Avishai Darash Quartet

peter somuah is a young, promising trumpeter hailing from accra, ghana and currently based in rotterdam. an impressive autodidact and virtuoso, he developed his warm, melancholic sound by listening endlessly to his trumpet heroes roy hargrove and miles davis. in his danceable grooves you can hear traces jazz, funk and traditional ghanaian music, sprinkled with a hint of electronic music. after his award winning debut album outer space, somuah releases his new album highlife in the fall 2024. highlife is a tribute to the ghanaian tradition of highlife music, showcasing its distinctive sound characterized by finger-picked guitar, groovy bass lines, percussive keyboard patterns, soulful brass melodies, and strong rhythmic emphasis. the album features highlife legends like pat thomas, gyedu-blay ambolley, and koo nimo, connecting ghana's older and younger generations of musicians. somuah blends highlife with jazz to create a unique "highlife jazz" sound that honors the genre's vintage roots while adding a modern twist. the album also explores social and political themes, addressing the lingering effects of colonialism and critiquing political corruption. despite its serious messages, the album remains lively and danceable, encouraging listeners to swing along.