Guy Warren was born Warren Gamaliel Kpakpo Akwei in Accra in the then Gold Coast on 4 May 1923, to Richard Mabuo Akwei, founder of the Ghana National School, and Susana Awula Abla Moore.
29 Facts About Guy Warren
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2.
Guy Warren changed his name to "Ghanaba" on 1 July 1974, Ghana's Republic Day.
3.
Guy Warren was educated at the Government Boys' School, Accra, from 1928 to 1939.
4.
Guy Warren won a government teacher training scholarship to Achimota College, Accra, in 1941 with the intention of becoming a teacher at his father's school.
5.
In 1943, Guy Warren Akwei enlisted in the Office of Strategic Services, a branch of the United States Army that dealt with overt and covert operations in World War II.
6.
Guy Warren returned to Accra in the same year and joined the Spectator Daily as a reporter under the editor Robert Wuta-Ofei.
7.
Guy Warren was editor of the Daily Echo, Gold Coast Independent, and Star of West Africa between 1950 and 1952.
8.
Guy Warren acted in the 1951 film The Boy Kumasenu, playing the role of Yeboah.
9.
Guy Warren worked at Station ELBC, the National Broadcasting Service of Liberia, as assistant director and disc jockey between 1953 and 1955.
10.
In 1955 Guy Warren left for Chicago and joined the Gene Esposito Band as co-leader, percussionist, and arranger.
11.
Guy Warren was buried in a coffin designed as a drum by Eric Adjetey Anang of Kane Kwei Carpentry Workshop.
12.
Guy Warren's second child, Glenn Gillespie Warren, called "Ghanababa", is a jazz drummer who played on the album That Happy Feeling.
13.
Guy Warren recorded Bomdigi, the last album featuring Ghanaba.
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Ghanaba's third son, Gamal Abdel Nasser Guy Warren, known as "The President", was named after president Nasser of Egypt.
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Ghanaba's fourth son, Gamaliel Joseph Guy Warren, inherited his father's musical talent as a jazz drummer.
16.
Guy Warren described his performance on the drums as love-making, seeing the African drums as a woman who could not be satisfied.
17.
Once, before a US show, Guy Warren appeared backstage in authentic African wear.
18.
Guy Warren collaborated on this album with trombonist Lawrence Brown, who said what Ghanaba was doing was uncommon in jazz.
19.
Guy Warren then joined Martin Salkin and Milt Gabler of Decca.
20.
Guy Warren had given up on live performances and stopped playing drums.
21.
Guy Warren only released two albums in the 1970s: The African Soundz and The Divine Drummer.
22.
Guy Warren asked Nii Anum Telfer to trace a letter from Africa Obonu, later to be known as Ghanababii, a drums and percussion ensemble based at La in Accra that had written to Ghanaba.
23.
Guy Warren played many gigs, including the monthly Free South Africa shows that he and Nii Anum Telfer organized at the Accra Community Centre in solidarity with Nelson Mandela, who was at the time in prison, and the people of South Africa who were fighting against apartheid.
24.
Guy Warren was instrumental in setting up the Musicians Union of Ghana and led the union as its National President from 1989 to 1992, advocating the need for Ghanaian musicians to use indigenous musical instruments.
25.
Guy Warren's goal was to make the African presence felt in world music.
26.
Guy Warren was disturbed by the desire of many Ghanaians for material goods manufactured outside the country.
27.
Guy Warren repeated the same service to Jerry John Rawlings when he became head of state.
28.
Guy Warren was an avid reader who had a sign in his house that read "I would rather read".
29.
Guy Warren collected books, newspapers, and other material that he hoped could be catalogued.