Ayi Solomon gets Ben Webster Honorary Award
Denmark-based Ghanaian musician and percussionist Ayi Solomon, on Sunday, April 26, received the Ben Webster Foundation's Honorary Award at its 2026 annual awards ceremony at the Jazz and world music venue -Bartof Station- in Copenhagen.
The award is given to a person who, over a long life, has left a personal mark on the Danish jazz scene.
Throughout his career, Ayi Solomon has made a remarkable mark as a key voice on the Danish jazz and world music scene with his vibrant percussion, soulful voice and boundless energy.
He has been a member of Pierre Dørge's New Jungle Orchestra since 1990. Over the years, he has also played with a wide range of Danish musicians, such as Palle Mikkelborg, Rasmus Lyberth, Moussa Diallo, Simon Spang Hanssen, Bo Stief, John Sund, Emil Hess Evolution Orchestra and many more.
He has participated in many Danish recordings within jazz and world music, as well as released several recordings under his own name since 2003.
Ayi Solomon was born in Ghana in 1956. He is a self-taught musician and began his musical activities by playing in some of Accra's Apostolic churches. After finishing school in 1975, he played in several local groups before joining Classique Handels, which toured West Africa in the following years.
In 1979, the group was reorganised under the name Classique Vibes and it toured Europe. The band performed in 1982 at the then-annual Afro Festival in Copenhagen.
After a long period of gigs at American bases and in German clubs, Ayi Solomon returned to Denmark in 1983, where he settled down and began playing with several groups on the jazz and world music scene.
At the Webster Awards on April 26, Ayi Solomon played with his own group, which, in addition to himself on percussion and vocals, comprised Alain Apaloo (guitar and vocals), Anders Banke (tenor saxophone), Morten Schantz (piano and keyboard), Yasser Pino (bass) and Rasmus Lund (drums).
Benjamin Francis Webster was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. The Ben Webster Foundation is a non-profit organisation that supports live jazz music in Denmark and awards yearly prizes for musicians and people working in jazz, in Ben Webster’s name and spirit.
It was established in 1976 in Copenhagen under the sign of Her Majesty The Queen of Denmark Margrethe II and has, until today, donated Ben Webster’s inheritance to jazz concerts, jazz media, jazz books and other jazz activities in Denmark.
Ben Webster's music and publishing rights are owned and managed by the foundation worldwide.
Ben Webster lived in Copenhagen, Denmark, for the last eight years of his life and was buried at Assistens Kirkegaarden, close to his home at Nørre Søgade, after his passing on September 20, 1973, in Holland.
To this day, Ben Webster has proved to be a true giant at the summit of the jazz star firmament. His varied saxophone sounds, combined with his unique melodic mastery, are still one of the most individual and artistic expressions in jazz ever.
His recordings are sought after by both mature aficionados and by younger audiences seeking the feeling and special warm expression of Ben Webster.
It is not far-fetched to say that Ben Webster has become both cult and myth - whether he would have liked it or not.
The writer is a Denmark-based broadcaster and arts writer
