The Rough Guide to Highlife (2003 album)

The Rough Guide to Highlife
Compilation album by Various artists
Released 4 February 2003
Genre World, Highlife
Length 64:33
Label World Music Network
Full series chronology

  • Unwired: Europe
  • (2003)
  • The Rough Guide to Highlife
  • (2003)
  • The Rough Guide to the Music of the Alps
  • (2002)
Complete list

The Rough Guide to Highlife is a world music compilation album originally released in 2003. Part of the World Music Network Rough Guides series, the release covers the Highlife musical genre of Ghana and surrounding countries, focusing on the 1960s and 70s.[1] Graeme Ewens wrote the liner notes, and Phil Stanton, co-founder of the World Music Network, was the producer.[2] This album was followed by a second edition in 2012.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Robert Christgau[1] A-
AllMusic[3]

The compilation's release was met with positive reviews. Robert Christgau called it less even than the contemporaneous The Highlife All-Stars album Sanofka but "eccentric" nonetheless.[1] He went on to name it the twelfth best album of 2003 in the annual Pazz & Jop poll.[4]

Writing for AllMusic, Chris Nickson called it a "treasure trove" as more than half the album's tracks had been previously unavailable.[3]

Track listing

No. TitleArtist Length
1. "Igede"  Celestine Ukwu 4:06
2. "Ka Anyi Jikota"  Chief Stephen Osita Osadebe 5:07
3. "Ekombi"  Ramblers Dance Band & Jerry Hansen 3:12
4. "Bosoe"  Joe Mensah 9:36
5. "Guitar Boy"  Victor Uwaifo 5:20
6. "Bone Biara So Wo Akatua"  Nana Kwame Ampadu & The African Brothers 4:24
7. "Asare"  Alex Konadu 4:58
8. "Esonta"  Chief Inyang Nta Henshaw 3:11
9. "Medzi Medzi"  E.T. Mensah 2:54
10. "Omo Pupa"  Victor Abimbola Olaiya 2:48
11. "Ohia Asoma Wo"  King Onyina 2:46
12. "Bere Bote"  Rex Lawson 2:56
13. "Agyeman Baidoo"    4:14
14. "Binu Binu"  Orlando Julius 2:54
15. "Hilife Time"  George Darko 6:07


References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Christgau, Robert. "Consumer Guide". Retrieved 9 Jan 2014.
  2. ↑ World Music Network. "About Us - The WMN Story". Retrieved 10 Jan 2014.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Nickson, Chris. "The Rough Guide to Highlife". Allmusic. Retrieved 9 Jan 2014.
  4. ↑ Christgau, Robert. "Pazz & Jop 2003: Dean's List". Retrieved 9 Jan 2014.