African Fire / Yerefrefre – The Ogyatanaa Show Band, 1975

🎺🇬🇭🎸📀🔥👯‍♂️ The Ogyatanaa Show Band was formed in Accra in 1971 by diplomat-turned-composer, musical arranger, organist, singer and producer Kwadwo Donkoh, and guitarist and bandleader Nana Ofori-Atta. The group quickly gained in popularity, winning second place in the national dance group competition with their version of the highlife classic « Yaa Amponsah ». After several successful singles, Ogyatanaa finally recorded their first album, « African Fire – Yerefrefre« , in 1975. A side is entirely taken up by a 20-minute medley, a moment of bravura enhanced here and there by little distortions rather unusual here, « Yerefrefre », which pays tribute to the giants of Ghanaian highlife such as E.T. Mensah, Nana Ampadu and King Onyina. The B-side features the group’s first singles, with their fiery groove, « Mmobrowa », the famous « Yaa Amponsah » and « Agya Nyame ». « Yerefrefre » has become a classic of Ghanaian highlife, and at the same time a mythical album, now impossible to find at a decent price. So it’s an excellent idea on the part of Australian label Survival Research to release this reissue in 2020.