By:   JONATHEN THOMPSON

AS part of its contribution to the celebration of Ghana’s 50^th anniversary, the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA) has brought together various artistes to record an eight-track album titled Championing African Excellence Party Music.

Musicians featured on the album are Pozo Hayes, Thomas Frepong, King Ayisoba, Prince Osei Kofi, King David, Sydney, Adani Best, Chicago, Baba Jamel, Tony Dee, C.K. Morrison, Abu Mohammed, Sule Bawah, Musiga Base-line Sinera and Africa Showtime Singers.

Although the album was meant to celebrate the 50^th anniversary of the country, one song on it has been dedicated to the “Joseph Project” being undertaken by the Ministry of Tourism and Diaspora Relations.

The “Joseph Project” was fashioned along the Biblical story of Joseph who was sold into slavery by his Brothers but eventually became a ruler whom his family later runs to for help during the time of severe famine. Thus, Africans living in the Diaspora represent Joseph and those in this continent are his brothers who sold them into slavery to the Europeans who stand for Egypt.

This project was designed by the Ministry of Tourism to welcome home fellow Africans living abroad and reconcile with them as the country celebrates its Golden Jubilee. The title of the song made in honours of this project is Akwaaba Anyemi.

Congratulations.  The Honourable Minister for Culture shows his appreciation with raised fingers.  The Those with him are Alhaji Sidiku Buari and Diana Hopeson, President and Vice-President respectively of MUSICA.

The album opens with Akwaaba Anyemi, a danceable highlife song which is dedicated to “Joseph Project”. The various artistes use different languages to welcome home the descendants of fellow Africans who were sold into slavery centuries ago.

King Ayisoba introduces the song at the beginning with “I want to see you my brothers and sisters” using his traditional “guitar”. The rhythm then changes to higlife as the other artistes add their voices to the song.

Celebration follows in a rather fast-paced hiplife tune featuring Samini, Sydney, Chicago, and Adani Best among others. Here, the singers join in the celebration of Ghana’s 50^th anniversary and declare the country as being “This piece sounds more like a hiplife track since it has more of the hiplife artistes on it.

A favourite piece is Beloved Country which also talks about the Golden Jubilee celebrations of the country. The song begins with a jazz rhythm and is later fused with a Caribbean kind of beat to make it enjoyable.

There is something in the album for the young ones who are mostly into hiplife music. Ghana @ 50 could be described as a perfect hiplife song which goes in the jama vein and as the title suggests, the artistes try to hail the country for coming this far.

Another good song which uses a fusion of highlife and the Ga’ Gome beat is Ejole. It is sung in Ga to congratulate the country and give thanks to God for sustaining the peace which has existed here for a long time.

Other songs on the album are Jubilation, Thank God and Unite. It was produced by the MUSIGA in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism and Onetouch Network.

GRAPHIC SHOWBIZ -          Thurs., July 26 –Wed. Aug., 1, 2007                Page: 6