have brought it but to complete
our Osadebe discography ( some fine day ) I didn’t want
to keep it from you and today is a good day to do so.
It’s frontsleeve is damaged quite bad but I did not find
a solid replacement. It is what it is. The rhythms
however are just breathtakingly wonderful..

Thank you Obi for your mail and it’s fantastic to hear what
came out of your Nigerian hat. I want to ask you visitors to
check youtube for their other songs, they have a few more
there to listen to. Listen to Chief Stephen Osita Osadebe
and lend an ear to the Okwute Melody Makers of Africa
as well, hope you like’m..

tracks;

1 Nne di mkpa
2 Onye aghana nwanne
3 Chukwu di uso
4 Obiajulu

For the lovers of Ghanaian highlife we have an album
by Dan Amakye Dede and his Apollo International Band
of Ghana. It was recorded in Nigeria in 1984 and sounds
a little noisy. It is always difficult, should I keep this album
from posting because it is crackly or continue without holding
back ? I guess I’d rather choose the second option.
Guitar-highlife from Ghana but made in Nigeria is one
of the most popular styles at our page, so if you forget the
noise I’m sure this one will also find a happy listening ear..

tracks;

1 Taxi driver
2 Yen hunu bi da
3 Woa nnare mea membotwo
4 Tun tum black
5 Nye wonko
6 Odo sambe wa mi

As we say in the Netherlands, promise causes guilt. It means
I am in debt to one of our visitors who I promised to post this
record. I kept it on the shelf because it contains jesus titles.
I am a anti religious person, I take distance from any religious
message and support the music as it is, very nice juju. I truly
love the sound but hate the fact that juju artists act like
priests sometimes. So Tony, enjoy this album, the music
is great. If anyone is looking for more King Sunny
Adé, just fill in his name and search,
top left, there are 22 other titles..

tracks;

1 Ka jo mu jo
– Mo bebe fori
– Jeki ntegbe
– Baba ma doju timi
2 Jesu o seun
– Mo dupe
– Bona gbogbo badi
– Orin alleluyah