Songbook Ebo Taylor

In collaboration with North Sea Round Town, House of Knowledge, BIRD, OSHI, Kunstinstituut Melly, this summer, Hiphophuis becomes the stage for a musical homecoming.

Trumpeter and composer Peter Somuah leads a heavy crew in Songbook of Ebo Taylor, a tribute to one of Ghana’s most influential musical minds. Ebo Taylor wasn’t just a composer or guitarist. He was a griot, a sonic storyteller who captured joy, struggle, resistance, and spirit in every note. His sound travelled far beyond Ghana’s borders and left a mark on artists like Somuah, long before the trumpet became his instrument of choice.

Now, Somuah brings it full circle with a deeply personal tribute: ““I grew up listening to Ebo Taylor on the radio without knowing who he really was. Later, I got to understand the music and the genius behind it. And even later, I got to play with him in Paris. That moment really meant something to me.”” 

Hiphophuis, with its roots deep in movement, identity, and expression, hosts the live performance and jam of this one-of-a-kind event, where highlife meets hip hop, jazz meets the street, and tradition meets the future.

PROGRAMME

2:30 PM – 3:30 PM (Kunstinstituut Melly) :Talk & Listening Session.  An in-depth conversation moderated by Andrew Makkinga. Somuah invites the audience to explore Ebo Taylor’s legacy, while reflecting on the cultural and historical contexts of his music colonial history, identity, spirituality, and storytelling through sound.
The session features a carefully selected listening program that shaped Somuah’s development as an artist. “Highlife is more than just a genre to me, it’s how we celebrate, how we protest, how we live.”

3:30 PM – 4:00 PM (Kunstinstituut Melly) : Break + drinks and bites. Enjoy refreshments before moving to HipHopHuis for the live concert.

4:00 PM – 5:00 PM (Hiphophuis) : Live performance: Songbook of Ebo Taylor. A dynamic live concert where Somuah leads:

Bnnyhunna (keys/guitar)
Junya (drums)
Aaron Bouwman (bass)
Lezaam Beets (trombone)

Together, they breathe new life into Ebo Taylor’s work, blending highlife, afrobeat, soul, jazz, and improvisation.

5:00 PM – 6:00 PM (Hiphophuis) :  DJ set + Jam. MO.ĠYAH closes the event with a DJ set and open dance jam, inviting everyone to celebrate with high-energy music and movement.