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International Jazz Day Celebration in Ghana 2021
On International Jazz Day 2021 in Ghana, UNESCO coordinated a series of events organized by several partners for various target groups, including young people.
Partners:
- YFM radio station
- Joy FM radio station
- Yomi Sower, Jazz/Gospel Musician
- +233 Jazz Club
- Virtual Hub concert hall
- Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA)
- Constant Boty/Mevicon Services
The celebration kicked off on Thursday, 29 April with a performance by jazz musician Steve Bedi on the show YLounge on YFM radio station.
On the morning of the International Jazz Day, Joy FM discussed the topic 鈥淲hat鈥檚 your favorite jazz tune?鈥 on the show Cosmopolitan Mix hosted by Doreen Andoh with the special guest Steve Bedi and guest presenter Ken Addy. The radio station then moved on to organize another radio program with host Fifi Folson.
The musician Yomi Sower celebrated jazz throughout the whole month of April with her online event Maximum Jazz, which culminated with a celebration on 30 April.
A good portion of the events was concentrated in the evening. +233 Jazz Club and Virtual Hub all hosted concerts as part of the celebrations with performances by Steve Bedi, Komla Young Owura, Kay Ananse Band, Kyei Mensah, and Kingsley Amporful.
MUSIGA organized a concert in honor of the late Jerry John Rawlings where the UNESCO Representative and Head of Office in Ghana, Mr. Abdourahamane Diallo, paid tribute by highlighting the late Jerry John Rawlings deep interest and appreciation for the African arts and culture. He also explained that Jazz Day is a day to be reminded of the roots of jazz in West African cultural and musical expression. 鈥淚t is a true example of the shared heritage of the African and African descendant people鈥, he said.
The final activity by Mevicon Services was scheduled for 13-14 May, which was done in partnership with the Israeli Embassy in Ivory Coast and the Goethe Institute in Ghana. On 13 May, Mevicon Services and Israeli jazz musician Monica Manaker hosted a workshop at the University of Ghana. The themes included effective songwriting and an introduction to the music business with basic concepts on how to manage careers. On 14 May, the celebration culminated with a performance at the Goethe Institute with jazz musician Constant Boty and Monica Manaker.
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