Adzohu originated at La Trobe University
in 1980 as a student ensemble led by Dr Jeff Pressing. Within a year, the group was
performing at schools throughout Melbourne. Subsequently, Dr Pressing travelled to
Ghana and Nigeria to study the music and dance first hand. La Trobe University
Music Department,
and later Adzohu itself, sponsored visits by members of the Ladzekpo
family, several of whom are master musicians and dancers, to conduct workshops in music, dance and ethnology.
Chris Lesser assumed leadership of the ensemble in 1983.
Adzohu soon became a fully independent entity, and has since evolved into one of
Australia's premier African performance groups. In 1985, Chris
Lesser and Tom Fryer travelled to
Ghana and established contacts with Asanté musicians Daniel Amponsah (better
known as Koo Nimo) and Kojo Noah Owusu.
They brought back field recordings, new instruments and cloth for costumes. In 1989,
Chris returned to Ghana to conduct further research with Koo Nimo, Kojo Noah and others.
Whilst there, he made contacts with academics and members of the National Dance Company of Ghana.
In 1992, Adzohu toured Australia's east coast with Koo Nimo and Kojo Noah. The tour
was a great success and enabled members to better learn Asanté music and dance.
Since then, Kojo Noah Owusu has settled in Australia and built a considerable reputation
as a musician, performing with African Royal Drummers, Musikii Manjaro, Valanga Khoza, and his own group Kotoko Mma.
In 1995 members and friends of the ensemble visited Ghana, where they met Ga musician
Nii Tettey Tetteh. As a result, Adzohu sponsored a tour
of Nii Tettey, together with Asanté dancer Emelia Yaa Fosuaa, in 1997. This
tour enabled Nii Tettey to network with various people in Australia, and consequently
establish an ongoing series of study tours to Ghana.