Kofi Boakye was proudly made in Akron, and he’s about to live one of his longtime Akroncentric dreams.

The 16-year-old keyboardist already fulfilled one dream when he performed with the Akron Symphony at E.J. Thomas Hall as part of Gospel Meets Symphony this past winter.

But this Friday, the Miller South grad and Early College High School junior will take the stage of the Akron Civic Theatre with his band to celebrate the release of his first album of all-original music, Made In Akron.

“This album is my way of giving back and saying thank you to the city,” Boakye said between classes. “I learned pretty much everything I know musicality-wise here in Northeast Ohio.

“So for this album what I really wanted to do was show a range of everything I’ve learned, and it ranges in genres from like lyrical classical serious type to a Latin jazz-type feel and even having a spoken word piece from my brother [Andre Bland] that is basically a tribute to Akron.”

Boakye said each of the album’s five tracks were inspired by a few artists he’s either met and/or studied; and the list includes contemporaries such as fellow genre-bending pianist Robert Glasper, smooth jazz ivory-tinkler man Brian Culbertson, Snarky Puppy keyboardist and solo artist Cory Henry, and Stevie Wonder’s “previous, older records,” to name a few. But artists aren’t the only inspiration for the tunes on Made In Akron. Read more at >>.

Kofi Boakye was proudly made in Akron and he’s about to live one of his longtime Akroncentric dreams.

The 16-year-old keyboardist already fulfilled one dream when he performed with the Akron Symphony at E.J. Thomas Hall as part of Gospel Meets Symphony this past winter.
But this Friday, the Miller South grad and Early College High School junior will take the stage of the Akron Civic Theatre with his band to celebrate the release of his first album of all-original music, Made In Akron.

“This album is my way of giving back and saying thank you to the city,” Boakye said between classes. “I learned pretty much everything I know musicality-wise here in Northeast Ohio.

“So for this album what I really wanted to do was show a range of everything I’ve learned, and it ranges in genres from like lyrical classical serious type to a Latin jazz type feel and even having a spoken word piece from my brother [Andre Bland] that is basically a tribute to Akron.”

Boakye said each of the album’s five tracks were inspired by a few artists he’s either met and/or studied and the list includes contemporaries such as fellow genre-bending pianist Robert Glasper, smooth jazz ivory-tinkler man Brian Culbertson, Snarky Puppy keyboardist and solo artist Cory Henry and Stevie Wonder’s “previous, older records” to name a few. But artists aren’t the only inspiration for the tunes on Made In Akron.

“I think that feel is in a lot of these tunes. Especially the one title Game Show. That one I thought about a lot of the old game shows and how the horns in those songs and those themes were so intricate and so flavorful. It brought a lot of personality into the music so I really wanted to integrate that to the song Game Show,” he said, begging the obvious question of what his favorite game show theme may be.

“My favorite game show theme is the Price is Right. I love that one, it’s awesome. I really tried to use that as the structure and inspiration along with all the other inspirations and ideas of my own,” Boakye said.

Boakye’s two previous releases were primarily filled with covers, so he is especially proud of Made In Akron because all the tunes are his own creation.

“This is a chance for me to show, ‘Hey this is what I’ve learned here in Akron and this is what Akron has given to me over the years. I’ve maximized the public school system, the music programs, the classical legend teachings from Ohio Conservatory and so many other great musicians and pianists like Theron Brown and all those people from Akron, and I’ve compiled it into this record,” Boakye said.

So getting back to living one of his dreams, this upcoming show at the Akron Civic has been a dream of his for a quarter of his life.

“I remember I was in sixth grade at Miller South. I was in the classroom and while they were sitting there talking about world history I just couldn’t help but think about playing or headlining a show at the Civic. And every time when I was younger someone would ask me what I see myself doing with music in the next couple of years I would say honestly I really see myself headlining a show at the Akron Civic Theatre, and I’d say I see myself onstage performing with an orchestra at E.J. Thomas. And for both of those things to happen this year is kind of crazy. So I’m really excited to be able to fulfill this dream of mine and there are so many more dreams I have and I can’t wait to accomplish those as well,” he said.
For the big release show, Boakye will be using his regular band: drummer Jeff Law, bassist Cody Mansfield and fellow keyboardist Marquis Brown. “I play one keyboard he plays three,” Boakye said of Brown, whom he first met at 11 years old.

“I couldn’t find a better group of guys to share this moment with on the stage right now than them, so I definitely had to call them up and ask them to be a part of it,” Boakye said of his bandmates.

Aside from his music studies, Boakye is also a self-described “musician, entrepreneur, public speaker and athlete” who wants to uplift as well as entertain.
“This is my way of saying thank you to Akron but I’m also, hopefully, giving inspiration,” he said. “If I’m doing this and I’m 16 and I came from a similar walk of life that you came from, then we can all do this and the future is bright for every single one of us.
“And there’s not one goal you can’t accomplish. And like my brother, Kwame, would say, ‘The only things you cannot do are the things you choose not to do’ and that’s my mentality and that’s my goal and I hope that individuals come and are ultimately inspired to do something of their own.”

Malcolm X Abram can be reached at mabram@thebeaconjournal.com or 330-996-3758. Read his blog, Sound Check Online, at www.ohio.com/blogs/sound-check, like him on Facebook at http://on.fb.me/1lNgxml and/or follow him on Twitter @malcolmabramABJ.

The Akron Civic Theatre's Sept. 30 Club@The Civic concert will serve as a dedication to Akron, from a 16-year-old pianist.

The Civic will host Kofi Boakye's "Made in Akron" CD release concert, which starts at 8 p.m.

"This is my way of giving thanks to Akron," said Boakye, who was born in Akron and attends Akron Early College. "Akron has done so much for me as a young musician."

The EP includes five tracks, Boakye said.

"This is my third CD, but the first where everything was composed by me," he said, adding that "Made in Akron" included a mix of standard jazz, R&B and classical pieces.

"All the songs were written over the past couple of years, inspired by my experiences and by other musicians whom I admire," he said.

Boakye said that playing at the Akron Civic fulfills a dream he has had for years.

"This year, it seems I've had a lot of dreams come true," he said. "Earlier this year, I performed at E.J. Thomas with the Akron Symphony Orchestra."

Ultimately, Boakye said he would love to tour and perform at places such as Madison Square Garden.

Boakye said that he had heard stories from his family that his grandfather, who died before Boakye was born, had played guitar with B.B. King. Boakye's own foray into playing the piano started when he was 9 years old, and his mother showed him an advertisement offering piano lessons.

"I said I'd give it a try," he said.

Boakye's initial reaction?

"I hated it," he said. "It was a group lesson with 5-year-olds, and they were playing fast."

He wanted to quit after the first lesson, but Boakye said the piano teacher pulled him aside and encouraged him to stick with it.

"She said 'I want to offer you private lessons,'" he said. "'I see something in you.'"

So Boakye said he continued and "I caught on quickly."

Since then, Boakye has performed in the Gospel Music Workshop of America as the organist for the National Children's and National Men's Choirs, as well as performing for the Ohio-Pennsylvania District Mega Assembly. Locally, Kofi regularly serves as musical director for church choirs, praise teams, and is often recruited to oversee the music production for gospel stage plays. He also toured Germany and Prague with the Miller South Show Choir.

In addition, in 2014, the White House awarded Kofi with the "President's Education Award for Outstanding Academic Excellence" and he earned it while balancing school and his music career.

Boakye said ultimately, he uses music to get his message of hope across.

"At the end of the day, I'm a 16-year-old with a passion," he said. "I'm African-American, 16, from a single parent household. I've done what I've done against all odds. I'm not supposed to do things like perform at the Civic. But don't let the past define you. Don't let history define you. You can create your own story, all you have to do is write it."

This is a cabaret performance, set on the Civic stage. Performers and audience are on the beautiful Civic stage for the performance. Tickets are available at the Akron Civic Theatre box office, by calling 330-253-2488 or online at www.akroncivic.com.

Local musician and band leader Kofi Boakye, 16, was talking with some of his peers about the world and the message was not good.
“We were talking about the different violence that had occurred in our community and one big thing that came out was that they were afraid to go out into their community and live their lives and be who they wanted to be because they're scared,” Boakye said.
Boakye, a classically trained keyboardist and a student at the Akron Early College, is a recipient of a 2014 President’s Education Award for Outstanding Academic Excellence.
He also leads a jazz/R&B group Kofi Boakye and Yours Truly, which will perform at Bricco Pub in Merriman Valley on Friday.
The sobering talk with his friends inspired Boakye and he wanted to help others feeling overwhelmed through his “Humble & Have No Fear” wristband campaign. The wristbands are $2 and are available at mkt.com/kofibmusic in several colors.
“I decided to take the initiative and start this movement saying you can be humble and have no fear to be yourself and have no fear to achieve whatever you want to achieve, despite all the violence that is going on in our community right now,” he said.
Boakye is the youngest of three boys raised by his mother, Carolyn, whom he calls one of his biggest inspirations and a constant reminder of the importance of humility.
“Humble to me is watching my mother raise three children on her own as a single parent and risk a lot of the dreams and goals she set forth for herself to make three immature kids become three independent young men,” Boakye said. “So it's inspiring kids to never forget where you came from, always remember the background, and at the same time use that as a motivator and continue to strive for greatness.”

AKRON, OH (WOIO) -
An Akron teen is trying to start a movement that he hopes will fight the recent epidemic of violence against local children. It involves wristbands and a video with two powerful messages: "humble" and "have no fear."

16-year-old Kofi Boakye is a talented young jazz and R&B musician we first met last spring.

He came up with the idea for the wristbands and video featuring local leaders and area students because many of his friend say they are afraid to be out in the community.

Kofi hopes this will give kids courage and maybe even inspire them to take back the streets.

"I hope that when they walk out and they look at their wrist, that they remain humble and have no fear to be themselves, have no fear to achieve whatever they want to achieve, and I hope at the end of the day someone can feel inspired to do great things," Kofi said.

He even hopes he can get LeBron James to wear one of the wristbands.

"When I think about the word 'humble' I think about the struggles that my mother went through as a single parent raising her three children to be three independent young men," Kofi said. "Having no fear means no matter what, you have no fear to achieve what you want to achieve and be who you want to be."

Visit mkt.com/kofibmusic to learn more about Kofi's wristbands.

Copyright 2015 WOIO. All rights reserved.

The Akron area is steeped with talented young working musicians.
But some of them are really, really young such as pianist/composer Kofi Boakye who turned 16 on Thursday after playing a full house at Pub Bricco's Wednesday jazz night.
Boakye has already received quite a bit of attention for his skills, having been an interview subject on local CBS Channel 19 as part of the Romona's Kids feature and toured Germany and Prague with the Miller South Show Choir. Last year, he received the President’s Education Award for Outstanding Academic Excellence and is currently a sophomore at the Akron Early College.
"My brother previously went there and he had a lot of success there, and I figured this was the best place for me to grow not only as an individual but also as a musician with the school of music program they have there. It's challenging but it's also pretty great at the same time."
On Wednesday night Boakye wore old-school black Adidas sweatpants and a Star Wars T-shirt as he fronted his current band One Sound. Drummer Jeff Law, bassist Cody Mansfield and saxophonist Ashton Blake along with Boakye played a couple hours of funk, soul and jazz and funky soul-jazz mixing jam heavy takes on familiar tunes such as Stevie Wonder's Superstition and Isn't She Lovely (dedicated to his mother) along with some classics such as Duke Ellington's In a Sentimental Mood.
Boakye started playing piano at the age of 8 after his mother; Carolyn Boakye, casually asked him if he was interested in learning the instrument.
‘‘I said, ‘I might as well take a shot at it’ and so I took a shot at it and from there within months I was already from the beginner's books to the advanced books,’’ he said.
Despite being young, he knew he was hooked on the instrument ‘‘when I realized I was playing about eight hours a day.
“That was when something clicked on for me and it wasn't a job or something I felt forced to do because I was never forced to do it by my mom, it was something I solely took joy in doing and it was something that help in tough times and situations.”
The classically trained Boakye, who studies with Tricia Thomson at the Ohio Conservatory, first played publicly in church and recitals but graduated to actual gigs in 2011 when he played the grand piano at Summit Mall to help fund his trip with the Miller South Show Choir and wound up raising enough money to also pay half the fees for a fellow student.
‘‘Hey, the power of music, I guess,’’ he said.
It was playing in church that helped lead Boakye toward jazz music.
‘‘I started to realize that there was much more to it with different musicians and everything and I transformed from the gospel feel to more of a jazz feel and that's when I started meeting guys like [local jazz pianist] Theron Brown who has made prominent marks in the music industry especially in Akron and Ohio and those are the people I look up to, [keyboardist and solo artist] Cory Henry; all them and it was a melting pot and something I was able to do because of my gospel background,’’ Boakye said.
Boakye is once again using his talents to help raise money so he can further his talents. He has an original gospel song available iTunes called I Know The Plans featuring singer DeAna Wansley that was written when he was 12. Boakye also has a CD Favor featuring some of the music he's arranged and recorded in the past three years.
With the proceeds, he plans to accept an invitation from the Berklee College of Music to attend its summer program.
Despite his gifts and playing experience, Boakye knows he's still got a ways to go.
"What I'm learning is that this is my way of relaying my message to people, that's the best thing I can say about what I'm doing right now," he said.

Malcolm X Abram can be reached at mabram@thebeaconjournal.com or 330-996-3758. Read his blog, Sound Check Online, at www.ohio.com/blogs/sound-check, like him on Facebook at http://on.fb.me/1lNgxml and/or follow him on Twitter @malcolmabramABJ.

Akron native and proud resident Kofi Boakye shines his light as an inspiring musician and scholar. At the young age of 15, Boakye excels as a student at the The University of Akron’s early college, which is an academic program that helps students earn, not only their high school diploma, but also an associate’s degree.

Aside from being a full time student, Boakye is a pianist who performs around the world. 

Known in the community for his ability to capture audiences with his musical talents, he was recently interviewed by Channel 19’s Romona Robinson and received the White House’s Presidents Education Award for Outstanding Academic Excellence.

Boakye says he seeks to inspire the youth to take advantage of opportunities and enjoy all the great moments in life.

He thanks his family and friends for being such an inspiration to him and his journey. Catch up with Kofi at www.facebook.com/KofiBMusic.

AKRON, OH (WOIO) - In this week's Romona's Kids, we found an Akron teenager who's already in college composing music and performing jazz around northeast Ohio. Kofi Boakye is using his jazz skills with the band, One Sound.
The 15-year-old is attending University of Akron early college, was named freshman of the year on his basketball team and has a CD coming out this summer.

He knew he had a love for music early in life.

"When I was 9 years old and my mother first asked me to play the piano, she just asked it out of the blue. I said, 'You know, I might as well give it a shot,'" recalled Kofi.

Kofi went from beginner to advanced in just a few months, even composing a gospel song based on a Bible verse.

"'I Know the Plan' is a song that I created when I was about 12 years old," said Kofi. "I started it when I was at home and saw a bookmark with the verse on it and this tune came into my head. God is the most important thing that I can ever think about because without Him I wouldn't be in this position that I'm in today."

Kofi's mother says her son is amazing and has a big heart.

"Every Christmas Eve, he will play the piano at Akron General Hospital for the sick and shut in, who can't go out, and for families who are there visiting their loved ones," said Carolyn Boakye.

"The piano is something that I can look to and say, 'Wow, even on my bad days I can still come to this and even on my great days I can still come to this instrument. It can still provide inspiration to me for years to come,'" said Kofi. "I'm grateful to God that he has been able to bless me with this gift of music to touch others across the state of Ohio."

One Sound will perform on May 7 at BLU Jazz in Akron. Get tickets here.

Copyright 2015 WOIO. All rights reserved.