Legends of Ghanaian Highlife Music: Ramblers Dance Band

In 1961, the alto saxophonist Jerry Hansen and nine musicians left the semi-professional Black Beats to form the fully professional Ramblers Dance Band. “The Ramblers Dance Band, nearly eight years old (in 1969) has introduced glamour into the West African Highlife Scene. The Band has provided its dance fans with their highlife tunes, while for those who have preferred to listen it has supplied the necessary innovations to the traditional forms. The duet vocal technique employed by this band has been very successful. The highlife is West Africa’s own beat. It is older than the ‘Souls’, or the ‘Twist’ and even the ‘Rock and Roll’; it will still be around when we leave”. Source: Arthur Plange, Alto Trumpet, The Hit Sound of The Ramblers Dance Band, 1969 Decca (West Africa) Ltd.