Ghana and the World Music Boom
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1558/pomh.v3i3.275Keywords:
authenticity, folkloric performance, Ghanaian music, highlife, independent record label, music copyright, music economics' tourism, world musicAbstract
Ghana was not able to initially benefit from the growth of the commercial World Music sector due to the collapse of its live popular music scene during the military coups of the late 1970s and 80s. However with the 1990s return of civilian rule and growth of tourism this is now changing. There are currently numerous collaborations between Ghanaian and foreign musicians and literally thousands of cultural tourists, African Americans visitors and World Music’aficionados coming to enjoy local popular and folkloric performances and festivals, and study traditional music and dance at the scores of private cultural schools that are springing up. This has led to the proliferation of many neo-traditional performance groups, re-awakened an interest in ‘classic’ highlife—and has also led to the Ghanaian government to upgrade the popular entertainment sector.
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