The Center for Black Music Research Collection contains materials that reflect many areas of Black music including collections from composers, ethnomusicologists, music researchers, music journalists, and also scores, published music, and audiovisual collections across all genres. These collection guides, or finding aids, provide access to materials held in archival special collections. The guide describes the organization and offers content information so researchers can discover relevant information.
Many musical works listed in these guides are handwritten; those listed with a publisher's name are printed. Please check the guides for more information.
Additional guides will be added as they are completed..
Please contact archives@colum.edu with questions.
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Guide to the Godwin Sadoh Collection
Columbia College Chicago
Dr. Godwin Sadoh is a Nigerian composer, educator, church musician, organist, pianist, choral conductor, and ethnomusicologist. He holds music degrees from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria; the University of Pittsburgh; the University of Nebraska-Lincoln; and Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, where he became the first African to receive a doctoral degree in organ performance from any institution in the world. The collection holds scores, publications, books, and recorded music
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Guide to the Gospel Sheet Music Collection
Columbia College Chicago
The gospel sheet music contains published music given to the CBMR from individual donors that has been gathered into one collection for access and use. the collection is arranged by alphabetically by composer's last name.
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Guide to the Guido Sinclair Collection
Columbia College Chicago
Guido Sinclair was born Sinclair Greenwell, Jr. A jazz saxophonist, he performed with many well-known jazz and rhythm and blues artists. In the late 1970s, he moved to Chicago, Illinois, and later moved downstate to Champaign-Urbana, Illinois. The collection contains original compositions, programs, and interviews, and recordings of performances of his original compositions.
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Guide to the Hale Smith and Melba Liston Recordings
Columbia College Chicago
This set of five recordings were taped in Hale Smith’s Black Studies class at University of Connecticut- Storrs and include class lectures by Melba Liston as well as tapes from a WKCR radio program, and a studio track of “The Marijuana Affair” by Melba Liston, conducted by Hale Smith. These recordings were received from Randy Weston, who worked closely with Melba Liston, and Juanita Smith, wife of Hale Smith.
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Guide to the Helen Walker Hill Collection
Columbia College Chicago
The Helen Walker-Hill Collection is composed of musical compositions by black women composers throughout the United States and England. This collection was compiled by pianist and musicologist, Dr. Helen Walker-Hill. Duplicates and/or originals also held at University of Colorado at Boulder American Music Research Center.