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University Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Reference sources are a great place to start your research. They provide excellent background information on people, topics, genres, etc. and will often direct you to more sources. Below is a list of recommended resources, both in print and online.
The Garland Handbook of African Music is comprised of essays from The Garland Encyclopedia of World Music: Volume 1, Africa, (1997). Revised and updated, the essays offer detailed, regional studies of the different musical cultures of Africa and examine the ways in which music helps to define the identity of this particular area.
Location: Music & Performing Arts Reference [non-circulating]
Includes extensive bibliographies, discographies, sheet music listings and filmographies.
Location: Music & Performing Arts Reference [non-circulating]
Contents include General works, Musical instruments, Regional studies, African music abroad, and Biographical and critical studies.
Location: Music & Performing Arts Reference [non-circulating]
Cross-disciplinary in approach and extensively indexed, the bibliography lists (mostly with annotation) some 1,700 titles, covering a wide variety of sources, and including material in English, French, German, Spanish, and Portuguese.
A companion volume to Stern's Guide to Contemporary African Music Volume I. Since then the World Music phenomenon of the last few years has created multiple new demands for African music - through recordings, live performances and for information and analysis. This new book digs deeper into the African musical past highlighting new areas of interest and bringing the story up to date.