Vocalist Alogte Oho was raised in southern Ghana and later moved to the land of the Frafra (also known as Fare-Fare) community in northern Ghana. There, he became involved in the gospel music practiced in local churches.
Oho composed the song “Mam Yinne Wa” (God, You love me so) after he recovered from an accident. It became a hit and he rose to the top of the Frafra gospel music scene.
In 2013, German producer and founder of the Philophon record label, Max Weissenfeldt visited the territory of the Frafra people. When he exited the bus, one of Alogte’s songs had been playing loudly on a large sound system at the bus station. Immediately, Weissenfeldt was fascinated by the voice.
Weissenfeldt arranged to meet Alogte and they started to record their first 7″ recording “Zota Yinne” for Philophon. The follow up 7″ was the previously mentioned “Mam Yinne Wa” in a newly recorded version.
In 2020, Alogte Oho & His Sounds of Joy were selected to perform at the influential WOMEX world music showcase in Hungary.
Discography:
Mam Yinne Wa (Philophon, 2019)
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.