Peter Somuah
Peter Somuah
MUSIC
TALENT DEVELOPMENT
COLLABORATION PROJECTS
First tour: 2022Second tour: 2024Third tour: 2025Album: Letter to the Universe (2023) Album: Highlife (2024)Album: Outer Space (2025)Album: Walking Distance (2026)COLLABORATION DESCRIPTION
In May 2022, we helped organize a 2 week long release tour to Ghana with the Peter Somuah Group for their album “Outer Space”. The project’s aim was to introduce the band members to the roots of Peter’s music. During their time in Ghana, the band played concerts, and on the national radio station, as well as recorded new material and gave masterclasses.
After the tour, the Peter Somuah Group played at the North Sea Jazz Festival, won the Edison Jazz Award for his album “Outer Space” and played a sold-out show at the BIMHUIS.
In 2024, the Peter Somuah Group toured internationally to three continents and gained further recognition and visibility as a band.
With our support, the Peter Somuah group recorded a new album “Highlife” in Ghana in April 2024, which was released with ACT Records in November 2024.
In July/August 2024, the Peter Somuah Group traveled to China to play a number of concerts at the Blue Note in Shanghai and the Blue Note in Beijing.
In the fall, the Peter Somuah Group concluded this international year with our supported shows in Germany and Spain.
In November 2025, we facilitated that Peter and his band went back to Ghana. This time the aim was to play a number of concerts and host a series of workshops in Ghana – created to empower young musicians and build confidence where it’s needed most. Inspired by Peter’s own musical beginnings and the guidance he received from his mentor, trombonist Elikplim Amewode (Eli), Peter and his band wanted to offer the same encouragement to a new generation.
Peter observed that in Ghana, music is part of everyday life, yet many young players still carry limiting beliefs shaped by the country’s colonial past – ideas that they can play, but can’t truly excel. Peter knows this mindset firsthand; he grew up around it too.
Peter’s mission through these workshops is to help break those stereotypes and show young Ghanaian artists that excellence isn’t defined by race or origin, but by dedication, practice, and passion.
As Peter says: “Every musician, irrespective of their background, has the potential to master their craft and achieve greatness.”
KEY MUSICIANS
Peter Somuah trompet, Anton de Bruin keyboard, synthesizer, piano, Jens Meijer drums, Danny Rombout percussie, Marijn van de Ven elektrische bas
Sound of Recognition
1
Recorded Album “Letter to the Universe”
Edison Award nomination “Letter to the Universe”
2
Recorded Album “Highlife”
3
Edison Award win “Outer Space”
4
National & International tours
BIMHUIS, Paradiso, North Sea Jazz Festival, Blue Note Shanghai, Blue Note Beijing From Ghana to Amsterdam
“The (financial) support by NAJ has allowed me to grow my career, especially my international career, at a faster pace than I would have been able to otherwise.
The support has also hugely helped in creating music that honours my roots and Ghana’s cultural heritage.
The trip was an immersive experience aimed at giving the band a deeper understanding of my roots and my music. It was special to me to witness the Dutch guys that I have been building with over the last few years meet the Ghanaian friends that I grew up playing with. I feel the trip to Ghana really solidified the band’s ability to play from the soul.
The recent Highlife album (released in November 2024) was supported by NAJ. The featured artists on the album are all living in Ghana and in April 2024 Anton (keyboardist and producer) and I travelled to Ghana to write and record with them. This was the dream of the band and the NAJ fund made it happen.
We played two nights each at the Blue Note in Shanghai and Blue Note in Beijing. I introduced the band to my Chinese friends in Shanghai and Beijing. We shared knowledge about the Chinese jazz scene and the Dutch jazz scene.
The band and I joined local jam sessions in the jazz clubs in Beijing, Shanghai, Xi’an and played with local conservatory students and established musicians alike. We returned home full of new impressions and fresh inspiration. The NAJ support hugely helped to make the tour happen!
After the China tour in August, the band and I played some shows in Germany in September. In November, the band and I made our debut in Spain and played two shows in Barcelona. It has been a special experience to grow our international audience and it has been interesting to observe the differences across countries. While audiences tend to be quiet as can be right up until the end of each song in Germany, the audiences in Spain reacted with vocal enthusiasm to every little part of the songs that they enjoyed. The bond between the musicians in the band has also been growing stronger among our international travels.”
Peter Somuah Jazz Musician
