Afropop Worldwide’s “Hip Deep” feature focused last week on the pioneer English musicologist Hugh Tracey who over half a century, beginning in the 1920’s, extensively recorded and catalogued African music, especially from Southern Africa. His fascination with Zimbabwean mbira music led him to manufacture a variation of the similar African kalimba. His version became known as the “Hugh Tracey kalimba”

(An appropriate note to be written two days before Njacko Backo and his group Kalimba Kalimba head a multi-artist benefit show at the Gladstone on May 21. See separate post).

In 1954, Tracey founded the International Library of African Music, “the largest archive of African music in sub Saharan Africa”

Check Afropop’s feature which includes a broadcast, articles & some great photos.