Kusum Gboo Prove Their Mettle

Kusum Gboo Professor John Collins of the Music department, University of Ghana, Legon, Last week described Kusum Gboo Ensemble as a world class group capable of marketing rich Ghanaian music overseas and earning much needed foreign exchange for the country.

He said Ghana has not been able to take advantage of millions of dollars available on the music scene mainly due to the over reliance of computer generated rhythms and borrowed foreign beats by local musicians.

Speaking at the launching of ?Worminba?, the second album by Kusum Gboo at the British Council Hall in Accra, Prof. Collins said traditional music is currently making a huge impact overseas adding that if adequate mechanisms are put in place Ghana stands to earn between fifty and seventy million dollars annually through the export of its rich music.

Worminba an eight track album comprise attention-arresting musical compositions and arrangements by Richard Danquah, artistic director of the group. Ancient Ghanaian songs inspired the lyrics which are based on a complex and brilliant set of traditional rhythms. In his contribution of the Pan African Writers Association, Mr. Atukwei Okai said Kusum Gboo Ensemble is a challenge to Ghanaian artistes and architects adding that artistic works and architectural designs must reflect the cultural heritage of Ghana and indeed Africa. He stressed that tradition is meant to empower the people so as to lead them forward and called on various associations related to the arts to organize regular seminars for their members.

Alhaji Sidiku Buari, President of the Musicians Association of Ghana, stated that instead of organizing expensive annual festivals such as NAFAC, Ghanaians must support diverse artistic groups to perform regularly in various parts of the country. This he said will enable them to expose their artistic creations to the public while providing opportunities for local and foreign promoters to access them for possible engagements.

Launching the album, Capt. Rtd. Nkrabeah Effah Dartey, MP for Berekum and Deputy Minister for Local Government and Rural Development commended the group for producing music that reflect the culture and traditions of Ghana adding that Ghanaian artistes must endeavour to promote themselves. He called for the establishment of a huge common hall where artistes could perform regularly as part of the need to sensitize Ghanaians Ghanaians on the importance of the arts in national development.