The genre »Kologo« originates from the northeast of Ghana. From the residing Frafra people, to be exact. Solely in and around Bolgatanga, the capital of this region, there are more than 85 Kologo musicians. For Arnold de Boer, guitarist and singer of the Dutch experimental-improvisations Punk band The Ex that was more than enough reason to compile a compilation of this widely diversified scene. In Ghana, Kologo fills festivals with thousands of visitors and it’s ever-present in bars, cafe, on radios, at parties as well as at traditional funerals. Everywhere. Despite the varying nature of these tracks, either played by a complete live band or sung by a solo singer along to a single Kologo (a two stringed banjo-forerunner consisting of one goatskin covered calabash), these songs are propelling, groovy and extremely danceable. The single, bold dogma of these recordings is to be created without any computer beats. Often european listeners find the compiled music curiously familiar, as they are reminded of the American Delta Blues, through the lyrics full of feelings and social criticism, sung in Frafra and Pidgin English, as well as through their powerful rhythms. This shouldn’t stand in the way of the distribution of this exciting music in this part of the world.
This Is Kologo Power!
