Waldecker strasse5628
D-51065 Cologne, Germany
Tel. / Fax: 0049-221 6200478
Mobile: 0049 152 04149098
E-Mail: ngassalogy@yahoo.de
Up to the 1980s his father, himself a trumpet player also, was one of the most popular musicians of Cameroon. Since the middle of the 1990s Terrence Ngassa has been considered the best trumpet player of Central and West Africa; in his home country he is already treated as a role model by the younger jazz generation.
In 2000 he was granted a stipend by the DAAD (the German state-supported student exchange agency), which allowed him to study jazz trumpet with Prof. Manfred Schoof at the Hochschule für Musik (Academy of Music) in Cologne.
The musical styles of Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie, Clifford Brown and Miles Davis rank among the principal musical influences upon Mr. Ngassa.
Owing to these Terrence Ngassa has managed to mould such multifarious musical styles as cool, bebop, Afro-jazz and pop into one genuine style and sound.
In his compositions his African roots converge with all these musical experiences and together with his style of playing the trumpet and his delicate manner of singing form a compact atmospheric unity.
Terrence Ngassa , born
in Bamenda (Cameroon). His father, former lead
trumpeter in Cameroon`s National orchestra, and one of
the most popular musician in west Cameroonin the 1960s
up to date. He got Terrence in music very early giving
him his first trumpet in 1989. Terrence haphazardly meets Marcel Talla a saxophon player at the Cameroon
Radio Television who gives him some good tips and how
to work independently towards attaining professional
musical status.
In September1990 Terrence makes his first ensemble
experience when he joins the college band of the
Government Bilingual High School Yaounde where he
plays until june 1993, when he obtains his General
Certificate of Education Advanced Level, having been the leader of the college band and president of the
music club between 1992 and 1993.
In the school band, Terrence quickly demarcates
himself by his inclination zo jazz which at first
seemed queer to his band fellows. In an attempt to get
some following, he created a forum named MEDIUM JAZZ.
This forum involved students sharing thesame musical
sensibility -jazz; thereby enabling the insertion of
some jazz standard in the band4s repertoire to
Terrence 4s delight. After a short while Terrence forms
THE MEDIUM JAZZ QUINTET, his first jazz group.
The sixth edition of the International Jazz Festival
in Yaounde -Cameroon (JAZZ SOUS LES MANGUIERS) is a
major breakthrough for him and the medium jazz
quintet.
Terrence wins the best award as
"THE BEST NEWCOMER
OF
THE JAZZ FESTIVAL in 1993" This affirmation is confirmed
in the subsequent editions of the festival notably in
1994 and 1995, coupled with his constant performance as sideman within the ranks of the Baba
Moussa Sextet
and the Yaounde jazz Fizz, the best jazz groups in
Cameroon.
His hope of becoming a musician is given more impetus
when he is called to replace a saxophonistof the Jazz
Fizz club of Hilton Hotel in june 1992 the most
prominent jazz group in the country at that time. This gives him the opportunity to interact with
musicians from different countries and musical backgrounds.
He there by participates in several
workshops and jam-sessions with local as well as
international jazz musicians like Alvin Queen, Pharoah Sanders (USA), Eric Lelan,
Bertrand Renaudin (France),
Peter Brotzmann, (Germany)....
He plays, tours in Italy, Gabon, Russia, France, Ivory Coast, Ghana, the french and german cultural centres and
ambassies, throughout Cammeroon and west and central Africa.
He plays in various musical styles like bebop, cool jazz, afro jazz, and most certainly african music. This has layed a sound foundation for him as a sideman as well as a soloist in many musical styles. He studied music theory in the music company of Cameroon`s army. His main influences are Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie, Clifford Brown, and Miles Davis.
He got a DAAD Scholarship which enabled him to study
jazz trumpet at the music conservatory of cologne with professor
Manfred Schoof, and is a member of
the Europe Africa Jazz Orchestra, under the direction
of Francois Jeannau... Collaboration with Brice wassy, jasper Van,t Hof,
Joe Wulf,s Gentlemen of Swing.
Since 1994 he is acknowledged to be the best jazz
trumpeter in Cameroon, west and central Africa. Today
Terrence Ngassa stands as the flag bearer of jazz for
the younger generation of cameroon jazz musicians and
one of the indisputable horn master of Cameroon.
TEXT BY APPOLONIE BELINGA
