Highlife greats to rock New York

The Ghanata Hall on Webster Avenue in the Bronx, New York, is set to rock on Saturday March 9, 2013 with a celebration of Ghanaian musical and artistic ingenuity.

In commemoration of Ghana’s 56th Independence anniversary, Sam Paddy Productions, in collaboration with the Ghana Mission, USA, is putting together a night of exotic highlife music with legendary highlife greats on the bill.

Dubbed the Independence Day FestDance, the night will parade an array of artists headlined by Smart Nkansah, Eric Agyemang and Prince Osei Kofi, in what can has been described as a “star-studded showdown”.

Connoisseurs of vintage Highlife, popularly known in Ghanaian musical parlance as ‘Old Timers’, will not be disappointed as Smart Nkansah, who is flying in from London with his Sunsum Band, is all poised to slam mega hits like 'Nsem Pii', 'Odo kasa a mete asee' and 'Mensee M’adwen'.

US-based Eric Agyemang, acknowledged by National Geographic for helping to develop the ‘Sikyi’ strand of highlife music, is also set to enthrall patrons with classics like 'Abena na aden', 'Nea abe beto' and 'I don’t care' while Prince Osei Kofi, who also lives in the US will do his part with unforgettable tracks like 'Enye mea' and 'Fine Boy'.

Generation X patrons will definitely relive the good old times and reminisce about bands like Sunsum, Sweet Talks and Black Hustlers.

Generation Y connoisseurs will also find a treat with an international all-star band featuring Padmore Oware of Sunsum, Chicago-based Joe Afriyie on trumpet, Asamoah Rambo formerly of Western Diamonds, Papa Jammer on drums, London-based King Kay on keyboards, Australia-based Tricky Joe, also on keyboards and US-based Akua Danquah, formerly of Western Diamonds on vocals.

Millennium generation and generation Z’ers are, however, not left out. The night will also feature an Azonto dance competition and the crowning of Miss Ghana New York.

Special guest for the occasion is the Ghana Consular to the UN.

The event is supported by a host of Ghanaian businesses in the New York area including the Ghana Taxi Drivers’ Association, Gold Coast Shipping and the Joe Mensah Foundation.

New York has a significant Ghanaian population, especially in the Bronx, but the event is likely to attract other African nationals as well as the general New York nightlifers.