Author for August -- Professor John Collins

Author for August -- Professor John Collins

For the month of August 2018, Writers Project of Ghana and Goethe-Institut Ghana in collaboration with publishers Dakpabli & Associates proudly present a public reading with ethnomusicologist Professor John Collins. John Collins is the author of Highlife Time 3, which was recently published by Dakpabli Publishers.

John Collins will be reading from his latest book Highlife Time 3. Published by Dakpabli & Associates in collaboration with Anansesem Publications, Highlife Time 3 traces the origins of highlife music and includes information on palmwine music, adaha brass bands, concert party guitar bands and dance bands, right up to off-shoots such as afro-rock, afrobeat, burger highlife, gospel highlife, hiphop highlife (i.e. hiplife) and contemporary highlife. The book also includes chapters on the traditional background of highlife, the entry of women into Ghanaian highlife, and the biographies of numerous Ghanaian and Nigerian musicians, composers and producers. It also touches on the role highlife played in Ghana’s independence struggle and the quest for a national identity. 

John Collins has been active on the Ghanaian and West African music scene since 1969 as a guitarist, band leader, writer and teacher. He has a B.A. degree in Sociology and Archeology from the University of Ghana. He also obtained his PhD in ethnomusicology from SUNY Buffalo in 1994. In 2008, he naturalized as a Ghanaian and has taught at the Department of Music, University of Ghana where he served as Head of Department from 2003 to 2005. He has also taught at Ashesi University.

John Collins is the author of other books on West African music, including Fela: Kalatuta Notes, The Making of a Highlife Legend: King Bruce and the Black Beats and West African Highlife Giants.

Join us for an exciting evening of readings. Copies of Highlife Time 3 will be on sale, in addition to other books at the WPG book stand.

Date: Wednesday, 29th August, 2018

Time: 7.00 PM - 8.30 PM

Admittance is Free.

Venue: Goethe-Institut, 30 Kakramadu Close, East Cantonments, Accra.