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MillerComm Lecture Series

The Copyright Consequences of Paul Simon Meeting West Africa's Highlife Muse: Yaa Amponsah

Thursday, November 9th, 2000
John E Collins
7:30 pm

Music Building, Auditorium
1114 West Nevada Street
Urbana

Event Description

Are there problems applying modern individualistic notions of copyright to a folk culture? What are they? Collins examines how the royalties paid by Paul Simon for the use of a Ghanaian tune by Yaa Amponsah* resulted in a number of negative consequences and how this well-intentioned action resulted in a folkloric tax being applied to Ghanaian nationals for the commercial use of their own indigenous folklore.

*For his Rhythm of the Saints album, specifically the song, "Spirit Voices," Paul Simon used Yaa Amponsah's music.

Hosted by: The Center for African Studies

In conjunction with: College of Law, Department of Anthropology, Department of Sociology, Illinois Program for Research in the Humanities, International Programs and Studies, School of Music, Ford Foundation Initiative in Revitalizing Area Studies: Crossing Borders

John E Collins

Department of Music, School of Performing Arts, University of Ghana, Legon