Standing in the center of the stage at Place Emilie Gamelon, “Nii”, clad in a colorful Kente design of the Akan people of Ghana, dominated the stage with his powerful presence at the Revue de 20 Ans. Samuel “Nii” Okai Robertson was the first (of several artists that day) whose excellent performance resulted in the audience demanding an encore. Nii’s set, highlighted classic moments of Ghana’s musical history. His richly timbered and deep voice brought out the nuances of the traditional Highlife music of Ghana and he soon had the large audience swaying in appreciation. A native of Accra, Nii, sang in English, French, Twi and Ga languages. His repertoire included originals and classic covers ranging from Highlife Time, Okukuseku – a standard highlife original; Kpalogo – a folk medley and Whiskey Soda.
Speaking to Nii after his performance, we learned that he has finished recording a new CD entitled “Highlife Time” including many of the songs did. Several of the songs are sung in French and English to make them more accessible to audiences here, although Nii was quick to stress that the traditional roots were not forsaken on the presentation.
The outfit that Nii wore at the performance was a woven material called “Kente”, which is a typical Ghanaian traditional wear. It was traditionally worn by Kings and Queens on special occasions and during Festivals, more recently the Kente cloth has become synonymous with the cultural branding of Ghana. Nii explained that there are different varieties and the color used as well as the design chosen is typical to each ethnic group within the region. The one that Nii was wearing is one of the versions of the Akan (Asante) people. The Ga-Danme people (which is Nii’s ethnic group) who occupy the Greater Accra plains (the capital of Ghana), usually use the white or Gold versions. The symbols you will find in a Kente cloth have special meaning and indicates the status of the one wearing it. Nii, and the other performers in this retrospective, were backed by “The Odja Band” featuring Brian Quaye on keyboards, Manu Pele on bass, Noel Mpiaza on Drums, David Mobio on another Keyboard and Dominic Donkoh on percussions.
Following the other performers, Nii was called back to the stage for one final encore, ending this special Revue de 20 Ans presentation on a high note. He noted that Highlife music has found a niche in North America supported by a surprisingly large white music-loving community.
By : Bill Harrington
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