(Note: This post was updated on December 21, 2007.)The African Brothers Band International, led by Nana Kwame Ampadu I, are a Ghanaian institution, having been in existence since 1963, and have upheld the Guitar Highlife standard through assorted fads and vicissitudes. They are distinguished not only by their professionalism and innovation, but their lyrics, which often address social problems, as in this selection:
African Brothers Band - Teenage Pregnancy
I haven't heard much from the Brothers lately, but I believe they're still plugging away. "Teenage Pregnancy" is from their early '90s cassette release, Kukrukukru (Akuboat Music).
After first posting this, and listening to the African Brothers for the first time in a number of years, I realized once again how much I enjoyed their down-home vocals and simple, unaffected stylings. The Brothers are not unknown to African music fans who've been around for awhile. Several of their LPs were released by Makossa Records in the U.S. during the '70s and '80s, as was Me Poma (Sterns 1004) in the U.K. in 1984. These are now all long out of print.
Here are two more African Brothers tracks, both from Tunes to Remember (Akuboat CAB 029), a "Greatest Hits" CD issued around 1992:
African Brothers Band International - Somu Gye W'akrantee Ntoaso
African Brothers Band International - Yenwiee Abrabo
