It has been moments of intense and long hours of rehearsal for the Wazumbians since getting confirmation from the +233 Jazz Bar & Grill in Accra that they could bring an edition of their Jankalanga Festival to the venue on March 16, 2024.

The Wazumbians is an Accra-based band led by Francis Chapman Abban-Hagan, known widely as Wazumbi. It has, since 2022, made significant strides in the United States with its sprightly blend of contemporary and traditional African sounds.  

Jankalanga Festival was a monthly live broadcast on Facebook that the Wazumbians initiated in 2018 to present African rhythms, melodies, knowledge, and stories to the public. The programme was also sometimes presented to live audiences at pubs and in clubs.  

The +233 performance is a chance for fans to appreciate the full force of the Jankalanga and how it has evolved from its initial concept.

“We always offer a versatile repertoire and leave a positive impression about Ghana’s rich and diverse cultural output. We are in the Ghana Month at the moment so everything is going to be massively Ghanaian,” the band’s leader pointed out.

Guest acts for the +233 show are Gyedu Blay Ambolley, Dela Botri and King Ayisoba. They are musicians who have in their own unique ways, spread Ghanaian music around the world.

Knowing the type of discerning audience that often patronize events at +233, Wazumbi says they are keen to impress them with the package they have put together for March 16.

The band is grateful to Afromondo Music Promotions and ASK-TK Studios in Accra for supporting them through the years.  

The Wazumbians toured France and the United States in 2022. They went back to the US in 2023 and entrenched their status as a band with a high level of musicianship. They are due back there by May this year for a tour that will also take them to Canada, Colombia and Brazil.

The President of the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA), Bessa Simons, has praised the Wazumbians for being worthy ambassadors of Ghana on their travels. It is time for home fans also to feel the energy that burns hot in them when abroad.