Peter Somuah

Cheerfulness can also be a form of resistance. Dutch-Ghanaian trumpeter Peter Somuah brings jazz and high life together in his music, which is hardly surprising, as both genres have proven that protest and positivism can go hand in hand. If it swings, it's right up Somuah's alley. That could just as easily be jazz dance from the nineties. Or funk. Or the timeless music of Fela Kuti, the groovy jazz experiments of Miles Davis. And then Somuah is also a trumpeter with a very nice, but not slick sound. On top of the compelling, extremely danceable rhythms laid down by his band, he plays beautiful, meandering melodies. Often with a hint of melancholy. But at other moments he sounds sharp, almost percussive. So no pigeonholing, Somuah cheerfully calls for mental freedom.

Photo credits: Fredrik Bengtsson

Part of the daytime program at LUX, Music & Films

nuMori || ÁMÁL Ensemble || Peter Somuah