About
Ghanaian musician who invented the musical genre of Afro-jazz and became known as The Divine Drummer.
Before Fame
He briefly attended Achimota College in Accra, but dropped out in 1942 and enlisted the following year in the U.S. Army's Office of Strategic Services.
Trivia
He co-founded The Tempos, the premiere African jazz band. In 1955, he traveled to Chicago to perform with the Gene Esposito Band; during this period, he also collaborated with Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, and other renowned jazz musicians.
Family Life
He was married two times and fathered four sons and two daughters. Most of his children have pursued artistic careers, including his first son, who became a sculptor, painter, and carver.
Associated With
His parents named him Warren Gamaliel Kpakpo Akwei after former American President, Warren G. Harding.
