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Held at the Embassy’s premises in Cantonments, Accra, the event aimed to foster appreciation for jazz and poetry while encouraging engagement among local audiences.

The event was on the theme: “Jazz Appreciation: The Evolution of Jazz and Poetic Expression in Ghana”. It sought to explore how jazz and spoken word can shape and inspire the next generation.

The event featured Ghanaian artist and Founder of the Nkyinkyim Museum, Kwame Akoto-Bamfo, and Creative Director Isaac Nii Sanku Dromor Dodoo as facilitators.

The Nkyinkyim Museum is an educational institution focused on visually archiving African history and heritage.

Attendees included members of the American Centre Patrons, the U.S. Embassy, the Ghana Book Club, students from UniMAC Institute of Film and Television and personnel from the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) and the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).

Performances included a poetry recital by Nii Obido Ayeyetey from the Nkyinkyim Museum and a jazz presentation by Isaac Nii Sanku Dromor Dodoo.

Speaking at the event, American Diplomat Matthew Asada described jazz as a powerful embodiment of cultural knowledge capable of influencing social change. He noted that storytelling, poetry and jazz could serve as effective tools for addressing societal challenges.

Since his arrival in Ghana last October, Mr Asada said he had attended numerous literary events and observed a strong local passion for poetry, particularly spoken word, calling it a valuable medium for transforming minds.

Mr Akoto-Bamfo urged local radio stations to incorporate jazz into their programming to appeal to younger audiences.

He noted, however, that many hiplife artists were not drawn to jazz due to its lack of commercial appeal, despite its artistic value.

Sharing insights on his work, Mr Akoto-Bamfo recalled how he turned to jazz as a communication tool after relocating to Ada in the eastern part of the Greater Accra Region to establish the Nkyinkyim Museum.

“I didn’t know jazz at first and was using the wrong communication channels,” he said. “It doesn’t matter how thorough your research is—it still needs to be shared in a way the community understands. That’s where oral traditions and jazz come in.”

He explained how the museum uses music to engage the community: “We form a circle, pick a song related to the topic and sing together.

It’s not about how good your voice is, but about participating in the learning process.”

Isaac Nii Sanku Dromor Dodoo traced jazz’s origins to African-American communities in New Orleans, with deep roots in African rhythmic rituals, hymns and dance. He noted Ghana's historic contributions to jazz, especially during Dr Kwame Nkrumah’s era.

“In the 1960s, many Ghanaian bands played jazz and Ghana became a learning hub for others,” he said, expressing optimism about the genre’s future in Ghana.

He encouraged artists to explore jazz more deeply and give it their best effort.