Music by Black Artists

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Preamble

Background information can be found in such resources as encyclopedias and dictionaries, bibliographies, discographies and others.

Encyclopedias and Dictionaries

Encyclopedias and dictionaries provide an overview of a particular topic or person, and can lead to further reading through their citations and bibliographies.

This section contains sample items in Western Libraries. This list does not represent everything available from Western Libraries. Additional relevant resources can be found by searching Western Libraries' catalogue, and by including the word(s) "encyclopedias" or "dictionaries" in the Subject field.

Biographical Dictionary of Afro-American and African Musicians by Eileen Southern
Call Number: ML105 .S67 1982
"The stimulus this handsomely produced volume will provide to research and teaching may well surpass that offered by Dr. Southern's earlier studies. This major accomplishment belongs in the libraries of all individuals and institutions interested in any aspect of American music." Ethnomusiciology
Black Music and Musicians in the New Grove Dictionary of American Music and the New Harvard Dictionary of Music by Dominique-Rene De Lerma; Marsha J. Reisser
Call Number: ML128.B45D32 1989
Bloomsbury Encyclopedia of Popular Music of the World
Each volume, authored by top contributors from around the world, includes discussions on cultural, historical and geographic origins; technical musical characteristics; instrumentation and use of voice; lyrics and language; typical features of performance and presentation; historical development and paths and modes of dissemination; influence of technology, the music industry and political and economic circumstances; changing stylistic features; notable and influential performers; and relationships to other genres and sub-genres.
The Garland encyclopedia of world music online by Bruno Nettl; Ruth M. Stone; James Porter; Timothy Rice
Publication Date: 2006
Each volume contains an overview of a geographic region, a survey of its musical heritage, and a description of specific musical genres, practices, and performances. Articles include detailed photographs that show musicians, musical instruments, and the cultural context of dances, rituals, and ceremonies.
Grove Music Online
Grove Music Online is the most authoritative, English-language music encyclopedia. It includes articles from the latest print editions of the Grove Dictionary of American Music (2013, 8 volumes) and the New Grove Dictionary of Jazz (2002, 3 volumes)). You can find in-depth articles on Black musicians from all around the world, as well as relevant articles on race and ethnicity, genres (e.g., gospel, bebop, soul), era, etc.
Uncloudy Days: The Gospel Music Encyclopedia by Bil Carpenter
Publication Date: 2005
Uncloudy Days is a treasure chest of substantial profiles on the influential names in gospel music history such as Thomas Dorsey, Mahalia Jackson, the Hawkins family, Clara Ward, James Cleveland, and the Winans. It also uncovers the history of one hit wonders and others who are not as familiar to gospel music fans.

Bibliographies

By listing and evaluating literature on a topic, bibliographies can lead to high-quality resources to support research.

Afro-Brazilian Music by John Gray
Call Number: ML120.B7G73 2014
The impact of Afro-Brazilian culture, both inside of Brazil and abroad, has been immense, particularly in the area of popular culture. ... However a much richer and more complex story lies behind these popular images, one that spans from the long slave trade that flourished in Brazil between 1538 and the 1850s to the more recent rise of urban black and cultural nationalist movements of the 1970s and beyond. ... This less well-known history is the subject of John Gray's latest bibliography. While primarily about music the literature it documents reflects on all aspects of black life and culture in Brazil from language and religion to gender relations and race.
Afro-Cuban Music by John Gray
Call Number: ML120.C85G73 2012
In spite of its relatively small size Cuba has had an inordinately large musical influence both inside the Caribbean and abroad. ...Cuba has been central to popular music developments throughout the Caribbean, Latin America, the United States and Europe. ... Unfortunately, no one has ever attempted to survey the extensive literature on the island's music, in particular the vernacular contributions of its Afro-Cuban population. This unprecedented bibliographic guide attempts to do just that.
Blues, Funk, Rhythm and Blues, Soul, Hip Hop, and Rap by Eddie S. Meadows
Call Number: ML128.P63 M43 2010
Despite the influence of African American music and study as a worldwide phenomenon, no comprehensive and fully annotated reference tool currently exists that covers the wide range of genres. This much needed bibliography fills an important gap in this research area and will prove an indispensable resource for librarians and scholars studying African American music and culture.
Jazz by Eddie S. Meadows
Call Number: ML128.J3M34 2006

Discographies

Discographies document the history of recording sessions and releases. They are often be genre-, label- or musician-specific.

This section contains sample items in Western Libraries. This list does not represent everything available from Western Libraries. Additional relevant resources can be found by searching Omni, and by including the word "discography" in the Subject field.

Blues and Gospel Records by Robert M. W. Dixon (Compiled by); John Godrich (Compiled by); Howard W. Rye (Compiled by)
Call Number: ML156.2.D63 1997
Since its first edition, in 1964, Dixon and Godrich's Blues and Gospel Records has been dubbed 'the bible' for collectors of pre-war African-American music. It provides an exhaustive listing of all recordings made up to the end of 1943 in a distinctively African-American musical style, excluding those customarily classed as jazz (which are the subject of separate discographies).

More Sources in Western Libraries' Catalogue

Western Libraries uses Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH) to facilitate the discovery of information within Omni. We acknowledge that some of these subject headings contain offensive or discriminatory language. Please see Problematic Language in the Library Catalogue: Statement of Acknowledgement.

Subject headings can be used in Omni to find additional relevant resources. Useful subject headings can usually be identified via one or more of the following approaches:

Looking at the "Subject" section of relevant resources in Omni.
Adding the answers to the following questions to your search:
- What is the race, ethnicity or nationality of the person(s)?
- What is the country, region or continent?
- What is the genre?
Selecting any relevant terms below to add to your search:
- "composers," "musicians," "music" or "singers"
- "bibliography," "bio-bibliography," "dictionaries," "discography," "encyclopedias"
- "genre & styles," "history and criticism," "social aspects," "political aspects," "religious aspects"