Koo Nimo
Image: Richard Grassy (Rgrassy), 15 July 2000 10:53:06; http://grassy.net/anthonys.html; Rgrassy. CC BY-SA 3.0. Source.
Summary
Koo Nimo, also known as Daniel Amponsah, is a Ghanaian guitarist, singer, composer and teacher associated with palm-wine music and highlife. Storytelling, ensemble playing and the transmission of musical knowledge are connected parts of his work.[1]
Life and career
His recollections describe early church-organ instruction, later study of guitar and sustained connections with Ghanaian cultural institutions. They also acknowledge encounters with jazz musicians and classical guitar teachers. He identifies guitarist Kofi Twumasi as a performing partner over roughly thirty years, emphasizing the relationships behind a career often represented by one celebrated name.[1]
Music and style
His palm-wine language brings acoustic guitar and percussion together with conversational singing and stories. Jazz and classical-guitar study formed part of his musical education, while the songs remain grounded in Ghanaian social and cultural experience. Highlife Roots Revival was recorded in a domestic setting and foregrounds the acoustic ensemble rather than a large electric dance band.[2]
Works and performances
The official discography lists Osabarima, Highlife Roots Revival (2012) and Palm Wine Music in the 21st Century (2015). Titles such as 'Old Man Plants a Coconut Tree' and 'Integrity (The Cat and the Dog)' indicate the narrative and reflective dimension of the repertoire.[3]
Selected recordings in MuGlobe:
- Egya Koo Nimo plays "aban kaba da me nsa" @ Ashesi — Palm-wine music.
- Koo Nimo in Chicago, 2012.MP4 — Palm-wine music.
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Koo Nimo: autobiographical recollections, official website. Accessed 23 October 2026.
- ↑ Riverboat / Proper Music: Highlife Roots Revival, release description. Accessed 23 October 2026.
- ↑ Koo Nimo: official discography. Accessed 23 October 2026.