''Kpanlogo'' is a recreational dance and music form originating from the 1960s among urban youth in

Accra, Ghana Accra (; tw, Nkran; dag, Ankara; gaa, Ga or ''Gaga'') is the capital and largest city of Ghana, located on the southern coast at the Gulf of Guinea, which is part of the Atlantic Ocean. As of 2021 census, the Accra Metropolitan District, , ...

Origin

It was first played by the Ga ethnic group, most of whom live in and around the capital city, Accra, but is now performed and enjoyed throughout the country. It began in the early 1960s as an innovative dance form, influenced by American rock and roll, and giving the younger Ga generations a point of distinction from their elders. Ghanaian master drummer C.K. Ladzekpo states that kpanlogo "is essentially an urban youth dance-drumming and a symbol of the commitment of a rapidly growing Ghanaian urban neighborhood youth in advocating their perspective in shaping the political vision of post colonial Africa" (1995: web). The ''kpanlogo'' dance is often performed low to the ground, with bent knees and bent back, and frequently features sexually suggestive motions. Accounts of police seizing musical instruments and detaining performers in its early days have been documented. The music accompanying the ''kpanlogo'' dance is drawn from older Ga drumming traditions, such as ''gome'', ''oge'' and ''kolomashie''. ''Kpanlogo'' music uses three types of instruments: ''nono'' (metal bell), ''fao'' (gourd rattle), and ''kpanlogo'' drums. ''Nono'' plays the

key pattern Key pattern is the generic term for an interlocking geometric motif made from straight lines or bars that intersect to form rectilinear spiral shapes. According to Allen and Anderson, the negative space between the lines or bars of a key pattern � ...

or timeline of the music, supported by the ''fao''. It is common to have three ''kpanlogo'' drums in an ensemble, in the roles of "male voice", "female voice" and "master drum". Kpanlogo bell

The main kpanlogo bell part is one of the most common and oldest key patterns found in sub-Saharan Africa.Peñalosa, David (2010: 245). ''The Clave Matrix; Afro-Cuban Rhythm: Its Principles and African Origins''. Redway, CA: Bembe Inc. . The

bell pattern A bell is a directly struck idiophone percussion instrument. Most bells have the shape of a hollow cup that when struck vibrates in a single strong strike tone, with its sides forming an efficient resonator. The strike may be made by an intern ...

used in ''kpanlogo'' is the same as the

son clave The clave (; ) is a rhythmic pattern used as a tool for meter (music), temporal organization in Afro-Cuban music, Cuban music. In Spanish, ''clave'' literally means key, clef, code, or keystone. It is present in a variety of genres such as Abaku ...

pattern heard in

Cuban music The music of Cuba, including its instruments, performance, and dance, comprises a large set of unique traditions influenced mostly by west African and European (especially Spanish) music. Due to the syncretic nature of most of its genres, Cuban mu ...

and. It is also similar to the "Bo Diddley beat" popularized by the U.S. rhythm and blues musician

Bo Diddley Ellas McDaniel (born Ellas Otha Bates; December 30, 1928 – June 2, 2008), known professionally as Bo Diddley, was an American guitarist who played a key role in the transition from the blues to rock and roll. He influenced many artists, inc ...

References

*Unruh, Amee Jo (2000). "Kpanlogo: A Detailed Description of One Arrangement of a West-African Music and Dance Genre." M.M. thesis with videotape. Bowling Green, Ohio: Bowling Green State University.

External links

Kpanlogo Conflict, Identity Crisis and Enjoyment in a Ga Drum Dance, by Sonja Rentink
*http://dance.sdsu.edu/african/ga.htm African dances Ghanaian music {{Ghana-stub