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International Library of African Music

(I.L.A.M.)

International Library of African Music

Founded in 1954 by Hugh Tracey, I.L.A.M. is the greatest repository of African music in the world. A research institution devoted to the study of music and oral arts in Africa, it preserves thousands of historical recordings going back to 1929 and supports contemporary fieldwork. It is currently digitizing its collections. Its journal, African Music, is nearly into its fourth decade.

I.L.A.M. aims to discover, record, analyze, and archive the music of sub-Saharan Africa, with the object of establishing a theory of musicmaking in Africa and assessing the social, cultural, and artistic values of African music. It is a subdivision of the Institute of Social and Economic Research at the Rhodes University campus in Grahamstown, South Africa.

A few recordings from I.L.A.M.. Click here for more.

Tswana-speaking Tlharo of the Mafeking district, South Africa
Tswana-speaking Tlharo of the Mafeking district, South Africa
Various Artists
ILAMTR110 (1959)
Songs for entertainment, dance, and parties from the Karanga-speaking Mhari of Zimbabwe
Karanga-speaking Mhari of Zimbabwe
Various Artists
ILAMTR082 (1958)
Songe topical songs
Songe topical songs
Various Artists
ILAMTR020 (1957)
Chokwe songs and dances with various drums from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Angola
Democratic Republic of Congo and Angola
Various Artists
ILAMTR036A (1957)
Songs with lyres and drums from the Ganda of Uganda
Songs with lyres and drums from the Ganda of Uganda
Various Artists
ILAMTR139B (1952)