Okyerema, others for Afro Jazz Festival

The annual Afro jazz festival organised by Scratch Universal Entertainment will come off this Friday, September 18- 20, with three concerts in Accra and Kumasi.

The first show has been scheduled for Friday at 7:00pm at the New Irish Pub, East Legon, Accra, where guitarist Constant Boty will launch his ‘GURU GURU’ album.

Other artistes scheduled to feature with Boty at the album launch include P.K Ambrose (bass), Prince Larbi (drums), Camaro and Victor Dey (piano), Kweku Opoku (harmonica) and Ofie Kodjoe (vocals).

The festival moves to Kumasi in the Ashanti Region on Saturday at the View Bar and Grill, Ahodwo. The concert will feature world-acclaimed Ghanaian percussionist Okyerema Asante and Cuban-born piano virtuoso, Benito Gonzales.

The multi-instrumentalist, Okyerema Asante, apart from recording under his own name, has played with many famous musicians including Paul Simon, Hugh Masekela, Herbie Hancock and Lee Ritenour.

Okyerema and Gonzales have been working together over the last two years on a project they call ‘Bringing The Flame Home: From Havana To Africa’.

A much sought-after keyboardist, Benito Gonzales, graduated top of his class from Havana Music Conservatory and has moved on to greater things. He was adjudged the best piano player in the United States by an esteemed panel of judges, including Herbie Hancock and Chic Corea in 2012.

“Benito Gonzales is currently a household name and very much in demand. We are very privileged to have him share his exciting music with us,” said Paa Kwesi Holdbrook-Smith, producer of the Afro-jazz festival.

The two internationally acknowledged stars will thrill music fans to another concert at the African Regent Hotel in Accra on Sunday, September 20 to climax the festival.