Explore Highlife on Josplay Music Highlife music is composed of an intro, a verse, a chorus, and an instrumental break, and its style is distinguished by its lively, danceable pace and infusion of Western musical elements such as swing, jazz, and blues. Highlife is also noted for its emphasis on musical virtuosity and improvisation.
Highlife is a soft and danceable music genre that was created in Ghana. Highlife derives form from Akan traditional music. The use of Western instruments common to the broader Jazz genre gives Highlife a Jazz texture. Indeed, Highlife is a more colorful variant of Jazz. Highlife inspired other genres such as Igbo-highlife, found in Eastern Nigeria, and Bugger-Highlife. Elements of Highlife are also active in Southern African genres like Sungura.
Influenced By: Palmwine MusicJazz
Spin-Offs: JujuBurger HighlifeIgbo-highlife
The genre took root during the colonial era when European military and brass bands were introduced to Ghana (then the Gold Coast). Local musicians began to integrate these foreign musical influences with traditional African sounds. This blend formed the backbone of highlife music, characterized by its use of Western instruments like horns, guitars, and drums, alongside African rhythms.
The earliest highlife orchestras were brass bands and dance orchestras, such as the Excelsior Orchestra and the Jazz Kings in Accra, as well as the Winneba Orchestra and Ashanti Nkramo Orchestra in Cape Coast. In these early stages, highlife was mainly an elite form of entertainment, often performed at European-style balls and social events, which is why the genre's name emerged. The term "highlife" was coined in the mid-1920s by lower-income people who couldn't afford to enter the fancy clubs where the music was played but could hear it from outside. They referred to it as "high life" because it was associated with the luxurious lifestyle of the wealthy.
As the genre evolved, it absorbed elements of American jazz and swing, which became popular in the 1930s and 1940s due to the presence of American soldiers in West Africa during World War II. During this period, E.T. Mensah, widely known as the "King of Highlife," began to rise to prominence in Ghana. Mensah was instrumental in transforming highlife into a more accessible and popular genre, especially by incorporating jazz and calypso elements. He led the famous Tempos Band, one of the most influential groups in highlife history.
Highlife reached its golden age in the 1950s and 1960s, particularly after Ghana gained independence in 1957. Highlife music became a symbol of national pride and cultural identity, both in Ghana and in Nigeria. It thrived across both countries, where musicians like Victor Olaiya, Rex Lawson, and Bobby Benson in Nigeria helped to expand the genre's reach. In Nigeria, highlife blended with local musical styles such as juju and Afrobeat, further diversifying its sound.
Highlife music's vocal style is distinguished by its smooth, lyrical delivery and inclusion of African harmonies and rhythms. The vocals are frequently performed in a call-and-response format, with the main vocalist improvising and being responded by a chorus. The vocal style of highlife music reflects this by being bright and energetic.
Highlife music topics frequently concentrate around social and cultural concerns, love, and ordinary life experiences. Love, heartbreak, marriage, and relationships are common themes in highlife music. They may also discuss political and social themes like as colonialism, independence, and the fight for liberty and equality. Highlife is also noted for its bright, positive atmosphere, which represents the cultural norms of the West African communities from whom it originated.
Highlife music is strongly ingrained in West African culture, notably in Ghana and Nigeria. It is seen as a synthesis of Western and African musical forms and represents the cultural interaction that occurred throughout the colonial period. Highlife music was popular among the educated middle class and was first performed in metropolitan nightclubs and dance halls. It became a sign of West African cultural refinement and pride.
The brass section, which comprises trumpet, trombone, and saxophone, adds a vibrant and energetic vibe to the song, while the guitar and keyboard add a bluesy and jazzy flavor. African percussion instruments, such as the talking drum and xylophone, lend a complex rhythmic character to the song, which is further enhanced by the use of improvisation. ighlife music has a distinct and vibrant timbre, with a sophisticated combination of Western and African musical components that produce a distinct and recognized sound.
Brass instruments such as trumpets and saxophones are commonly used in highlife music arrangements, as are rhythm section instruments such as drums and percussion, and string instruments such as guitar and bass. The rhythm section keeps the pace going, while the brass and string sections provide melodic and harmonizing portions. For the percussive style, the Ghanaian highlife uses the "Ghanaian cowbell rhythm" that starts on the 2 instead of one on the 4/4 kick style while the Nigeria highlife uses the 3/2 or 2/3 clave. Representing it on a 16hr clock, the cowbell goes on 6,10, and 14 while the 3/2 clave goes on 16,3,6,10, and 12, accompanied by the 4/4 kick rhythm that goes on 16,4,8, and 12.