Internationally acclaimed Ghanaian drummer and composer Paa Kow has reportedly died on Tuesday, December 23, 2025, leaving the country’s music community in shock.
The news was announced by American jazz trumpeter Brad Goode, a longtime collaborator of Paa Kow, on Facebook. The cause of death is not yet known.
Goode described him as “our beloved friend, master drummer, bandleader and spiritual force” and said he was “shocked and devastated” by the news. He added that Paa Kow’s music, with its message of peace and brotherhood, had inspired him and many other musicians over the last 18 years.
Goode has performed extensively with Paa Kow in both Ghana and the United States, including as part of Paa Kow’s current line-up, and on Goode’s album The Unknown, highlighting their close professional relationship.
Born in Enyan Denkyira, near Cape Coast, Ghana, Paa Kow gained recognition for blending highlife, jazz, and Afro-Fusion.
He began performing as a child in his family’s concert band and rose to prominence as a teenager when he joined Ghanaian highlife star Amakye Dede in Accra. He later played with other notable Ghanaian artists including Kojo Antwi, George Darko, Nat Brew, and gospel musicians such as Yaw Sarpong, among others.
Paa Kow’s career also included international performances across Africa, Europe, and the United States. He released several albums, including Hand Go Hand Come (2012), Ask (2014), Cookpot (2017), and Nkwa Na Ehia (2021).
Paa Kow was celebrated for his virtuosity on a custom-designed, hand-carved drum set and for creating a musical style that bridged Ghanaian rhythms with jazz and Afro-pop, earning him acclaim worldwide.
Further details are expected.
