The Genius of Ghanaian Music Collective, SuperJazzClub.

Ghana’s music scene has been one of the most versatile in Africa and the world. Despite the challenges it faces, the industry has always opened up to diverse sounds and genres for decades. It must be pointed out that, while consumers have been accommodating of the diverse sounds in the space, it has not been very rewarding to artists that make music outside the more commercial and widely accepted genres like Highlife, Gospel, Hiplife, Reggae/Dancehall, and Afrobeats. Albeit these challenges, artists that make music outside the more popular genres have never backed down from making the music they want to make. While they make the music, they continue to build community and amplify themselves and their music beyond the shores of Ghana. In other words, they refuse to allow the limitations they face in Ghana to stop them from achieving great things with their music. In recent times, one genre that has been enjoying fast-growing appeal is alternative music popularly known as Alté. Over the years, since 2016/17, when Alté music started getting mainstream attention with the likes of La Meme Gang, Dark Suburb, Adomaa, Ayat, Worlasi, Ria Boss and a few others, the genre has grown from just being music enjoyed by some “weird cool kids” to enjoying worldwide attention with the likes of Amaarae, Moily, Baaba J, and the SuperJazz Club; who are the focus of this article. Among the many stakeholders that have held down the Alté community and music by continuously amplifying it in Ghana and beyond, one group I have a lot of admiration for is the music collective SuperJazzClub.

I remember vividly where I was, what I was doing, and how I felt the first time I heard their music. It was refreshing, different and very comforting. It felt like a scene from a movie where the sun shines so bright with two lovers; a girl in a sundress and a shirtless boy both sitting in a drop-top, driving by the beach as the beautiful summer sun serves as a backdrop.

The collective is made up of talented, creative, and non-conforming individuals who came together to amplify their shared love for creativity; be it fashion, photography, film or most especially, music. Seyyoh, Ansah, BiQo, Tano Jackson, Øbed, Joey Turks, Anthony, Oliver, and Abena who all possess skills in filmmaking, fashion, production and other creative folds, would take the bold step in 2018 to create what has now become the global music brand Supper Jazz Club, which is flying the flag of Ghana an Alté music high around the world. The collective has been churning out back-to-back genre-bending songs since their debut song ‘Bordeaux’ up to their current song ‘Paradise.’ Along the line, they have drawn inspiration from Jazz, Pop, Afrobeats, Highlife and Hip-hop to make their songs.

In a period where Afrobeats songs have become the order of the day and are getting a chunk of consumers’ attention, SJC have not allowed anything to distract them from pursuing the dream that has been the foundation on which they have built their careers. Between 2019 and today, they have been building a burgeoning discography that has grown in reception and partnership. With songs like ‘Cameras,’ ‘Jungle,’ ‘Cellular,’ ‘Mad,’ ‘Wicked,’ and ‘Paradise,’ they have garnered positive reviews and gone on to build a growing community that has been supportive of their music and shows around the world. Their songs are a reflection of the lives and circumstances young people find themselves in today. From talking about the flashy lifestyle of living like a celebrity, themes of love, growth and adulting, to the realities of young folks living in a city like Accra.In 2021, the collective would drop their debut tape ‘For All the Good Times,’ which would be a catalyst for their growth while reflecting on their non-conforming and sonic range. The tape gave listeners a clearer picture of who SJC is and created room for people to better understand the need for a community like SJC, since it represented a sect of people who were misunderstood, overlooked and regarded as outcasts just because they loved something out of the ordinary. SJC became one of the few communities that became a space for the “weird cool kids.” Yes, they are cool, but they are not weird. They go through all the challenges like every other person living in Accra, London, Nigeria or in a complex in Paris. You can never ‘out-cool’ the complexities that come with life. They took the mantle off the pacesetters and created additional space in the growing Alté community while giving a voice to people that were not being heard but shared the same love and enthusiasm for what was regarded as “weird” in the music, fashion, arts and culture.

Now in 2023, after years of putting in their best and earning collaborations with some of the biggest brands in the arts and culture industry like Boileroom, Spotify, Apple Music, Reebok, and a host of others, SJC are still going strong and even stronger than before. They remain committed to uplifting the community by inculcating their genre and culture bending style into what they do. From fashion, sound, visuals, and skateboarding, to events, SJC has become a big pillar leading the revolution for the Alté community. They may not get maximum support from the mainstream media in the country, but they have never backed down. They have found their own way and are breaking barriers as they lead the community to achieve great feats. The collective is currently on tour in Europe, selling out show after show while giving hope to the youth to remain steadfast in their dreams. They have remained on course to become a globally accepted collective, having already touched base with different parts of the world in Africa and America.

Like the Skillions, FOKN Bois, La Meme Gang, Asakaa and other collectives of the past and present, SJC continues to draw attention to the gold mine that is the alternative community; which has seen significant growth from what it was in the mid-2010s. Today we have seen a lot of collectives like 99Phaces, All Our Cousins, WeirdxGenius, and other solo acts like Marince Omario, Baaba J, and fashion brands like Free The Youth and Tribe Of God who are all pulling their weight to uplift the community and give the youth a platform to express themselves no matter how experimental it may be.

From what started as just a collective dream, SuperJazzClub has today become a front-runner in the amplification of alternative music, the community and the culture. If you are a young person battling to live your dream because you will be seen as “weird,” do not be discouraged. Let the story of SJC be the match that lights up your will to do and overcome the pressure and confinements society will put you in. It may not be an easy ride, but with commitment, dedication, and community, you too can become great.

Check out some of their music here!

Written by: Nana Kojo Mula.