Koo Nimo Palmwine Quartet - 2 - LIVE at Afrikafestival Hertme 2007

Performance - 30 June 2007
Koo Nimo (born Kwabena Boa-Amponsem on 3 October 1934, baptized Daniel Amponsah) is a leading folk musician of Palm wine music or Highlife music from Ghana.
Born in the village of Foase, in the Atwima District of the Ashanti Region in Ghana, West Africa, he worked in various jobs in science and medical-related field while maintaining his interest in music. In 1957, when the former British colony of the Gold Coast became the independent country of Ghana, Koo Nimo first received national acclaim through the formation of the Addadam Agofomma ensemble. Many of his songs tell traditional stories and are sung in the language Twi. Along with one or two guitars and vocals, the traditional Ashanti palmwine ensemble consists of traditional instruments of West Africa, including the apentemma and the donno, the frikyiwa (metal castanet), the prempensua (rhumba box), the ntorwa (hollow gourd rattle with beads or seeds woven around it on a net), and the nnawuta (consisting of two iron bells that provide the key rhythmic pattern) or dawuro (banana-shaped bell).
In 1979, in recognition of his services to Ghanaian music as performer, teacher and administrator, Koo Nimo was elected President of MUSIGA (the Musicians' Union of Ghana). His countrymen appreciated not only his music, but his love of and respect for tradition. In 1985 Koo Nimo was appointed interim chairman of COSGA, the Copyright Society of Ghana, More recently he has been made an honorary life member of the International Association for the Study of Popular Music, along with such distinguished names as Professor J.H.K. Nketia and John Collins. In 1990, eight of Koo's songs were released as a compact disk entitled Osabarima. This was the first work by a Ghanaian artist to be put on CD. In the words of High Fidelity Magazine (September 1990, 103). In February 1991, in recognition of his services to music and to his country, Koo received the prestigious Asanteman award from the Asantehene. In March, he received the Flag Star award from ECRAG (Entertainment Critics and Reviewers Association of Ghana). In 1991, he was invited to serve on the National Folklore Board of Trustees. In January, 1992, at Columbia University, New York, USA, Andrew L. Kaye presented his dissertation entitled Koo Nimo and his circle: A Ghanaian Musician in Ethnomusicological Perspective and was awarded a Doctor of Philosophy degree for his work. In March 1997, the Ghana government celebrated the fortieth anniversary of independence by awarding gold medals to forty of its distinguished citizens, one of whom was Koo Nimo. This was in recognition of his efforts to preserve traditional culture. In the next month he received the Konkoma Award for his contribution to Ghanaian Highlife Music.
In 1998, Koo was employed as a Professor of Ethnomusicology at the University of Washington in Seattle, USA, for two years, before taking a similar position at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. As of 2006, Koo Nimo has moved back to Ghana and is currently living in Kumasi.

[@samabeka3023]

Koo Nimo is the epitome of The Akan Traditional Rhythms ! His music is true Psalms of African wisdom !

[@robertacofie7387]

Reminds me of my time living in Ghana, back in early 1960s. Thank you.

[@jonesnyarko8447]

I love the man in the backing vocals and the same time beating the drams ❤

[@josepasamonasmon3387]

This is real African music I miss it thank u nana Nimoy God u

[@barimahkofiasarekyei-baffo2116]

Music brewed in African pot...full of wisdom and inspiration. This man deserves a State Medal

[@isaacmensah7760]

Yes

[@andreahenry1844]

He actually has one thou(a gold medal) at Ghana’s 40th anniversary in 1997

[@gideonentsie7840]

it is indisputable fact that we have left our rich culture behind to embrace foreign ones. I'm really impressed with this performance, the epitome of the rich Ghanaian culture. Let's all promote our culture.

[@kwengagrooves2805]

❤️

[@emmanuelessoah6210]

who else is here in 2024?

[@bulleyberry]

Me

[@clementamoah9984]

Me

[@jonesnyarko8447]

The man on the drums is very genius

[@douduk-r2s]

Natural wisdom is talking

[@davidacheampong3906]

what a country, speaks volume of how deteriorated everything has become in this nation. we now celebrate all these good-for-nothing songs polluting our airwaves and social media outlets but have less regard for beautiful music,. Thank you Agya Koo Nimo

[@Polaxky]

Rich music. Food for the soul. Long live African music, long live high Life.

[@yawbee7711]

Wisdom in the song can still not be deciphered by people 50 and above Akanz

[@vocabularymillionaire]

Very organic! There's hardly any songs like this now.

[@thehumbleone6606]

I only come here to admire the woman back up. ...She's beauuuutiful!! The music is the bonus

[@enochmensah7123]

👏👏👏👏👏. I can't stop listening and thinking about the power of the massage in the music.

[@jamesnevanscorroll8946]

Authentic African soul-touching song

[@viviansefakor6255]

Incredibly soothing to the soul. God bless you Dada Koo Nimo

[@sebape8388]

NO entiendo que dice el tema pero la musica llena mi pecho de nostalgia y paz!

[@akuaadu-gyamfi5829]

🥰❤️🇬🇭🔥✊🏿✊🏿 what a Legend..

[@tinacela7697]

Oooh this man is very great

[@Saint_Eben]

I want the lyrics please 🥺... great song. The female bv is great 👍

[@kb-yi7wb]

Hmmmm this is a Africans music 👍💪💪✌️

[@kwakuantwi-owusu5853]

Awesome, Ghana Music festival where are you?

[@profewiase]

That are trash. For get them

[@majidabdul6042]

Music for the soul ..

[@amaltiempobuenacara]

Waow that's fantastic song

[@douglasoseiboateng4870]

Very wonderful

[@josephoduro-frimpong8644]

Thanks for sharing!

[@dongokouassi7937]

Une invite pressante à la sagesse prudente selon l'Insecte fourmi. À méditer. Merci à Koo Nimo et le Palmwine Quartet.

[@afriyiewutah233]

awesome

[@dibylautheurndri9822]

c'est du live??????? respect Pépé.

[@kojohudson9635]

thank you

[@nanabadu183]

u see how the whites people and the western are patronizing in a typical rich endowed cultural and traditional song from the great Koo nimo? even tho they dont understand the language,we as Ghanaians and Africans are fools to swap the genre of our traditional highlife music to that of hiplife,azonto and the so-called dancehall music which we are not even good at,lets go back as soon as possible to grab our real genre of music form which is the highlife.' SANKOFA YENKYI'

[@nanaoseibrempong4092]

I'm sorry but its impossible to go back. This generation has changed the music of Ghana in a great way. If you can't accept It....don't listen to it.

[@thehumbleone6606]

nana badu it's said the prophet is seldom respected in his homeland.

[@profewiase]

@@nanaoseibrempong4092 and what good did that changes bring? Zero. Their lyrics are full of hatred and insults and their rythim too is full of noise

[@Oppongintegratedfarms]

❣️❣️❣️❣️

[@kwengagrooves2805]

💥💥

[@mosestettehnarh3726]

what's the meaning of ADAMPA pls?

[@johntegah5342]

Sheer Wonders!

[@kennakomea]

Camera man did the woman picking her teeth at 1:57 real dirty😅

[@thewholeshow827]

wow

[@sasufreqchann]

I thought it was heart . Hmm .