Bongofari comes along with Odo Reggae
Fred Samuel Adjei Crawther, better known as Bongofari, is always a lively act to watch as he struts on stage and belts out songs of his own which he describes as Odo Reggae.
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His material often comprises love lyrics rendered in Twi with a sprinkling of English and French, all clothed with some pleasing Highlife and reggae rhythms. That approach is noticeable in his songs like Odo Reggae, Cherie Je t’aime, I’m Serious, Righteousness and Freedom.
Bongofari believes he has found a formula that sits well with many music lovers because it touches on elements they are already familiar with but which also makes room for some ingenuity.
He has had the chance since 2021 to present his material to live audiences at a variety of shows in Accra and Kumasi, and is convinced he is making inroads into people’s hearts and minds.
Events that have afforded Bongofari the chance to offer his Odo Reggae style of music to fans include the Akwaaba Festival of 2021 and 2022 which was organised at the National Theatre by Ceejay Multimedia and the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts.
He was also at last year’s Global Citizen and Black Star Line festivals at the Independence Square, and featured at the Panafest 2022 bash at Cape Coast. The Emperor Haile Selassie Coronation Day concert in Kumasi in 2022 also gave him a chance to expose his act to music lovers in the Garden City.
He was on the bill for a concert hosted by the Goethe Institut in Accra in July this year, where he performed with backing from King Benja and the Boomers Band. He is one of the acts scheduled for the World Cleanup Day concert on September 16 and the Reggae Dancehall Awards on September 17, which will both be held the at Laboma Beach in Accra.
Prior to coming out as a performing artiste, Bongofari was a recording engineer who worked with people like Afro Moses, Gyedu Blay Ambolley, Atongo Zimba, BenJerry Telfer, Nana Danso Abiam, Nii Tettey Tetteh of Kusun Ensemble, African Show Boys and Ebo Taylor.
“It was wonderful working with all those folks. Music has its own technicalities and I gained a good grasp of things like notation and arrangements. Understanding music goes far beyond just standing behind a microphone to sing or rap,” Bongofari said.
To him, adequate fame will eventually come along but it is better it happens when one is prepared for it. That is why he constantly keeps rehearsing and working on new material in his Odo Reggae vein.