–BY Issah Olegor
The rhythmic pulse of African jazz reverberated through the grounds of Alliance Française in Accra on the night of Saturday April 26, as the dynamic Meloharm Jazz Band delivered a soul-stirring performance during the 2025 edition of the Alliance Française Jazz Festival.
Sharing the stage with celebrated Kenyan jazz trumpeter Christine Kamau, the event marked yet another high point for the rising Pan-African ensemble.
Formed in 2019, Meloharm Jazz Band is a collective of young, professionally trained musicians based in Accra, Ghana.
The band, made up of alumni from the Accra Jazz Academy under the Ghana Jazz Foundation, blends elements of jazz, highlife, folk, Afrobeat, soul, and pop to craft a sound that is distinctly African yet globally resonant.
Though Meloharm had been actively performing for years, it wasn’t until 2023 that the group formally registered with the Musicians Union of Ghana.
Since its formation, the band has steadily built a reputation through performances at events such as Biggies Lounge’s Jazz Nights in Winneba, the Windy Jazz Event on Radio Windy-Bay at the University of Education, Winneba (UEW), and the School of Creative Arts’ Combo Show.
Their growing credibility earned them slots at some of Ghana’s most iconic venues, including +233 Jazz Bar and Grill, Ghana Club’s Afro-Classical Nights, and Jazz on the Hill at Tranquillus Hotel in Aburi.
Saturday’s performance at Alliance Française was a continuation of their upward trajectory. With Christine Kamau’s trumpet melodies weaving through Meloharm’s rich instrumental arrangements, the show presented a celebration of Pan-African unity through music.
The audience was treated to a mix of the band’s signature tunes, including their latest releases — Tso Labɛ Za Gborna, a cultural jazz anthem unveiled on Ghana’s Independence Day (March 9), and Tuutu Gbovi, a smooth jazz single released on April 5.
Currently the resident band at Coltrane Jazz Club in Adenta — where they perform on the last Saturday of every month — Meloharm has become a fixture in Accra’s live jazz scene.
The group has also collaborated with leading Ghanaian jazz artists like Yomi Sower, Daniel Black, and Frank Kissi, further solidifying its reputation as a force in the local music industry.
Looking ahead, Meloharm is gearing up for the release of its debut EP, expected in the first quarter of 2025.
The band also harbours ambitions of touring internationally and representing Ghanaian and Pan-African culture on global jazz platforms.
