A guitar man and his clothes
Two things that stand out about Alfred Kari Bannerman whenever he takes to the stage are his inventive guitar playing and regal sense of costume.
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The London-based Ghanaian guitarist, who played with the super-talented Boombaya band before moving to the United Kingdom in the 1970s, has created an image for himself as he always dressed in beautiful African clothes with hats to match while on stage.
A brother of the well-known fashion designer, Nora Bannerman, Kari said how he looked on stage added to the fervour with which he approached his work as a guitarist.
According to him, since he desired to be in a jolly mood whenever he was playing, he opted for clothes that lifted his mood.
Kari, since settling in the UK, has attracted attention across Europe as an extremely fine player.
He has performed with the London Philharmonic Orchestra and embarked on extensive tours with the famous Osibisa Afro-rock band.
The man has also played with several top-notch acts such as A.B.Crentsil, Koo Nimo, Hugh Masekela, Pat Thomas, Ronnie Laws and Peter Green of Fleetwood Mack.
He currently travels the world with a band called the Ibibio Sound Machine and the reformed Boombaya.
Kari says he gets some of his clothes specially made for him by designers from Ghana and other places in West Africa but he also buys when he sees stuff he likes during his travels.
For keen observers of the popular music front, Kari’s attitude to fashion and how it relates to his work bring memories of the late rock guitar legend, Jimi Hendrix, who was known for his jackets and shirts of many colours, velvet trousers and signature Afro hairstyle.
“I know Jimi Hendrix and his guitar techniques have always been admired by Kari and my thinking is that he is trying to create an image of an excellent African guitarist with a unique stage appearance, just as Hendrix also did with his own sense of style,” said Paa Kow Essilfie, who has known Kari since the late 1960s.
Costume is a key part of show business and Kari is happy he has found what makes him feel comfortable on stage to enable him to deliver his best on the guitar.