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Study Unit 6.2: Sub-Saharan African

popular music

1 BACKGROUND PREPARATION: SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

(See study unit 6.1 Sub-Saharan African traditional music)

2 PLANNING THE ITINERARY

3 ARRIVAL: GHANA
(See study unit 6.1 Sub-Saharan African traditional music)

4 Site 1: Palm wine “Highlife” Song

“Palm-wine highlife song”, performed by Koo Nimo and band and recorded by David B.
Coplan, Kamasi, Ghana, 1970.

4.1 Cultural considerations

Palm wine music is considered to be a type of Ghanaian “highlife” music. The term “highlife”
is essentially a broad label applied to a variety of popular musical styles found not only
throughout Ghana but also in several nearby West African countries. Early highlife music
was strongly European-derived – the name itself refers to the social events of the European
elite – and centered on dance bands that played ballroom music, such as foxtrots and
waltzes. This music thrived during the 1920s and 1930s and continued its popularity as new
Western styles, such as jazz and swing, fused with the African popular sound.

Palm wine represented the opposite end of the social spectrum, being performed primarily
for lower-class audiences who often “paid” the musician by buying him drinks, such as palm
wine, an alcohol made from fermented palm tree sap. The palm wine style has long been
overshadowed by the dance band sound, but during the 1950s, when Ghana achieved its
independence, a few palm wine musicians became well known due to the social
commentary included in the lyrics of their songs – most notably Kwaa Mensah, who released
hundres of records. As electrified instruments began to take center stage in the guitar-based
“highlife” bands, palm wine all but vanished. By the mid-1970s, however, a roots music
revival had reinvigorated the genre, and artists such as Koo Nimo, heard in our example,
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achieved a modicum of popularity. Palm wine music continues to have a loyal following
throughout Ghana and elsewhere in sub-Sarahan Africa. Because its primary performers are
amateur musicians, it is often compared to the old acoustic blues in the United States, even
though its sound is quite different.

4.2 First impressions

Palm wine guitar music is easy-going. While other genres of “Highlife” may use larger
ensembles and electrified instruments, the palm-wine style continues to be popular in many
parts of sub-Saharan Africa as an amateur musician’s pursuet, due to its minimal
instrumentation – usually just guitar and a supporting percussion instrument – simple
melodic content, and breezy, light-hearted feel. The music inspires you to “sway” rather than
dance, as you lose yourself in its hypnotic melodic polyrhythms and lyrical vocal harmonies.

4.3 Aural analysis

Palm wine music features varied instrumentation, but its traditional format uses the acoustic
guitar in the central role with an accompanying percussion instrument, oftentimes just a
bottle tapped with a small stick or coin. A bass instrument is commonly included to contrast
with the guitar, along with a small drum or tambourine for additional rhythmic support. Our
example uses the ubiquitous acoustic guitar, a pair of wooden sticks (claves), a small drum,
and a low-pitched lamellophone called the apremprensemma.

Just as it is in Ghanaian drumming traditions, polyrhythm is the fundamental organizational

principle grounding this melody-oriented music. Each instrument follows its own rhythmic
pattern, which is played continuously but with occasional variations. The woodblocks
articulate this approach most clearly, by playing a syncopated rhythmic pattern throughout.
The apremprensemma also palys a repeated pattern that supports the harmonic movement
of the guitar. The guitar focuses on the interlocking of parts played by the thumb and index
finger and essentially establishes two additional “timeline” patterns. The thumb plays a
repeating bass pattern primarily using two tones, while the index finger interlocks an upper
part that also uses two tones. The combination provides a steady undercurrent of melodic
motives supporting the vocals.

While its most distinctive feature is its guitar-based sound, palm wine music is primarily
vocal. The lead vocalist comments on a variety of subjects, in this case in the Twi language,
and sings the primary melodic line during the sung refrains. These refrains are often
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supported by responding vocalists who add harmony. Because of the polyrhythmic phonic
structure, a variety of “meters” can be heard, such as duple, triple, and compound (six
beats). The voices seem to follow a triple-pulse pattern, whereas the underlying melodic
motives played by the guitar keep a steady duple pulse. The interweaving polyrhythmic
melodic lines of the voices and instruments create a gently flowing sound that feels solid, yet
never stagnant. It is the unique use of polyrhythm with melody instruments that makes palm
wine music one of the world’s most distinctive guitar-based traditions.

LISTENING GUIDE
Ghana: Palm Wine “Highlife” Song
Vocals: Single male lead and small male ensemble
Instruments: Guitar, clave (wooden idiophone), djembe (goblet-shaped drum),
apremprensemma (bass lamellophone)
Time Listening focus
0’00” Listen for the alternating melodic-rhythmic patterns of the guitar, as well as the
supporting apremprensemma pattern. Also, listen carefully to the clave pattern
and steady underlying drum. Try to hear each of these instruments separately,
then as they work together to establish the melodic-rhythmic feel of the
performance.
0’14” Lead vocalist enters.
0’17” Supporting vocal ensemble enters. Listen for the homophonic structure, as
opposed to a unison melodic line, of the refrain.
0’28” Lead vocalist speaks text in English: “This is a story about...”
0’34” Lead vocal and ensemble repeat refrain.
0’53” Lead vocal begins the story in Twi.
1’02” Lead vocal and ensemble repeat refrain.
1’13” Lead vocal continues the story in Twi.
1’52” Lead vocal and ensemble repeat refrain as example fades.

5 BIBLIOGRAPHY

Miller, Terry E. & Andrew Shahriari. 2009. World Music: A Global Journey. Second Edition.
New York: Routledge.