The Rough Guide to Highlife (2003 album)

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.

The Rough Guide to Highlife
Compilation album by
Various artists
Released4 February 2003
GenreWorld, Highlife
Length64:33
LabelWorld 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

Critical reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
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 Sankofa 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

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No.TitleArtistLength
1."Igede"Celestine Ukwu4:06
2."Ka-Anyi Jikota"Chief Stephen Osita Osadebe5:07
3."Ekombi"Jerry Hansen (musician) & The Ramblers Dance Band3:12
4."Bosoe"Joe Mensah9:36
5."Guitar Boy"Victor Uwaifo5:20
6."Bone Biara So Wo Akatua"Nana Ampadu & The African Brothers4:24
7."Asare"Alex Konadu4:58
8."Esonta"Inyang Henshaw3:11
9."Medzi Medzi"E.T. Mensah2:54
10."Omo Pupa"Victor Olaiya 
11."Ohia Asoma Wo"King Onyina2:46
12."Bere Bote"Rex Lawson2:56
13."Agyeman Baidoo"T.O. Jazz4:14
14."Binu Binu"Orlando Julius2:54
15."Hilife Time"George Darko6:07

References

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  1. ^ a b c Christgau, Robert. "Consumer Guide". Retrieved 9 Jan 2014.
  2. ^ World Music Network. "About Us - The WMN Story". Retrieved 10 Jan 2014.
  3. ^ a b 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.
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