After several weeks of anticipation, the Ghana Jazz Orchestra will hold its inaugural concert on September 5, 2026 at the +233 Jazz Bar & Grill in Accra.
Many in the Jazz community in Accra and beyond have been looking forward to the concert as a signal of the steady growth here of the genre that some refer to as America’s classical music but which obviously sprang from West African rhythmic traditions.
Incidentally, the Ghana Jazz Orchestra is deemed to be the only such entity in West Africa at the moment. It has a horn section of five saxophonists, four trumpeters, four trombonists and a clarinetist. The rhythm section is made up of a pianist, bassist, drummer and a percussionist.
“Everyone is really working hard toward the concert,” says saxophonist and the orchestra’s director, Bernard Ayisa. “We have youthful energy alongside considerable experience in the ensemble. It should be a night of good music for all.”
The varied repertoire expected at the concert would from come composers such as Pat Metheny and Lee Morgan from America; Marcus Wyatt from South Africa; Joe Zawinul from Austria and Bernard Ayisa from Ghana.
Pianist Victor Dey Jr. is the orchestra’s conductor. He says they have adequately gone through their paces for a delightful concert from 8.00pm.
