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In celebration of Black History Month, the Recorded Sound Archives has curated a collection of African-American artists. Discover the voices of Huddie Leadbelly, Billie Holiday, Ethel Waters, Fats Waller and more in this collection! Over 20 artists for you to discover and listen to.
Follow us on Facebook and learn some fun facts all this month about these artists and they’re contributions to music.
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Photo of Xavier Cugat. This work is from the William P. Gottlieb collection at the Library of Congress.
As part of Hispanic / Latino Heritage month, we’d like to take the opportunity to introduce you to some important artists who shaped the world of Latin music into what it is today. Today we would like to highlight Xavier Cugat. Born January 1, 1900 in Catalonia, Spain, his family had bigger plans venturing first to Cuba when he was five. In Cuba, this is where Xavier picked up the violin training as a classical violinist he went on to play with the Orchestra of the Teatro Nacional in Havana. Xavier trained further in Paris and Berlin and in 1915, his family boarded the SS Havana en route to New York City where Cugat went on to train before serving five years as a violinist appearing in recitals with Erinco Caruso. Cugat went on to lead the resident orchestra at the Waldorf-Astoria before and after World War II before venturing out west to Los Angeles.
Here are 3 interesting facts about Xavier Cugat, you may or may not know about him.
1. He was a classically trained violinist who conducted with his bow, and can be seen in quite a few films waving his violin bow. Below is an animated gif showcasing Xavier Cugat in Stage Door Canteen waving his bow as he conducts his orchestra. You can watch the clip below from Stage Door Canteen, 1943 where Xavier Cugat can be seen conducting with his bow at 1:16.
2. Xavier was known as the Rhumba King and is credited with pushing Latino music and dance into popularity and best-known for having popularized the rumba in the United States during the 1930s.
He and his band, the Gigolos, were featured in several popular Hollywood movies in the 1940s and 1950s. They introduced many popular Latin American rhythms to North American audiences and toured extensively every year, playing tangos, rumbas and congas.
“Under the influence of tropical skies and a couple of daiquiris, people developed a taste for my Latin American style of music,” he once said.
3. Xavier went on to work for the Los Angeles Times as a cartoonist. Not a huge stretch, considering art seemed to run in the family. His older brother Francis Cugat worked as a portrait, poster, book jacket artist and set designer. He is known for his 1925 cover of The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Cugat himself can be seen in a few films drawing his caricatures prior to or during a performance.
Here at the Recorded Sound Archives, we have over 30 recordings by Cugat and several of this bands. To listen to more music by Cugat, click here.
In celebration of Hispanic / Latino Heritage month, we have digitized over 180 Latin American recordings for you to listen to. Click here to view collection.
Please note, due to copyright some items may only be available as a 45 second snippet.
If you are a Researcher or Educator in need of full access to these recordings, click here.
Did you know the Recorded Sound Archives at FAU Libraries has over 49,000 albums along with over 150,000 songs in its databases, which is growing everyday with the help of volunteers? With so many recordings to choose from, we have given Research Station users the ability to request items be digitized.
Below you’ll find a list of recordings that were recently added to the Research Station this Summer 2018 from requests made by Research Station Users.
Please note, due to copyright some of these recordings may only play for 45 second snippet to give the user a taste of what this music sounded like back in the day, if you are interested in full access considering applying for Research Station Access. Access to Research Station is limited to educators, students and serious researchers.
Hadesh Yameinu (New Music at Park Avenue Synagogue) by Azi Schwartz
Dort Vie Libe Dort Is Glik by Aaron Lebedeff
The Shicker Ticker by Seymour Rechtzeit & Miriam Kressyn
Famous Chassidic and Shabath Songs by Various Artists
El Estilo by Leibele Schwartz
Minke Beim Telefon by Bessie Thomashefsky
Let’s Dance by Yaffa Yarkoni
Song Celebration 1976 by Various Artists
Favorite Songs for Children by Yaffa Yarkoni
Lehitim Leyiladim by Eelaneet
Gila Almagor by Gila Almagor
Bab el Wad: The Gate to Jerusalem by Yaffa Yarkoni
Yaffa Yarkoni Greatest Hits by Yaffa Yarkoni
Ronni Ve’simchi by Shmuel Lerer
30 Years with Yaffa Yarkoni by Choir of Tel Aviv & Yaffa Yarkoni
Ilanit Sings Children Songs by Ilanit and Aviva Had
Shiru Shir – Volume 3 by Hadassa Sigalov
In Praise of Kalya by Yaffa Yarkoni and Aric Einstein
Songs of Edith Piaf by Various Artists
Hanukka Songs, Vol. 2 by Miriam Avigal
Yaffa Yarkoni by Yaffa Yarkoni & Anee Tslil Haagadot
Liebe by Seymour Rechtzeit
Tiher Rabbi Yismoel by David Amsel
Weal Yedei by Sawel Kwartin
The Happy People by Danny Rubenstein
The Time of Singing – The Fourth NFTY Album by Various Artists
NCSY-LIVE by Various Artists
Pirchei Holyland by Pirchei Holyland
Dear Mom / Sweet by Yaffa Yarkoni
Der Galicianer Cavallero by Peisachke Burstein
6 Sipurei Yiladim by Ester Sofer
Yaffa Yarkoni Sings International by Yaffa Yarkoni and Bob Adams Orchestra
Bo-oo Lesachek Come, Let’s Play by Ester Sofer Hadassah Sigolov
As a research station user you can request it using the Music on Demand forms on the website.
Please note, due to copyright some of these recordings may only play for 45 second snippet to give the user a taste of what this music sounded like back in the day, if you are interested in full access considering applying for Research Station Access. Access to Research Station is limited to educators, students and serious researchers.
Looking for music to enjoy with family and friends this Passover? Here at the Recorded Sound Archives at FAU Libraries, we would like to highlight the voices of Cantor Michael Kyrr, Cantor David Unterman and Joan Mey a few artists out of several available in the Passover Collection off the album, Songs for Passover.
This album was produced by the Jewish Education Committee of New York, in 1965 and was compiled by Harry Coopersmith to help engage youngsters in the customs and traditions of the Jewish religion. These recordings reflect a time in American history when Conservative Jewish educators sought to spirtually bind Jews together through song.
To listen to this album, click here.
To view other recordings by the Jewish Education Committee of New York, click here.
Discover over 40 other recordings for you to enjoy with family and friends in the Passover Collection.
Enjoy!
Did you know that in 1933, Lucrezia Bori began a career as a fundraiser for the Metropolitan Opera during the Great Depression on top of performing?
Retiring, later that she wanted at age 48, Lucrezia Bori helped save the Metropolitan Opera. While the Metropolitan continued to sell tickets to performances with no difficulty despite the Great Depression. The contributions of its stockholders fell off dramatically and by the end of 1932 the board of directors found that a great deal of money would be needed if the next season were to be held.
Bori agreed to work with the Opera’s managers to obtain the funds and in 1933, she headed an organization called the Committee to Save the Metropolitan Opera House. Where Lucrezia made appeals by flyer, letter, and in personal contacts with potential benefactors to help save the Met. She traveled widely and participated in numerous benefits, at which she performed.
During this period of fundraising, Lucrezia also continued to carry out an exhausting schedule of performance at the Met.
To help raise the final funds needed, a masquerade ball was held to raise financial support for the opera house. Over 3,000 of the city’s aristocracy attended paying $10 each admission, contributing the final $30,000 towards the $300,000 fund needed to save the opera along with $10,000 to cover the cost of the ball.
Here at the Recorded Sound Archives we are celebrating Women’s History month through music by highlighting the voice of Lucrezia Bori and her accomplishment of saving the Metropolitan Opera.
To listen to recordings by Lucrezia Bori, click here.
Looking for music to enjoy with family and friends this Purim? Here at the Recorded Sound Archives at FAU Libraries, we would like to highlight the voices of William Wolff and Joan Mey one of several artists available in the Purim Collection off the album, Songs for Tu Bishvat and Purim.
This album was produced by the Jewish Education Committee of New York, in 1965 and was compiled by Harry Coopersmith to help engage youngsters in the customs and traditions of the Jewish religion. These recordings reflect a time in American history when Conservative Jewish educators sought to spirtually bind Jews together through song.
To listen to this album, click here.
To view other recordings by the Jewish Education Committee of New York, click here.
Discover over 20 other recordings for you to enjoy with family and friends in the Purim Collection.
Enjoy!
Interested in past posts related to Purim, click here.
Did you know that Ethel Waters was the first African American to be nominated for an Emmy Award? In 1962, the legendary jazz and blues singer received the nomination for her performance in a “Route 66” episode, “Good Night, Sweet Blues.”
Ethel Waters in “Route 66”, episode “Good Night, Sweet Blues.”
In the episode, “Good Night, Swee Blues”, Ethel Waters plays Jenny Henderson, a retired singer in failing health who commissions Tod and Buzz to find and bring her the members of the Memphis Naturals, the band she performed and recorded with thirty years earlier.
Waters’ nomination for this role paved the way for women like Diahann Carroll, Cicely Tyson, Alfre Woodard, Halle Berry, Kerry Washington, Regina King, and Viola Davis, now the first Black woman to win the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series.
Beyond acting, Waters’ also performed jazz, big band, and pop music on the Broadway stage and in concerts, although she began her career in the 1920s singing blues.
Her best-known recordings include “Dinah,” “Stormy Weather,” “Taking a Chance on Love,” “Heat Wave,” “Supper Time,” “Am I Blue?” and “Cabin in the Sky,” as well as her version of the spiritual “His Eye Is on the Sparrow.”
Here at the Recorded Sound Archives we are celebrating Black History month through music by highlighting the voices of the past and their accomplishments.
To listen to recordings by Ethel Waters, click here.
Have you recently typed “Chanukah” into Google? No….please go and try now and discover the beautiful animated image Google’s put together to celebrate Chanukah.
Here at the Recorded Sound Archives we celebrate with music, sharing over 50 Chanukah albums for you to enjoy with family and friends. The Songs of Chanukah Collection consists of what is considered traditional, children’s songs that teach about the holiday and a few old favorites with a new twist.
There is a little bit of something for everyone in this collection, so please share it with friends and family. In years prior we’ve highlighted the voice of Gladys Gewirtz and Kenny Ellis.
This year on the Recorded Sound Archives website we are highlighting the voice of Margie Rosenthal and Ilene Safyan, who were brought together by a mutual love of Jewish music in 1979 and are both featured performers on the Recorded Sound Archives website. The music on their album Just In Time for Chanukah is a blend of old and new melodies and words, and we think you’ll enjoy them this holiday season.
Click here to view this collection.
Click here to learn more about Margie Rosenthal and Ilene Safyan and their music.
Join FAU Libraries March 4-8 in celebrating Jewish Culture through Kultur Festival highlighting music from Florida Atlantic University Libraries’ Special Collections performed by distinguished artists and internationally acclaimed musicians and actors including the Klezmer Company Jazz Orchestra, Beyond The Pale, klezmer band from Toronto, Brian Potts Vibraphone Quartet and Yiddish Tango LIVE!
Links to all events listed below with date, time and links to purchase tickets.
FAU – Carole and Barry Kaye Performing Arts Auditorium
Click here to buy tickets
FAU – Wimberly Library 5th Floor
Click here to buy tickets.
FAU – Wimberly Library 5th Floor
Click here to buy tickets.
FAU – Wimberly Library 5th Floor
Click here to buy tickets.
Looking for music to celebrate the High Holy Days this year? Look no further, the Recorded Sound Archives has a collection of over 40 recordings for you to choose from and share and enjoy with your family.
Here are a few favorite albums, which can be listened to in full on the Recorded Sound Archives website.
Selichot Service by Cantor Joseph Schwartzman
Selichot Service by Cantor Joseph Gross
Complete Selichot Service by Cantor Zvee Aroni
High Holiday Chants by Cantor Salomon Pinkasovitch
High Holiday Chants by Cantor Samuel Taube
High Holiday Moods by Cantor Leib Glantz
High Holiday Prayers (Volume 1) by Cantor Moshe Koussevitzky
High Holiday Selections by Malavsky Family
High Holy Day Prayers Live for the First Time by Cantor Leibele Waldman
High Holy Days in a Conservative Synagogue by Moishe Schwimmer
Rosh Hashana – Day 1 by Cantor Zvee Aroni
Rosh Hashana – Day 2 by Cantor Zvee Aroni
Rosh Hashanah by Cantor Benjamin Z. Maissner
Rosh Hashanah New Years Service Abraham Birnbaum – Rosh Hashanah New Year Service by Cantor Israel Goldstein
Rosh Hashanah by Cantor Yosef Rosenblatt
Yom Kippur Chants, Volume 3 by Cantor Zawel Kwartin
Yom Kippur Day (Parts 1 & 2) by Cantor Zvee Aroni
Yom Kippur Day (Part 3 – Conclusion) by Cantor Zvee Aroni
Yom Kippur; Excerpts From the Traditional Liturgy by Cantor Moshe Ganchoff
Midnight Selichot Service by Cantor Leib Glantz
Panorama Theme by 
Themocracy
Yiddish Tango LIVE!