Music (all courses)

An estimated 70% of Cubans have African ancestors. This Web site introduces different aspects of the African cultures of Cuba, such as music, art, theater, festivals, poets, and authors. There is also a list of conferences and organizations that teach workshops and classes on African cultures of Cuba.

Explore roots music: blues, country, gospel, bluegrass, cajun, zydeco, tejano, and Native American music. This is a companion site to the four-part PBS series, with each part individually summarized. Included are Oral Histories of some of the artists, a discography for each episode, and histories of the songs and instruments heard in the programs. Additionally, there are related links and lesson plans.

Companion to an exhibit about this Cuban singer who was known as the "Queen of Salsa." The site features an illustrated overview of her life (including her move to the United States in 1961), images of album covers and posters, music and video clips, a discography, and images of some of her costumes. In English and Spanish. From the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.

Online companion to the album and film entitled The Buena Vista Social Club , a "re-living of the classic era of Cuban popular music." Features information on director Wim Wenders and musician Ry Cooder, a timeline of Cuban music history, a glossary of related terms, profiles of the musicians and excerpts of the songs featured in the film (including lyrics in English and Spanish), photographs, and interviews. From PBS Online.

Ceolas is a directory of Celtic music on the Internet, concentrating on the Irish & Scottish traditions. Includes profiles, links, discographies of musicians, reviews and sound samples of the music, a resource list with pointers to books, magazines, mail-order sources, radio shows, and information on dance and instruments, an index to traditional tunes, tour schedules, and related e-mail discussion lists.

Links to more than 1,000 web pages around the world with updated music charts.

Music, photos, poems, and stories from the Andes mountain region of South America, which includes artists from Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Argentina, and Chile. Information is variously provided in English, Spanish, and the Quechua language.

This digital exhibit features photographs of traditional musical instruments from around the world which have been collected by the University of Washington Ethnomusicology Division Archives. Descriptions of images include instrument name, description, donor, and country of origin. The collection is searchable by instrument type, geographic region, and keyword. From the University of Washington Libraries Digital Collections.

A searchable and browsable database of about 50,000 song titles and 20,000 performers of recorded folk music. Entries for songs include cross references to related tunes, alternative titles, and parodies. See the "Publisher List" for a browsable list of record labels that issue music featured in the database. Also has listings for over 200 printed resources, including listings from major collectors. Created and maintained by librarian Jane Keefer.

A searchable collection of folk and traditional music and popular songs, with lyrics, MIDI renditions, tune information, and history. These songs include Francis J. Child ballads, country tunes, the works of Turlough O'Carolan, and sea shanties. The collection is also browsable by country of origin, subject, or compiler. Also available is an introductory encyclopedia of folk music and related resources.

Library of Congress resources on "African-American expressions of writing, music, and art during the 1920s and 1930s." Features exhibitions, photo collections, manuscripts, sheet music, biographies, "Today in History" essays, lesson plans, a selected bibliography, and more. Compiled by Angela McMillian, Digital Reference Specialist at the Library of Congress.

"A multi-format ethnographic field collection documenting religious and secular music of Spanish-speaking residents of rural Northern New Mexico and Southern Colorado," compiled by Juan Rael in 1940 and available through the Library of Congress. Includes audio of alabados (hymns), folk drama, wedding songs, and dance tunes; and writings by Rael. Additionally, features essays (also available in Spanish) on Rael, the Nuevo Mexicanos of the Upper Rio Grande region, and Hispano Folk Theater in New Mexico.

An archive of cultural material by the indigenous peoples of the world, ranging from literature and music to prayers and history. Contains a listing of tribes, chiefs, and the complete texts of key documents such as the Iroquois and Seminole constitutions.

A collection of annotated sites on "the study of Islam, Qur'an, hadith, the Sunnah, Shi'ism and Heterodox Movements Sufism, Islam in the modern world, militant Islam, jihad, Islamist or extremist Muslims, and terrorism, Islam in Iraq, Muslim women, Islamic art, architecture, music, as well as Islamic history, theology, philosophy, and Arabic and other Islamic languages such as Persian, and religion in general." From a professor of religion at the University of Georgia.

Annotated links to websites about Islamic art, music, and architecture. Of special interest is a section on Muslim popular western musicians, with links to information about Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens), Richard Thompson, and Islam and hip-hop music. Compiled by a University of Georgia religion professor and director of an Islamic studies institute.

This site serves as a gateway to resources on Basque culture, including newspapers and other media, government, language, genealogy, music, dance, theater, food, and tourism. Also includes the searchable Basque Film Archive comprising "the largest collection of Basque cinematographic materials outside of Spain and France." From the University of Nevada, Reno Libraries. Note: films can only be viewed at the University of Nevada, Reno.

Features a brief history of Kabuki; audio clips and descriptions of musical instruments; traditional Japanese theater links; and a demonstration of a makeup session, showing the transformation of a male actor into a woman.

A directory of Web sites from and about Lithuania. Searchable by keyword, and browsable by category (including news, business, travel, leisure, and music). Also available in Lithuanian.

"Here are some traditional rhythms ... that are played as Middle Eastern and Mediterranean dance rhythms or as accompaniment to Middle Eastern and Mediterranean melodies" on instruments such as the Arabic tabla and the darabuka. The site also features resources for Middle Eastern drums and instructional materials, Middle Eastern percussion history, sample rhythms, and related material. From a drummer in a Middle Eastern dance and music troupe.

Basic information, scholarly papers, and many links to sites about Mongolia's history and culture. Subjects include travel, wildlife and environmental conservation, Genghis Khan, the role of horses in Mongolian culture, music, art, storytelling, sports, traditional clothing, Mongolian film and portrayals of Mongolians in movies, and food. From the Indo-Mongolian Society.

This site provides resources and information for "anyone interested in unique, unusual, ethnic, or experimental music and instruments." Provides descriptions, photos, and sound clips for the theremin, didgeridoo, balalaika, clakamore, and dozens of other instruments. Other resources include a discussion group, a glossary of musical instruments and styles, and creative and experimental music links.

An online "world and roots music magazine." Includes news, reviews, interviews, and more.

"Smithsonian Folkways Recordings is the nonprofit record label of the Smithsonian Institution, the national museum of the United States." The site contains a searchable catalog of recordings (genres include folk, bluegrass, blues, humor, old time, poetry, and world music); events information; tour dates of featured artists; and more.

A collection of sound clips and images of labels of commercially produced musical recordings which are "primarily in Spanish, recorded during the first half of the twentieth century, predominantly in the United States and Mexico." Searchable, or browsable by title or subject (such as adultery, deportation, and drinking). Note: complete songs available only to the UCLA community. In English and Spanish. From the University of California, Los Angeles, Library.

A Web site "providing information on the plight of Tibet and serving as a virtual community space for the movement." Links to sites covering the culture, religion, articles, news, speeches, and reports on suspected human right violations in Tibet. Additional Web links direct the user to art, movies, books, music, software, and photo galleries on Tibetan society.

Information about the population, geography, history, economy, government, and culture (architecture, arts, famous people, folklore, food, literature, music, recreation) of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Tourist information is also included.

This site features profiles of nearly seventy artists, lots of reviews of albums, and information on various Brazilian musical styles, including a glossary of musical terms. The author's interest in the subject is "primarily musical, not literary" and provides commentary on music rather than lyrics.

This is the site of an NPR documentary about the golden age of Yiddish radio (1930-1950), which depicted the daily life of Eastern European Jewish immigrants in their new homeland. The dramas, political commentary, advice shows, talent shows, and music provided entertainment and comfort. The site has photos of radio personalities, sound clips, a documentary, and an explanation of the work of Henry Sapoznik, who found and restored the disks with the programs.