[Dixielandjazz] Highlife

[Arnold Day]

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: John Farrell 
  To: DJML 
  Sent: Monday, November 01, 2004 12:17 PM
  Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Highlife


  Arn claimed :

  "The "social music" was called (in English) "Highlife" which used European
  musical instruments (mainly brass) and certainly West European harmony and
  melody as its basis. It bore a very stong relationship to West Indian
  calypso music (as one would expect)."

  I seem to recall that Highlife was the music originating in South African
  slum townships played on penny whistles, guitars etc. Years ago a show was
  put together featuring this kind of thing starring Miriam Mkeba (The Click
  Girl) which opened in London to rapturous reviews. Not my cup of tea
  however.

  No, definitely from West Africa, John, thought it appears that it had some of its roots in Calypso, not the other way around. Have a peek and listen at  http://www.notz.com/african_highlife.htm

  The British OKOM pianist Johnny Parker married one of the girls from thehttp://www.notz.com/african_highlife.htm
  show - Johnny had a wooden leg and lived on the top floor of a London apartment block with no elevator!

  You are a mine of information, John!! Was he related to Knocky Parker?

  Arn

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