E be colorful and lively musical wahala for players and people wey come see as Wazumbians band drop another edition of Jankalanga Festival on March 22 for +233 Jazz Bar & Grill wey dey Accra. Wazumbians band get dem own style wey dey burst with energy and nice musician skills as dem show contemporary African music for two sets wey dem perform for di programme. Di band leader, Francis Chapman Abban-Hagan, wey dem sabi as Wazumbi, get idea of cooperation, wey mean him wan give chance for other musicians to show wetin dem fit do. So Jankalanga 2025 also bring Abajo Traditional Music & Dance Ensemble with beta acrobat;
Abbey & The Rubber Band; di Armed Forces Music School Band; Grassroots Band; BessaSimons & di Bessa Band, King Ayisoba and kora player, guitarist and singer, Fanta Cissokho from Senegal wey carry international flavor come di event. Fanta Cissokho from Senegal show dia versatility. ‘Jankalanga’ no be ordinary word; Wazumbi create am for 2018 when him wan showcase him band on Facebook. E trend well for many followers during COVID-19. E give Wazumbians beta exposure wey dem fans don spread far pass Ghana. Jankalanga turn proper outdoor event for 2024. Bessa Simons, di President of di Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA), confirm am for di +233 show. Him talk before di band start di first set say him don know di leader from 2016 and him don always admire di leader hustle to make am. “I tell am make e dey push with di style wey him come up with, and now di Wazumbians dey rated high for different places because of dem unique sound and presentation. So any musician wey wan do something, abeg no stop. Stay focused and you go make am,” di MUSIGA boss advise.
Di 17-piece Wazumbians get two dancers and five guys wey dey blow horn. Wazumbi dey carry keytar for him shoulder and two keyboards wey him fit use too, as he dey ‘command’ him band with him military-like moves for him traditional warrior come dress. Di band get plenty sweet songs, but di one way make dem feel nostalgic na ‘Kwame Nkrumah,’ song wey dem dedicat to Ghana first President. Di band sabi mix contemporary and traditional African sounds, and di crowd dey enjoy am. Di Armed Forces Music School Band be bundle of joy for stage. Dem no dey get chance perform for +233 style often, so dem young musicians blaze as dem dey dish out some popular African classics. Dem perform songs from Monique Seka from Cote d’Ivoire, Hugh Masekela from South Africa, Mory Kante from Guinea and Rex Omar plus Afro Moses from Ghana. Fanta Cissokho get road with Grassroots Band. Na her second time dey perform for Ghana. She don play for women music festival for Alliance Francaise, Accra two years ago. She land for stage with fine boubou outfit and di audience dey catch feelings fast. She dey play di kora before she change to guitar, and everybody dey enjoy her sweet voice. She drop small uptempo and some slow jams, and she dey try engage di crowd for French and small English wey she fit speak. Her voice get bluesy vibe for some songs. E go sweet if we hear her play more kora, as e no too dey pop for Ghanaian music. But she decide to just show small of her versatility make di audience dey crave for more. Dem dey talk say she go return one time for her own full concert with her band.
