Blues & Rhythm Magazine has been running an extensive series of interviews with record producer and archivist Sam Charters by Hasse Andreasson and Hans Schweitz recently.
Here is a short video of the Samuel and Ann Charters Archives of Blues and Vernacular African American Musical Culture at the University of Connecticut which spans the entire 20th century, beginning with African-American spirituals and the ragtime of Scott Joplin and other early composers, and ending with Snoop Doggy Dogg and the rappers of the late 20th century.
The Archives contain sound recordings of a full range of African American music from African, gospel and the blues in all its forms, to Cajun and zydeco, early New Orleans jazz and more recent jazz, ragtime, Caribbean, reggae and rap and hip hop music. Original research materials include field notes, musician’s contracts, studio session listings and photographs, as well as engagement diaries and interview notes.
A host of reference sources including monographs, sheet music, film and video recordings on African American music are also available for research use.
For more information click here.