‘A Trip to Bolgatanga’: Bonjo Iyabinghi Noah on African Head Charge’s first new album in 12 years

Bonjo Iyabinghi Noah (courtesy of On-U Sound) Bonjo Iyabinghi Noah and Adrian Sherwood inaugurated the daring studio project African Head Charge in 1981 with My Life In A Hole In The Ground. Both in the studio and in live performance, African Head Charge has burned up the intervening decades exploring unknown Mystery Spots of sonic experience, transmitting dub sonar signals in every dimension where sound travels. A Trip to Bolgatanga, the band’s first LP in twelve years, may be the most sublime entry in the African Head Charge catalog. I recently spoke with Bonjo about Africa, drumming, his youth as a runaway Rasta, and much else. An edited transcript follows. First of all, my condolences on Mark Stewart’s death. He was a person I liked very much. That is a very big loss for not just me, but for all On-U Sound. You played with him throughout his career, right? Yeah! Yeah, yeah, yeah! I was a part of the original Maffia, the band, yes. I was a part of it, the original one, before Skip [McDonald] and all that, yes. So I knew him very well. Did you meet him through Adrian? Yes, I got to know him...