Ghana has been considered a land of storytellers for many centuries. But this great tradition does not necessarily have to be continued with words or the voice. Peter Somuah spins storytelling with his instrument: as a young trumpet player, he embarks on a fascinating search for identity between the highlife of his homeland, his idol Miles Davis and the cosmopolitan musical language of his new home Holland. This journey is his "Letter to the Universe".
Ghana has an ancient tradition of story-telling, so the continuance of this great heritage can take many forms... and not just ones that involve the voice or words. Peter Somuah spins tales which come from his instrument: as a young trumpet-player, he embarked on a fascinating search for his identity between the Highlife music of his native country, Miles Davis – his idol – and the cosmopolitan musical language of Holland, the country which is now his home. He tells that story in "Letter to the Universe".When Somuah and his band ended their set and departed the stage at the 2022 North Sea Jazz Festival in Rotterdam, it was clear to everyone in the hall that they had witnessed something very special, the arrival of an extraordinary new artist. It was his first big festival appearance; up to then he had only played in clubs. So...
line upPeter Somuah / trumpet, vocals (Soft Touch, Odo), guitar (Odo)
Jesse Schilderink / tenor saxophone
Anton de Bruin / keyboards & rhodes
Marijn van de Ven / double bass & electric bass
Jens Meijer / drums
Danny Rombout / conga, bells, shakers & djembe
Thomas Nii Lantey Botchway / dundun, banana bell, talking drum
Music composed by Peter Somuah
except Odo based on Ghana highlife music
Lyrics:
The Universe written by Lisette Ma Neza
Soft Touch by Peter Somuah
Moonlight by Latanya Alberto
The Sky by Stevo Atambire
Reincarnation by Gyedu Blay Ambolley
Recorded at Wedgeview Studios, Netherlands
Mixed by Anton de Bruin & Udo Pannekeet
Mastered by Stuart Hawkes
Producer & string arrangements: Anton de Bruin
Cover art by Hamid Nii Nortey: The Universe, 2023
