Final Descent Into Vinterjazz: Okyerema Asante (GH)

Ghanaian master percussionist

Okyerema Asante is a Ghanaian master percussionist whose life and sound embody the deep ceremonial and communicative power of West African drumming. Born into a family of drummers, he began playing as a child and quickly mastered the talking drum, developing an extraordinary ability to make rhythm function as language, narrative and spiritual expression. From palace ceremonies and village festivals to major international stages, his musical journey reflects a lifelong devotion to rhythm as both tradition and living force.

Renowned for his solo performances, Asante is famous for recreating the complexity of an entire traditional drum ensemble on his own, using a wide array of instruments attached to his body and surroundings. In performance, he weaves together ancestral rhythms with jazz, funk and hypnotic repetition, creating immersive sound worlds that shift between trance, celebration and introspection. His playing is both virtuosic and deeply human, rooted in storytelling and collective memory.

Asante’s influence extends across continents through collaborations with artists such as Paul Simon, Hugh Masekela, Miriam Makeba and Fleetwood Mac, as well as through his landmark recordings, including Drum Message and Sabi (Get Down), which are considered foundational works in Afro-jazz and global percussion music. Over decades, he has remained a vital link between Ghanaian tradition and contemporary global sound, continually renewing the spirit of the drum while honouring its origins.

Today, alongside performance and recording, Asante dedicates himself to education and cultural transmission, sharing his knowledge with new generations and advocating for the preservation of African traditional music as a living, evolving art form.

Don’t miss this rare solo performance by one of the most highly acclaimed West African percussionists of our time.

https://black-fire.bandcamp.com/album/drum-message

Final Descent Into Vinterjazz

Two nights, two stages and ten acts exploring the outer edges of jazz – from manic noise rock, complex math and monolithic drone rock to minimalist shoegaze, solo performances, electronic experiments and even a detour to a Ghanaian percussion legend.

Final Descent Into Vinterjazz is a collaboration between Final Descent and HUSET CPH, presenting a deep dive into everything jazz can also be, spread across the two top floors of Huset.

Lineup: Bali Snak (DK) / Basile Bremaud (FR) / Hands on Fire (INT) / Nightmaries (DK) / Nina Garcia (FR) / Nuri (TN) / Okeyrema Asante (GH) / Portal Pets (DK) / Selvhenter (DK) / Tanz Mein Herz (FR)

Price: 100 DKK for one concert / 150 DKK for one evening / 250 DKK for both evenings

Program:

Friday 13/02/2026

18:30 Doors
19:00 Okeyrema Asante (GH)
20:00 Bali Snak (DK)
21:00 Basile Bremaud (FR)
22:00 Portal Pets (DK)
23:00 Nuri (TN)

Saturday 14/02/2026

18:30 Doors
19:00 Selvhenter (DK)
20:00 Nina Garcia (FR)
21:00 Hands On Fire (INT)
22:00 Nightmaries (DK)
23:00 Tanz Mein Herz (FR)

Read more at finaldescent.org