Afro Moses dazzles cheering audience in Accra

Australia-based Ghanaian star Afro Moses, last week surprised a multi racial audience at the Alliance Française with a widely effervescent music cocktail that drew constant cheers and applause.

With ‘seperewa’ fashioned in the form of a mini kora, an mbira and donno, the dreadlocked musician inundated the stage with a dramatic fusion of afrobeat, reggae, funk, jazz, ragga and traditional Ghanaian rhythms that exuded elements of popular music.

/A prolific performer with a magnificent stage presence, Moses, who plays 14 instruments, turned the Alliance Française in Accra into a den of subtle and hot music, which he embellished with grooves and gadgets that reminds one of the growing use of technology in music.

Clad in colours of the Ghanaian flag adorned with adinkra symbols, the multiple award winning performer managed to open his heart to members of the audience who no doubt acknowledged the touch of one of the few Ghanaians who continue to keep Ghana on the world map of music.

The crowd went into a state of frenzy as he was joined on stage by dancehall great and master showman Samini, who rolled effortlessly with Moses, who has in recent years been working on a music project for kids in Australia, Denmark, Ghana and the Gulf.

Samini took the audience through some of his popular tracks as Moses moved in with refreshing additions, resulting in cat calls and cheers from the crowd, who registered their approval of this fruitful collaboration.

Royal Echoes, a youthful group based in Ho, showcased a new synthesis that employed the blending of jazz, rock and funk with agbadza rhythms. With a cool mix of local and western instruments, the group effectively announced that young groups are ready for the world stage.

Bigshot Band, from the School of Performing Arts, University of Ghana, thrilled the crowd with politically charged lyrics that commented on the trading of insults and heated exchanges in the broadcast media by politicians and their agents.

The concert, which was organized by the Institute for Music and Development and Arterial Network Ghana, in collaboration with the Alliance Française, forms part of activities marking the third anniversary of New Music Ghana, a project that seeks to empower young Ghanaian musicians.

With support from the Danish Centre for Culture and Development, New Music Ghana has organized competitions for young groups and arranged performance tours for the winners in Europe and other parts of Africa.