International Library of African Music
Fifty years ago, in 1954, Hugh Tracey founded ILAM in Roodepoort, outside Johannesburg, as a research and archival centre for traditional African music. This was the start of the thousands of recordings he made through eastern, central and southern Africa which resulted in the 'Music of Africa' and the 'Sound of Africa' which you can find described on this web site, now all digitised and available on CD. At that time to take an interest in African music was considered eccentric, not only to say crazy. Fifty years later, Hugh Tracey's vision has been fulfilled, with African music now held in the respect it has always deserved.
African Music
