Asabaako Begins...

AND SO...The Asabaako Music Festival train pulled into Busua village last weekend for two days of live music and SERIOUS beach parties!! After 2 years of figuring out how this might work and a mad few weeks of preparation, everybody came together to make the Asabaako Music Festival a very special event, combining the most beautiful beach setting with a mix of traditional to modern African and African-inspired music. People came from around Ghana and mixed with those from around the world, alongside a village of people whose energy, enthusiasm and welcome left everybody awestruck.

Our Asabaako DJs Kobby Graham, Rita Ray, DJ Juls and Guynamite made daytimes chilling by the beach, sipping on coconut milk and rum, just that little bit more perfect, spinning anything from Afrobeat to hip hop, afro-funk & soul to high life, reggae and loads more.

Asabaako is a way for us to provide a platform for

younger artists with Bless the Mic, bringing

a bus full of underground MCs from Takoradi to tear up this usually quiet village resort. Performances from Sketches, Spooky, Nero, Jay Billz, Pictures, King Arthur, Scurry plus Macho

Rapper, while Kweku Ananse brought a whole different vibe with his solo balafon performance.

The Agona brass band got everybody moving, while one of Ghana’s hottest rappers, Yaa Pono, took the crowd in the palm of his hands with his distinctive flow and hard hitting punchlines.

Wanlov the Kubolor, our headline artist representing Pidgen Music, had already got the vill

age’s attention by strolling through town in his trademark dreadlocks with nothing but a tight pair of swimming trunks. But things got really interesting when he introduced his African Gypsy band, including a French

accordion player and violinist, to bring something completely different to Asabaako.

And the after parties...WOH. Man....they were serious. They were serious beach parties man. I can’t even really put them into words. Big ups to our Busua DJs, Shocka and Andy Stoner!

Smashed it.

It was a fantastic community effort, with boys from the village helping to put the stage together, running around picking up last minute generators, getting food together for our artists...and best of all, the village LOVED it. I’ve

been walking through the street since having anyone from kids to old women shout “ASABAAKO!” at me as I go by. Which is nice.

OK, so preparation was a little complicated. What was supposed to be a 2-day beach party about 5 weeks before, took an interesting turn when US hip hop legend Talib Kweli tweeted to his 260,000 followers that he wanted to perform...despite the difficulty we knew we’d face, we gave it a go, had it lined up, but were then forced to cancel due to sponsorship problems...eventually taking us BACK to our original plan...

(That’s a very long story short)

The past year has been an amazing experience of highs and lows, and it’s as if that was all building towards some crescendo of madness that carried into the last few hours of Asabaako 2011. Talib, no Talib....sponsorship, no sponsorship,

bit of sponsorship maybe....but we got there, we did it, despite the various and plentiful challenges and pitfalls, we did it, and not without

thanks to the dozens of people who helped us, along the way and on the day itself. It’s been an emotional rollercoaster like nothing you would ever imagine, but we’ve got there. The first

Asabaako is done, and preparation is underway for the next with an increased programme and international artists currently in discussions. And I’m telling you...BIG tings about to happen

here in Ghana!

So I guess this is where we say thank you...It’s

quite a list. So let’s get on with it. Thank you EVERYONE for EVERYTHING you’ve done to help us

get where we are, for those who helped us out when times got hard, who believed in us when doubt reared its ugly head. Your support, guidance, advice, contacts and stress relief techniques

have started something that more and more people now see will really, truly grow into something very special.

BIG LOVE to (in alphabetical order)...

Achoo, African Rainbow (Bill, Sewa, Nana and the team), Africa Cola (Aicha, Pierre and the

team), Akua and Louise, Akwaaba UK (Eben and Elliot), Ameyaw Debrah, Amy Clark, Bob Gallagher, Bibie Brew, Bill Bedzrah, Ben Bish Clark, Black Star Surf Shop (Naiomi, Yaw, Kofi, Charles, Ernest, Nat and the team), Bless the Mic, Busua Inn (Daniel & Oliver), Brown Berry, Dadson Lodge (Mama Betty, Julie and my many Dadson wives), David Thomas, Ebeneezer Bentum, Entertainment Revolution (Regis and Ben), Fayzbuqbwoi AbeikuQuansah Breezy, Fiona Stewart,

Ghana Facebookers (Nana Yaw, Bizzy Mill, Eli, Gamel et al), GhanaWestCoast.com (Lorena and Stephen), The supportive family!, Green Turtle Lodge (Tom and Jo), Ian Bowden, Iso Paelay, Jay Hill, Jean Berthon, Jambo Lafferty, Jon K Fidler,

Kajsa, Kate Marriage, Kobby Graham, Kofi Amponsah, Kweku Ananse, i-cr8 (T, Alima and the team), Lisa Lovatt-Smith of OrphanAid Africa, Macho Rapper, Macjordan, Mantse, Marie Howell, Melody FM and Gyandoh, M3nsa (next year I'm telling you!!), MMRS Ogilvy (Miguel, Nathalie, Fred and the team), The Moringa Tree (Chris Vaughan & the team), Nana Chillin, Nana Queci Otu Nketsia, Ms Naa, Neon Comms UK (Sam, Rols and the kids), Nick, Tom, Steve and the “overlanders”, Nii Ayertey Aryeh, Nii Sai Doku, Paa K Holbrook Smith, Paa Kwesi aka

RASTAMAN, Panji Anoff and Pidgen Music, Paul Stagg, Pete Nardini (Surf Shop & Black Star Development NGO), PY, Quantas, Rita Ray, Sidique, Skyy TV and Radio, The SRK, Stak Dollar Bundles and the OC crew, Takoradi Facebookers, Tacitus, Trenton Birch, Uncle Ralph Casely-Hayford, Valerie Lesbros, Vodafone (Cynthia and the B&S team), Wanlov the Kubolor, Yaa Pono, Yemisi Mokuolu of Out of Africa, and everyone else who's pointed us in the right direction or lent a helping hand along the way.

And a special thanks to all the people of Busua for letting us party on your beach, partying alongside us, helping to get everything together and for your continued support. We hope the festival will continue to bring business your way and show the world what a beautiful place you have here.

So, another mighty step...and now we continue. Join our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/asabaako or visit www.asabaako.com for updates on the next event!

The Party warms up in the midday sun

Village hype with a type of promotion we like to call "keeping it real marketing"

Everyone playing their part for the festival set up!

Wanlov effortlessly blends into the Busua community

Sunrise in Busua after an all night party. While playing Rokia Traore on a massive soundsystem. Try it.

What happens when you leave an empty stage on Busua Beach...

Asabaako Festival to launch...on Busua Beach!

So amongst everything else that’s been going on, maybe it’s about time we told you a little more about how this music festival idea is coming along, shall we?

Well, first of all, let’s talk about a little place called BUSUA, a fishing village located on the coast of Ghana’s Western Region and the site of what we hope will develop into one of the world’s great music festivals. Here are a few pictures of this enchanting place from a recent trip over Xmas/ New Year.

So why Busua? Well, it could be for the beautiful sandy beach, the tropical rainforest surrounds, the emerging tourism industry in the region just waiting to be discovered...the storybook style coconut tree desert island located out in front of the bay...the warm sea... the surfers....but what’s most special about this place is the people. The energy – the fact that people can come here, relax and enjoy themselves alongside the most chilled, laid back hosts – the Busua villagers.

The accommodation ranges from budget $8 huts on the beach to upmarket, more exclusive options. And the party potential is HUGE. So that’s why we’re planning to hold a mini festival...a 2-day party to get the ball rolling....this March on Ghana’s Independence Weekend.

The festival will be named Asabaako, which translates as “One Dance” in Akan to signify the coming together of people from all around to dance the same beat in unity. And it all begins....

GHANA INDEPENDENCE WEEKEND, MARCH 5th - 6TH!!!

The first event, on Saturday March 5th, will be held on the rooftop of the African Rainbow Resort, with amazing views over the beach and village and out onto the jungle. On Sunday March 6th, the party people will be hitting the Black Star Surf Shop for an all day, all night party with drummers, beach fire and big tunes to take us into the next morning. DJs from Accra, Takoradi and London spinning everything from hip hop to afrobeat, high life to house, hip life to r&b and tunes from around AFRIKA!!!

We are already planning for 2012...more on that to come. But for this year, we aim to lay the foundations for the start of something very special, so, if you’re in or plan to be in Ghana around that time, you’d better make it down for the first ASABAAKOOOOOO!

So, keep an eye out for the facebook page and mini website, which should be with you this week. MORE INFO TO FOLLOW, so if you want to be kept updated, join the facebook event when it comes through or email info@beatingtracks.com.

The people of Busua get the festivities going on Christmas Day

YES THIS IS BUSUA BEACH!!!

YES THIS IS THE NEXT BEACH ALONG THE COAST!!! BUTRE!!!

View from the Black Star Surf shop....the calm before the ASABAAKO! storm....!!

OrphanAid Weekend!

So, in December 2009, Kofi and I left the UK to get on the road to Ghana. Exactly a year after, to the same DAY, we celebrated our 1 year African birthday with OrphanAid Weekend, a range of activities throughout Accra culminating with a concert at the Alliance Francaise.

The event ran very well and was a lot of fun, with artists Blakk Rasta, Samini, Fiifi Selah, King Ayisoba and the Vibration Kings bringing a total party vibe and encouraging some seriously sweaty dancing amongst a mixed crowd of Ghanaians and ex-pats. The following day we had a sportsday for kids with Marcel Desailly at his new sports centre in Accra.

The whole experience was a really good one for us, with a full on media schedule with our artists across TV, radio and press to ensure that the word of OrphanAid Africa was spread far and wide, alongside posters all around town, flyers and an online Facebook campaign.

The show will also be aired on national TV in the next couple of weeks, during which an SMS shortcode will be displayed for people to donate money via text, where we hope to raise a lot more money for OA.

And now onto the next adventure...which, honestly, could be anything, but our main focus will be the festival and its location, previously revealed, on Busua Beach...which is where we are this weekend for another “site visit” (YES!!!!). My next blog will detail exactly how it’s developed, what we’re planning, and details of the begging-for-money process we’re about to go through.

ONE YEAR ON and the madness continues. The time has gone so quickly it’s unreal yet I can’t even begin to explain what a fucking roller coaster ride it’s been. Fucking madness. Maybe I should start posting excerpts of the private “warts-and-all” journal to beef up this watered down

version... ;-)

OK, our camera is no longer working, so I’ve stolen a little selection of pics from facebook (thanks everyone...!) Big thanks to all our artists, our sponsors Africa Cola, MTN, Shoprite, Alliance Francaise, Marcel Desailly and the Lizzy Sports Complex, all our media partners, Multimedia, The Graphic Showbiz, the Mirror, Iso Paelay and the guys at TV3, our host Blakofe, Panji, Eric Don Arthur, Nana Yaw, Bizzy Mill, GH Facebookers and of course the lovely Lisa Lovatt-Smith of OrphanAid Africa, and all the energy their kids brought to the show.

Beating Tracks – Event producers indirectly involved in saving children’s lives.

Beating Tracks doing it for the kids

So, aside from setting up a music festival in Ghana, and the various other day-to-day emotional rollercoasters we tend to fall into, we’ve been working on some other little things here and there to build up the experience and contacts. Our current project, OrphanAid Weekend, had its press launch on Friday and is gearing up to be a nice little number. We doin it for the kiddies, ain’t we!!

A few months ago we met an exceptional individual named Lisa Lovatt-Smith, a multilingual former model and editor of Vogue Paris, turned best-selling author, turned child life-saving extraordinaire (amongst other things…). Lisa set up OrphanAid Africa (OA) in 2001, an NGO which takes orphaned, abandoned and vulnerable children out of orphanages (where they are often abused, mistreated and psychologically traumatised) before then tracing, helping to support, and putting the children back into their extended families and communities. With the country becoming ever more aware of the terrible conditions that many orphanages possess, the Ghana government has been forced to take action, working alongside OA to shut orphanages down and give the children a family and a better life. At present, OA directly supports over 300 families around the country and indirectly supports 4,500 children.

This is no easy task. So, in order to raise funds for and awareness of the hard work OA is undertaking, we present to you…OrphanAid Weekend!

OrphanAid Weekend is a series of events and activities we've been putting together, to take place around Accra this December. The main event is a concert at Alliance Francaise in Accra, featuring Ghana’s biggest artist, Samini, alongside Fiifi Selah and King Ayisoba. The event will be hosted and include a performance by OrphanAid ambassador Blakk Rasta, Accra’s most notorious DJ and reggae artist. His daytime radio show is on

e of the most hyping things I’ve ever heard - four hours of screaming down the mic on visions of African unity and empowerment of African youth, on top of reggae and frequent shouts of 'MO FIYAAAH' and 'BURN DEM!!!!' We also have loads of publicity going on at Shoprite, Accra’s biggest supermarket at the Accra Mall, with competition giveaways all month, and a sports day at the new Lizzy’s Sports centre in Accra, hosted by French (Ghanaian born) World Cup winner MARCEL DESAILLY!!! To top things off, MTN, Ghana's biggest mobile phone network, have kindly offered to blast their customers with a text message asking them to donate 1 Cedi (about 50p) to OrphanAid Africa.

So yes, for the past 3 months Kofi and I have been running around Accra after Lisa (aka Mama Lisa, dressed in killer African dresses complimented by massive Vogue-esque sunglasses - it’s a serious look), and the one and only Jah loving BLAKK RASTA (in equally extravagant attire - see above!) to try and do something special for the kids. It’s been very, very interesting, to say the least.

The event is sponsored by Africa Cola (who, incidentally, are just entering Ghana having taken

over Coca Cola in Senegal with 57% of the soft drinks market – they plan to do the same across Africa...and they’re not joking), MTN, and Shoprite.

Anyway, here’s some pics from the press launch. Festival preparation is still going ahead, in fact we’re at the site location right now before going back to Accra today...look it up...a little place called BUSUA BEACH. Updates coming soon......

MO FYAAAA!!!

Lake of Stars 2010

I remember picking up a flyer for the first Lake of Stars over 7 years ago, from a coffee shop on the corner of Fashion Street and Commercial Street in East London (that’s how much it stuck in my mind). The message was Andy Cato of Groove Armada and Chibuku Shake Shake DJs on a beautiful lakeside location in East Africa, and I simply thought “THAT.SOUNDS.AMAZING”. Unfortunately, I couldn't afford the £600 flight at the time, but knew that, one day, I had to get my white ass out there.

Earlier this year I applied for a grant from Art Moves Africa, an organisation which funds travel within Africa for those involved in promoting the arts. Imagine my joy when said application

was duly accepted to pay for me to fly out to the other side of Africa for LOS 2010 and see what the hell all the fuss is about!!!

Now in its 7th year, the Lake of Stars festival is one of a handful of music festivals across the

continent which help to increase tourism into the country in which it operates, while supporting that country’s arts scene. Started by Englishman Will Jameson (who also ran legendary Liverpool-turned-nationwide club night, Chibuku Shake Shake, named after a Malawian beer), this particular event brings big name artists from the UK alongside local Malawian and regional acts, with names such as The Noisettes and Get Cape.Wear Cape.Fly attracting a large international audience. The festival’s location, Nkopola Lodge, is probably one of the most beautiful festival settings available on earth, attracting people from all around the world and providing Malawians with one of their biggest shows of the year. The event is “Powered by Volunteers”, which gives it that extra bit of genuine love in the way it’s put together.

It was really insightful to get a chance to see how it all works, speak directly to the people

involved and witness the kind of elements that we’ll inevitably go through for our own event. I saw the problems faced by holding an event of this nature in an emerging nation, heard about how the festival has developed over the years and what the organisers had been through, and saw first hand how the event affected the local community. There was a nice blend of African

and European music and, the Funktion 1 soundsystem – donated by Funktion 1 in the UK to show their support for the cause – simply took me to another level, particularly during Aly Keita’s hypnotic balafon session and when MistaJam opened his DJ set with Rusko – Jah Hova, which was possibly the most explosive wall of sound I’ve ever experienced.

The epic round trip from West to East Africa and back involved taking off and/or landing a total of twelve times, various over-capacity battered vehicles across Malawi (including standard live chickens in the face, breakdowns, tent being stolen out the back then retrieved by random local hero, etc etc), a 5 star hotel stopover in Nairobi (nice one Kenya Airways!!), and “persuading” immigration officials to set our visa differences aside and let me back into Ghana...but, it was an amazing experience which certainly helped to put our event into perspective, and I would certainly recommend the festival to anyone who has the opportunity to get out there.

Big love to Will Jameson and co for having me, and to all the volunteers who helped to make it happen, bring the festival to where it is today and increase awareness of Malawi on the international tourist map. And also to friends old and new, Michelle, Pete and Em, whose photos they may have noticed have been 100% stolen as my camera has been giving me issues that I'm too upset to talk about.

www.lakeofstars.org

RIP Mac

August this year saw the passing of Mac Tontoh, lead member of the most internationally acclaimed African band, Osibisa. In tribute to the great man, Alliance Francaise in Accra held a concert featuring some of Ghana’s best

known artists from yesteryear right up to the present day.

It was a BIG occasion. Osibisa have played to audiences all around the world. Their jazz,

funk, fusion, caribbean, r&b, latino and african rhythms were the basis of 20 studio albums,

working along the way with the likes of Thin Lizzy, Stevie Wonder and many others.

We were privileged to go along to witness the likes of legends such as Gyedu Blay Ambolley, Kojo Antwi, and of couse the Osibisa band, as well as younger talent like Sarkodie and the night’s show stealer, Nana Yaa.

So, particularly dedicated to everyone in the UK looking outside at the grey skies above, here’s a little bit of sunshine to brighten up your day and pay tribute to the one and only Mactontoh of Osibisa

Uncle Ralph's Secret Studio

We recently took a little trip to a place in Accra called Pig Farm (which, incidentally, seems not to contain any pigs nor farms), to see a man called Uncle Ralph. Uncle Ralph is a unique character. In Ghana he is the Godfather of sound, owner of the country’s biggest and best sound equipment and, so it turns out, the most impressive, outstanding music studio in the whole of Africa.

You wouldn’t think it to see it from the outside. Ralph told us that he’s stood outside his house and overheard people saying they’ve heard the owner is dead, or in jail in Germany. But once you get past the decaying exterior, you see inside a musician’s dream. This hidden gem has seen the likes of Stevie Wonder and Isaac Hayes pass through its mammoth doors, to record in a studio on parallel with many of the best in the world but in the least likely of places. Apparently (well, not apparently, we’ve seen the photos), 10

years ago Richard Branson heard about it and stopped off in his private jet, on his way to South Africa, with the SOLE purpose of coming to check this place out. Literally took the immigration officer with him from the airport, stayed for a coupla hours to have a look, then carried on (I WANNA DO THAT SHIT!!)

Look at uncle Ralph showing chale boy the ropes! You’d never guess it’s not even switched on would you?

So, for all you musical tech geeks out there (you know who you are), check out the specs…

CONSOLE: Euphonix CS3000 fitted: 96 faders in 104 fader frame 64chs ES108 Dynamics MX

464 Centre Section Expander Cube (8 Bus) Machine Controller

MULTITRACKS: 48 Track Euphonix R-1 Hard Disc System AM 713 Analog to Madi Convertor (2) MA 703 Madi to Analog Convertor (2) Tascam 16 Tracks 1" with DBX Noise Reduction Alesis XT ADAT (2) Akai DR1200 Digital 12 Track (4)

MONITORS: Pr PMC BB5 with XBD Sub Bass Driven by Bryston Pr JBL 4330 Driven by C

Audio Pr Yamaha NS10 Driven By Yamaha P3250 Pr Auratones Driven by Peavy CS200 Beyer DT100 Headphones (25) Fostex D20 Headphones (20) Sony MDR Headphones (4) Driven by C Audio Pr JBL 4310 (studio) Driven by Peavy CS1800G

TWO TRACKS: Akai DD 1000 Tascam DA45 DAT Technics 360 DAT Tascam CD-RW 2000 (2)

Tascam CD-D4000 Mk II CD Copiers (2) Denon DCD-485 CD Player Technics SL1210 Turntable Revox B215 Cassette Deck Maranz SD4050 Dual Cassette Deck Z Systems 8 Channel

Digi Patch

REVERBS & DELAYS: Lexicon 960L with Larc Lexicon 480L with Larc Lexicon PCM 70 with

controller AMS RMX 16 AMS 1580S DMX Evintide H3000 SE TC2290 Yamaha SPX 1000 TC D2(2)

EQUALISERS & SPATIAL PROCESSORS: Medici Eq (2) Kalark Technic DN410 TLA 31115

Tubetech EQ1A (4) Francenstein BBE 862 (2) Drawmer DF320 (2) TC 1140 TC Chorus Flanger BBE 381 Gtr Preamp BBE 382 Bass Preamp

DYNAMICS: TC Finalyser Purple Audio MC76 (2) DBX 160A (4) Tl Audio Fatman (4) Valley

People Keepex II (20) Valley People Commander (18) Valley People Leveller (2) Valley People Gain Brain (2) Valley People DSP De-essers (8) Aphex Dominator (22) Aphex Expressor (11) Kalark Technic DN6000 Analyser

KEYBOARDS & MIDI: Korg SG1D Sampling Piano Roland D50 Yamaha SY99 Yamaha DX7 Mk

II E-mu Vintage Keys E-mu Morpheous Yamaha TG77 E-mu Procussion E-mu Proteus 1 E-mu Proteus 3 World Korg Triton Pro Akai MPC60 Roland SPD20 with FD-& and KD-7 Pedals Macintosh Quadra with Vision Pro & Digidesign AD Akai S1000 Studio 5 (2) Korg Z3 Guitar Synth Korg A3 Processor Digitech Legend GSP21

MICROPHONES: Neuman TLM170 (3) Neuman M150 Valve (4) Neuman KM 184 (4) Neuman

TLM 103 (12) Audio Technica AT 4033 (2) AKG C414 (7) AKG C451 (2) AKG D112 (2) Senheisser 421H (6) Senheisser MD 441 (1) Shure SM57 (10) BSS DI Boxes (11) Assoted other

DI boxes

STUDIO DRUM KIT: Pearl Export Series with Zildjians

For more info see www.black-city.net (where, like in this blog, the pictures do not do this place justice in the slightest)

PEACE!!!