On 01-08-2021 22:18:09, pointlesspoint wrote:
A small world indeed! Might have triggered memories . Respect.
I brought back 1000's of mp3's and a couple of cd's back when visiting Ghana with a friend in 2008 & 2010.
I was fortunate getting to know a local dj who provided me the than current hiplife hits, mapuka, soukous, ... .
My friend met his current wife there in 2008 with which he lives in my hometown. In 2010 i returned as a witness for his marriage. He is me 'eternally grateful', sadly kept little contact over the years.
I met a woman while dating lately who has a brother married to a Ghanese. This mix was since long in my head, it probably pushed me over to record it.
I simply forgot to play a couple of tracks while recording while i like them a lot . I will probably re-record this mix to smooth it out a bit better.
There' s certainly enough material for more mixes, maybe more focused on Highlife, the acoustic stuff, probably less quality of recording...
less on the beatmatching/mixing per se i was going for here. If i would listen to it all and make selections... .
All in all it's a bit different than mixing 4/4 'pump your fist in the air' tracks.
Played this music once long time ago at a benefit party, people liked it immensely
On 03-08-2021 23:17:33, pointlesspoint wrote:
Must have made an impression on you as a young child i suppose, not one's everyday experience, living with partents physically seperated, having been exposed to different worlds, if you have been conscious about it at least.
I only know that region you mention by passing by while travelling throught the country.
Coincidence: i visited one of Belgium's former mining areas this weeked and climbed some slag heaps/terrils in what is now a nature reserve.
https://www.visitlimburg.be/sites/default/files/public/import/Thor%20Park%20Waterschei_2723_2.jpg
https://www.energyville.be/sites/energyville/files/styles/rca_p_image_full/public/images/paragraphs/2020/thor_site_lrm_1.jpg?itok=GFt4jGXm
I always returned more flexible than ever from Ghana, while i'm actually quite stiff myself... the head doens't follow the body and reverse, although having enough physical activity during the day and being sportsmanlike, to no avail. There might exist footage of me doing moves during my friend's wedding which might even have surprised the locals (lol).
We were partly tourists, visiting the big cities like Kumasi, have been to Takoradi also, the national park Mole, ... and partly mixing with the locals as i was fortunate to experience village life staying at a farm near Kpandu in the Volta Region; interacting daily with other villagers.
Being from a broken family myself, i must say i cherish this sort of sense of community one will rarely experience in our societies, apart from our own families, without being prejudiced on both sides or having to be romantic or melancholic about it. I wish everyone the best, to experience this somewhere, even if it's in another part of the world.
A second thing which fascinates me but also put up questions is this sort of 'open' society in a sense much much more is visible with the eye alone, from workshops and markets to early capitalist living conditions and simple friendly encounters with strangers. Uncomplicated but at the same time daily life stripped to it's raw, deep essence.
Not to keep going on about this but it was an experience. It's over 50 years ago now and the country will have modernised a lot since the days I was there. We were basically out in the sticks as they say jungle on the doorstep. My sister was born there she has duel nationality Ghanaian and UK. Nice you had an enjoyable experience seeing the other side of life and a different culture. Another coincidence I was out at an old granite stone quarry today which has been adapted for walkers with paths etc. It certanly is a small world for sure!