Guy Warren

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For the Australian painter see Guy Warren (artist)

Kofi Ghanaba is a Ghanaian musician, best known as the inventor of Afro-jazz and as a member of The Tempos. He was born Warren Gamaliel Akwei in Accra on 4 May 1923, later changing his name to Guy Warren of Ghana, and on 1 July 1974, Ghana's Republic Day, ultimately taking the name Ghanaba.

He began his professional career as a drummer with the Accra Rhythmic Orchestra before working with Kwame Nkrumah, the first prime minister and president of the Republic of Ghana. He had spent time in London, Liberia and Chicago perfecting his music, working with jazz greats such as Thelonious Monk' Lester Young and Charlie Parker but achieving little success. He was eventually signed by Decca, a record company attempting to cash in on the exotica craze, but he did not find an audience. In 1965, he returned to Ghana, after studying Buddhism and teaching music to a few visitors. He is also known by the honorary title Odomankoma Kyrema, meaning the Divine Drummer.

Select Discography: Africa Speaks, America Answers, Guy Warren with Red Saunders Orchestra, under the direction of Gene Esposito (1956); Themes for African Drums - The Guy Warren Sounds (1958); African Rhythms - The Exciting Soundz of Guy Warren and his Talking Drums; Emergent Drums - The voice of Africa speaks through the soundz of Guy Warren of Ghana (1963); Afro-Jazz / Guy Warren of Ghana (1969); The African Sounds of Guy Warren of Ghana; Regal Zonophone - The African Zoundz of Guy Warren of Ghana; That Happy Feeling (1979); Ghanaba! Live at the Arts Centre, Accra

Publication: Ghanaba, hey baby! dig dat happy feelin' (Ghanaba African Library; produced by Roger Davies, Chelmsford; 2003)

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