30th April - The International Jazz Day

JAZZ TOUR in GHANA in April 2027

Jazz Bands from Germany - France - Netherlands

GIGS    LIVE MUSIC VENUES

WORKSHOPS

ACCRA

ALLIANCE Francais Ghana e.V.

Behind Opeibea House

Casely Hayford Rd – Airport Residential Area

JAZZ FESTIVALS

19.-24. April 2027

22.-27.April 2026

23.-26. April 2025

Goethe-Institut

30 Kakramadu Road

neben NAFTI | P.M.B. 52

Cantoments, Accra
 

+233302776764

info-accra@goethe.de

+233JAZZ Bar and Grill

Doctor Isert Street, North Ridge      233 Accra, Ghana

+233 (named after the Ghanaian dialling code) is the best place to see live music in Accra, with legendary acts to have performed there including highlife stars Gyedu Blay Ambolley & the Sekondi Band, Dela Botri and the Evergreen Dance Band.

International acts often choose this venue too, with touring musicians regularly collaborating with Ghanaian musicians, Joss Stone being just one recent example.

The venue’s open-minded music policy also lets other genres get a look in. There’s only an entrance charge (usually around GH¢40) when a big-name act is headlining.

info@ghanajazzfoundation.org

plus233jazzbarandgrill@yahoo.com

https://www.facebook.com/233jazzbarandgrill/

CAPE COAST

Department of Music and Dance

Cape Coast University

located in the communal block just around the Faculty of Arts building (sharing the same building with communication studies and African studies)

The Department of Music and Dance offers instruction at a variety of levels to provide a balanced musical education for a broad spectrum of students.

Head of Department of Music and Dance

Dr. John Doe Dordzro

KUMASI

Cultural Jazz Club Kumasi

Come relax, unwind, and have a good time
Kumasi Cultural Center Jazz Club

S-Bar Jazz Club

Bantama Kumasi

Basement Live Lounge

every Wednesday at the Basement bar and lounge inside the Kumasi City Mall

HO Volta Area

MIRAGE PUB

HFM7+M32, Ho, Voradep Village, GH

+233244949010

Mirage Pub stands as a cornerstone of nightlife in Ho, Ghana

This lively bar invites tourists and locals alike to step into a world of color, rhythm, and enjoyment. The moment you enter, you’ll be greeted by an energetic atmosphere, accentuated by vibrant decor and a welcoming staff.

AFROBEAT
 

Afrobeat (Afrofunk) is a West African music genre that combines influences from Nigerian (e.g. Yoruba and Igbo music) and Ghanaian (e.g. Highlife) music with American funk, jazz and soul influences.

Afrobeats, a combination of sounds that originated in West Africa in the 21st century, is to be distinguished from Afrobeat. With various influences, Afrobeats is an eclectic combination of genres such as hip-hop, house, jùjú, ndombolo, R&B, soca and dancehall.

Although the two genres are often mixed together, they are not the same thing.

Many jazz musicians have been attracted to the Afrobeat genre. From Roy Ayers in the 1970s to Randy Weston in the 1990s, collaborations have resulted in albums such as Africa:Centre of the World by Roy Ayers, which was released on the Polydore label in 1981. In 1994, the American jazz saxophonist Branford Marsalis included samples of Fela's ‘Beasts of No Nation’ in his album Buckshot LeFonque.

AFROFUSION

is a dance and musical style that emerged between the 1970s and 2000s.

This musical style invokes fusions of various regional and inter-continental musical cultures, such as jazz, hip hop, kwaito, reggae, soul, pop, kwela, blues, folk, rock and afrobeat.

As a genre and musical compositional form, Afro fusion incorporates traditional African music, alternative music as well as Afropop, blending various genres in an experimental crossover-like style. Afrofusion songs often include vocals in a range of African languages alongside other languages such as Spanish, English and French. For example English, isiXhosa, Duala and Spanish in the multilingual song "Waka Waka".

DONATIONS
 

Von Kulturen Lernen e.V.

"AFROBEAT and AFROFUSION"
 

GLS Gemeinschaftsbank eG
IBAN DE   50 4306 0967 4008 8844 00      BIC GENO DE M 1 GLS

SENEGAL
 

Coumba N' Doffene Diouf

Born in 1972 and raised in Dakar, Senegal. N'Doffene himself has always been a travelling musician and plays almost all African string instruments. He has worked with many artists around the world and is currently releasing his first solo album.

He himself prefers to retreat to a cosy spot with his djembe to strum, observe and try out sound sequences. His form of expression and ‘language’ is music. Having grown up in a patriarchal society in Senegal, N'Doffene processes the world he has experienced.

His lyrics in French or Wolof are critical in nature. A contemplative musician with a gentle voice. Who does not publish under his own name. And remains true to his values. Which is why he is critical of any kind of commercialisation.

The man with african string instruments

With one foot firmly planted in the past and the other resolutely ready to evolve in today's world, N´Doffene is the artist of a generation that has witnessed the breaking down of cultural barriers.

N´Doffene has a unique and highly personal approach to guitar playing. He tunes his instrument to the pentatonic scale and plays on open strings as he would on a xalam, a traditional Senegalese stringed instrument. He is also one of the rare African musicians to play the guitar, xalam and kora. Unlike the griots, his singing is reserved and intimate, with variations in rhythm and melody. Senegal has a rich and diverse musical tradition, which varies greatly according to region and local culture.

N´ Doffene brings together different genres from the different ethnic groups that make up senegal and the world in general, creating a new approach to African music that reflects his open-mindedness and interest in all types of music. N´ Doffene has collaborated with all Senegalese alternative music artists, most recently on pianist Ismael Cisse's album African Classics, released in February 2013.

In November 2012, after a rigorous selection process, N´Doffene was chosen to accompany the duo Wolfgang Seligo (piano) and Peter Strutzenberger (double bass).

And in 2013 he began a new collaboration with ZANI, a hugely talented American singer, for a fusion album       

2015 cheikh baye fall wawe fall sa kawe sa kaname

Cheikh baye fall

This song, this spirituality, gives emotions without limits

MELOKAAN PROJET 2024

MEMOIRE

ROPLANE

MISTER JOE

HEROES 3

NASSARNE TOUBAB

LAYETAYOU WUROUSS

ALKANA SONKO 1

DEUMEU YI

KASAO XEL

XALAM
A traditional Wolof guitar, the xalam consists of a small calabash over which a goatskin or cowhide is stretched and four strings. The bolon is a lower-pitched version of the xalam.

N'Doffene and Malick Diaw, Paris 2012

In Casamance, there is the three-stringed ekonting. There are other stringed instruments such as the riiti, a one-string violin with a body made of cheese wood and skin. The riiti is used in Fulani and Serer ceremonies.   

AFRO FUSION

Fusions of various regional and inter-continental musical cultures

Incorporates traditional African music, alternative music as well as Afropop, blending various genres in an experimental crossover-like style

Afrofusion songs often include vocals in a range of African languages like Wolof alongside other languages such as French, English and Spanish.

Wolof is spoken by more than 10 million people and about 40 percent (approximately 5 million people) ofSenegal's population speak Wolof as their native language.

Increased mobility, and especially the growth of the capital Dakar, created the need for a common language: today, an additional 40 percent of the population speak Wolof as a second or acquired language. In the whole region from Dakar to Saint-Louis, and also west and southwest of Kaolack, Wolof is spoken by the vast majority of people. Typically when various ethnic groups in Senegal come together in cities and towns, they speak Wolof. It is therefore spoken in almost every regional and departmental capital in Senegal. Nevertheless, the official language of Senegal is French.

In The Gambia, although about 20–25 percent of the population speak Wolof as a first language, it has a disproportionate influence because of its prevalence in Banjul, the Gambian capital, where 75 percent of the population use it as a first language. Furthermore, in Serekunda, The Gambia's largest town, although only a tiny minority are ethnic Wolofs, approximately 70 percent of the population speaks or understands Wolof.

KENYA

CATHY MATETE

Cathy Matete is a two-time award-winning Kenyan singer, songwriter and performer based in Nairobi. For Cathy, music is like a soundtrack of life, reflecting the truth, the literature of the heart and the spirit of the times.

Cathy's music is full of passionate energy that wants to tell the African story. Her unique style is the result of a lifetime of exploring music influenced mainly by RnB, Lovers Rock, Roots Reggae, Neo-Soul and elements of Afro-Canadian sounds. A lifelong creator , she writes meaningful, relatable music full of emotion. Her unique style blends lovers rock and roots reggae with neo-soul and African languages. With her powerful, heavenly voice and dynamic stage presence, she has made a name for herself in the reggae world.

Cathy has performed at major events such as the Jamhuri Reggae Festival, SoFar Gig and the Alliance Française of Nairobi. Her hit single ‘No Retreat’ took Kenya by surprise and she has shared the stage with international reggae stars such as Queen Ifrica, Capleton, Jah 9 and Christafari Band. In 2019, Cathy was awarded ‘Best Original Score’ at the Kalasha Awards for her song ‘Woman Of Steel’ in the film ‘What's on Your Mind’.

On 11 August, she performed at the Afrikafestival in Dürwiß at the Blausteinsee, which took place for the 10th time at this great location.

https://www.facebook.com/OfficialCathyMatete

https://www.instagram.com/cathy_matete

https://twitter.com/Cathymatete

GHANA

ADASAMMA

Adasamma’s music is composed primarily of Ghanaian highlife with elements of jazz, afrobeats and R&B for the enjoyment of those who appreciate real music.

We want to elevate highlife rhythms and melodies by creating a new genre called “highlife fusion”.

Band members

Keyboardist        Duah Richard Sarpong
Guitarist              Bright Osei Baffour
Bass Guitarist     Duah Richmond Sarpong
Lead Singer         Hakeem Jean
Drummer           Ebenezer Arthur
Percussionist      Samuel Boakye
 

ASI RENIE

Asi Bampoe Abu Renie born in Fairfax, Virginia, United States of America lives nowadays in Accra, Ghana.
A young and talented singer who is making waves in Ghana. As music genres in Ghana continue to grow and expand, it is always exciting to see new acts especially in genres like Soul. The talented singer had studed Engineering/ Leadership Core at the African Leadership University in Mauritius.

Her stage name 'Asi', also her grandmother's name, is her way of honoring her grandmother after she passed away while Asi was in High School.

Asi had released two singles 'Hold On’ and “Love Riddim” featuring Spacely". And 2 Extended Plays (EPs); "PIECE OF ME” and “CHAPTER V” which have received massive airplay and social media attention. She was drawn to anything Soul because she wants her fans and listeners to feel so deeply whatever mood her song carries, be it happy, sad or angry.Asi is inspired by life!

Her favorite song is so far "You Hurt Me" because it was written in a time of healing and self awareness.

Asi´s idea of a big show? The talented singer who would love to share a stage with American singer Lauryn Hill, said thsat she hopes to host a "super— intimate live session with mats, pillows and a lot of plants". The date has not yet been picked due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, ´That’s the plan!´. Asi told her fans to expect her 1st live performance outside Ghana in South Africa. "I have a strong connection to that place. My closest friend is South African and he used to share their music with me, their sound is beautiful.

She left the following beautiful message for aspiring singers:
" Just do it! There’s a completeness you feel when making music, you can’t find anywhere."

Her newest single had been released at 17. th of October 2024   

CHAPTER V
 

info@asirenie.com

Asi also recorded with the Danish-Ghanian Band TOTAL HIP REPLACEMENT & ANYANKOFO one of my favorite songs

Feeling (feat. Asi Renie, Kwame Yeboah) which you also can listen to on Spotify.

Showing in the video locations in Accra and Cape Coast, Ghana. Nice memories for me having lived there for 9 months.

MULTICULTURAL ROOTS

Ghanian-Swiss-German FUSION

OY

DISCOGRAPHY

Joy Frempong Aka OY was born 1978 and grew up in Bolgatanga, a savannah-like landscape in the north of Ghana. After seven years, she moved to Dietlikon near Zurich in Switzerland with her Swiss mother. Her father comes from the Ashanti region.

The Swiss-Ghanaian singer, vocal artist and electronic musician is also known under her band and project name ‘Oy’. OY is a Swiss electronic music duo consisting of the singer Joy Frempong and Marcel Blatti. Born in Switzerland in 1975, Marcel Blatti is a film and theatre composer and drummer who works under his stage name aka ‘Lleluja-Ha’. His predominantly electronic-futuristic musical style is influenced by African sounds and singing.

The programme is underpinned by narratives that are recorded with a looper and played back in multiple layers, as well as accompanied by instruments.

OY initially started out as a solo music project in 2010, touring with various bands at the time, including ‘Filewile’. She released her first solo album under the pseudonym ‘OY’, which she had been working on for four years and whose first pressing was quickly sold out. Since then, the Swiss-Ghanaian musician has been accompanied on drums by the cult musician and composer Marcel Blatti aka Lleluja-Ha. Both now live in Berlin. His stage costume was designed by Victoria Behr.

They have been living for a few years in 10437 Berlin-Gesundbrunnen Wedding, Schönhauser Allee

info@joy-music.com

https://www.oy-music.com/music/

https://www.youtube.com/@oy-music