Kotoko Brass

A brass band that melds the traditional drumming of central Ghana, the sturdy bass and keyboards of the Caribbean, and the horns of New Orleans. Kotoko’s compositions emerge from the rich culture and heritage of the Asante Kingdom of Ghana and are brought to life by a group that spans age, ethnicity, and nationality. Its performance, talkback, and workshop in Ghanaian dance and drumming will introduce audiences to diverse histories, stories, traditions, and cultures that came together to shape and push today’s New Orleans-style brass band music. Kotoko Brass provides a window into the role that music and dance play in community identity, ideology, ritual, and social cohesion, and how they promote unity and solidarity, perpetuate cultural heritage, and foster diasporic connection.