Last week I came upon a resource I’d like to share. If you’re interested in anthropology, folklore, or music history, you’ll want to take a look at this.

Folklorist and ethnomusicologist Alan Lomax began making field recordings of southern folklore and music in the 1930s. From the 1960s onward, he focused on comparative research in world music and dance.  As a result of his work, Lomax compiled an extensive collection of audio and video recordings and photographs that capture decades of folk culture in the U.S., England, Ireland, Italy, Scotland, Spain and the Caribbean. The Association for Cultural Equity, founded by Lomax in 1983, is custodian of Lomax’s archive. On the ACE website you’ll find a research center containing digitized items from Lomax’s archive as well as teaching resources, which can be a source of inspiration for any lifelong learner. And, the great news is, the digital resources are growing. By the end of February about 17,000 tracks will be available online for free streaming.  I know I’ll be stopping back.