What's On Ghana magazine

TAKE a bunch of homegrown Ghanaian musicians, mix with a nutty professor, throw in some Housey dubs and what do you get? Welcome to Afroganic.

Afroganic does exactly what it says on the tin—pure African rhythms with no artificial additives. You won’t find pesky samples or annoying pseudo-raps here. Instead, you’ll experience a creative fusion of the traditional and contemporary that lets the instruments and vocals speak for themselves.

The brainchild of accomplished sound engineer Kwame ‘Prof’ Acheampong, Afroganic engaged the talents of local street musicians in Accra to create a spontaneous sound that was captured on disc and re-mastered in the UK in to infectious dance grooves.

“My purpose with Afroganic was to bring African music to the masses,” says Prof. “I heard what they did with Latin House and I wanted to create a genre like Afro House to try and put Ghana on the international music map.”

And Prof’s formula seems to be working.The single Yani reached number 7 on the UK club chart and Ghana Sweet is currently at number 14 and rising. The success of Afroganic has generated a lot of interest in Ghana music. Perhaps Prof’s musical world view is down to his cosmopolitan background.

Born in the UK and schooled in Switzerland and Ghana, the Achimota-educated technocrat saw the link between music and technology and decided to exploit it. “The sound coming out of Ghana now is what used to come out of the UK in 80’s. For people who like world music they want to hear indigenous sounds, not a rehash of their own music,” he says, referring to the current state of Ghana music. He sites Atongo Zimba as an example of a successful export staying true to his roots. “Hip-life is fine for Ghana but we should’ve capitalised on Osibisa's sound. Ghana music would’ve been big by now. To break globally there needs to be a radical change.”

And Prof hopes Afroganic is it. His pioneering venture has already set the UK charts alight. Now for the rest of the world.

For more info visit www.afroganic.com.

Favourite nightclub: Aphrodisiac.

Good music, nice crowd, modern setting.

Favourite restaurant: Maquise Tante Marie.

As long as I get the upper terrace and Asanka Locals.

Favourite city: Accra.

Lively, buzzing, cosmopolitan, great for the creative juices.

Favourite hip / high-life:

Kwabena Kwabena. Aso is a great tune.

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