From Friday 25th April to Saturday 3rd May 2014, Alliance Française Accra will launch the first and highly expected edition of Jazz and Fusion Festival: Live in Accra! A ten day festival with live music and workshops, master classes, visual art exhibitions, movie screening and literary events taking place in different venues in Accra.

A closely-knitted collaboration among embassies, as well as foreign and Ghanaian artists has been developed to make this event an international one. Guests such as Nicolas Genest, a famous French trumpeter who collaborated with Femi Kuti, Alpha Blondy, Jacques Higelin, the award winning Ghanaian poet Nii Ayikwei Parkes, the talented flutist Dela Botri, the Franco-Congolese quintet Franco Na Bisso and many other artists will be part of this festival to spread the good vibes of Jazz in Accra.

In the 60’s, Ghana was bustling with live music and Jazz tunes all over the city almost every night.

The idea of this jazz festival was born with the wish to rekindle a small part of this and bring Jazz back to Accra!

Full programme:

On Friday 25th April, the festival will showcase Nicolas Genest for the opening concert. He will be accompanied by the Sobedo Project from the young jazz generation in Cotonou, the talented Ghanaian pianist Victor Dey and the children from the Wonderful Street Academy, Anani School, Lincoln Community School and Ecole Jacques Prevert. Indeed, a lot of trumpet and Jazz music is expected this day! (10GHC, 5GHC for AF students and members, free for children below 12 years).

The concert will be preceded by the launch of an exhibition by renowned Ghanaian painter Larry Otoo and his artwork relating to jazz music (cocktail from 6pm).

On Saturday 26th April, the Ghanaian author and poet Nii Ayikwei Parkes will perform art poetry and Jazz at the New Morning Arts Café Theatre and Creative Centre in Tesano. He is the winner of the 2014 Mahogany prize and was recently awarded the – Commonwealth short story prize for his short story, Blue bird. (Free)

On Sunday 27th April at 6pm, an Apero Jazz will be held at the Republic bar, featuring Kyekyeku and Tommi Quinci. They will explore jazz with the Balkan-Gypsy flavoured Clarinet as well as both the Afro and Spanish tinge guitars. Don’t miss this exciting evening. (Free)

On Wednesday 30th April, our traditional Paillote Takpekpe will take place at 7:30 pm with Ehalakasa and its project, CADENCE, will be a mix of poetry, jazz and spoken word lyricism with live band instrumentation. (2GHC, 1GHC for AF students and members, free for children below 12 years).

Later on the same night at 9pm, the +233 Bar & Grill will celebrate International Jazz Day with ‘Great Women of Jazz’ in honour of Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday, Nancy Wilson and Nina Simone, presented by four amazing vocalists, Ofie Kodjoe, Brenda Joyce, Sandra Hudson and Michelle McKinney-Hammond, featuring the amazing Sound Factree (20 GHC).

On Thursday 1St May at 8pm, +233 Bar & Grill will host 252 Jazz Band, Dela Botri & Hewale Sounds, Sound Factree and guests (Rate: 20 GHC) and on the next day, live Djs and live bands will perform during a Jazz Fusion night for the concert Jazz 2 Soul from 9pm (Rate: 40 GHC).

The closing concert will take place at the Alliance Française Accra’s main stage on Saturday 3rd May, with Franco Na Bisso! This Franco-Congolese quintet pays tribute to Franco Luambo, the Father of Congolese Rumba and combines the best musical tradi¬tions of Zaire with contemporary European jazz music. They will recreate Franco Luambo’s musical atmosphere for a great evening of music. (10GHC, 5GHC for AF students and members).

Aside these multiple exciting concerts, the festival offers the curious ones, jazz lovers and musicians different master classes and workshops related to Jazz music and production techniques such as the brass master class with Nicolas Genest, sound & light workshop for live events, poetry & jazz with Nii Ayikwei Parkes, sound recording with Colter Harper, a whole day of jazz with Dr. Royal Hartigan and the jazz ensemble, Tune up your performance by jazz tone productions and a lecture on Ghanaian music & jazz with Colter Harper.