Explorer: Ghana - Ancient Ceremonies [Original recording reissued]

Various Artists (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 27, 2002)
• Original Release Date: 1979
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording reissued
• Label: Nonesuch
• ASIN: B00006C75Y
• Also Available in: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #397,583 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Through proverbs and songs, the griots of Ghana preserve their local philosophy, code of conduct and history.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars High quality field recordings, March 8, 2004

By 

m_noland "m_noland" (Washington, DC United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Explorer: Ghana - Ancient Ceremonies (Audio CD)

Field recordings made in the 1970s of traditional music from various locations in Ghana. The musicians are accomplished non-professionals. The repertoire is traditional. In these senses is the music is much closer to what one would hear at traditional gatherings (such as the installation of a new chief) than say that produced by professional folk musicians such as Mustapha Tettey Addy or Foday Musa Suso. The audio quality of these recordings is quite high, though on a number of tracks considerable incidental crowd noise is also audible - in some sense adding to documentation of the social context of these performances. The Smithsonian CD "Rhythms of life, Songs of Wisdom" is similar but more stylistically diverse, including local brass bands, for example. Instruments played in these recordings include the axatse (a gourd rattle), dzil and chohun (similar to a xylophone or marimba), donno (talking drum), gonje (single stringed bowed lute), gyamadudu (bass drum), mpintintoa (single headed gourd drum), namuma (animal horn trumpet), wiik (flute). Number of tracks also feature vocals in local languages.