Music of Asia

http://www.rootsworld.com/rw/asia.html
Rootsworld is an e-newsletter and website about ethnic and ethnic pop musics from around the world. This particular address takes the viewer to their Asian page, which offers articles, reviews of recordings, and news on Asian music. Far more information may be found by using their search engine to search by country, musician, instrument, etc. Many of the reviews revealed by the search engine include sample audio files.

http://www.asza.com/ihm.shtml
This site is dedicated to musical instruments from around all parts of Asia, not just Japan. There are photographs and descriptions of a wide variety of instruments, as well as some audio files.

Music of India

http://homepage.mac.com/patrickmoutal/macmoutal/rag.html
Though much of this site is in French (some parts also have English translations), it contains a wealth of material on Indian music, including streaming video and audio selections, photographs of instruments and musicians, a discography, external links to other Indian music websites, and much more.

http://www.webindia123.com/music/index.htm
Another site with a wealth of information about Indian music, including photographs and descriptions of musical instruments, biographies of important Indian musicians, a weekly list of top Hindi songs with links to their associated movies and movie trailers.

http://www.musicalnirvana.com/index.html
Yet another site full of information about not only Hindustani but also Carnatic music. It includes biographies of many Indian musicians, a primer on ragas, descriptions and sound files of instruments, a reviews of compact discs, and a forum on Indian music.

Ravi Shankar
http://www.ravishankar.org/
A master of the sitar, Ravi Shankar is easily the most well-known Indian musician, and his website contains his biography, a discussion of Indian music, a list of his disciples, and more, including a link to the website of his daughter, Anoushka Shankar, who has become a master sitar performer in her own right.

Bollywood Music
http://www.bollywoodworld.com
Aside from a busy ad-filled interface, this site offers a large variety of audio files of music from Indian movies, as well as some Indian classical and other music. Although some selections are available directly from the homepage, far more are available either under the Music category in the Channels column (which may also be accessed directly at http://bollywoodmusic.com/), or at one of the selections under Listen to Music. Similarly, some movie trailers may be accessed directly from the homepage, but many more are under the Trailers selection in the Channels column. Finally, an excellent description of Bollywood and the role of music in Indian films may be found in the selection What is Bollywood, also under the Channels column.

Lata Mangeshkar
http://www.upperstall.com/people/lata.html
A biography of one of India’s most famous Bollywood vocalists, and a list of her most famous songs and links to descriptions of the movies they appeared in.

Japanese Music

http://web-japan.org/factsheet/music/index.html
This site provides an excellent overview of Japanese music. It touches on many aspects of Japanese music, including the introduction and role of Western music in Japan. Many of the descriptions are illustrated with photographs of instruments, performers, venues, etc.

Japanese Traditional Music
http://jtrad.columbia.jp/eng/
This is an excellent site that offers more in-depth information on Japanese traditional music and instruments. A nice selection of appropriate photographs and audio examples are included.

Kabuki
http://www.fix.co.jp/kabuki/
Providing an excellent introduction to the Japanese Kabuki theatre tradition, this site includes not only photographs and audio clips of the instruments used in Kabuki, but also a history of Kabuki and an illustrated description of a Kabuki actor applying his makeup.

http://www.kabuki.gr.jp/pavilion/english/index2.html
This is another site that gives a good overview of Kabuki. Audio files and illustrated descriptions of music from Kabuki may be found by clicking on “2. Let’s take a look at the world of KABUKI.”, then on “The world of sound”.

Shakuhachi
http://www.shakuhachi.com/
Although primarily a commercial site for an American maker of shakuhachis, it also contains photographs, two audio files, a discography and videography, a list of teaching materials, and other resources.

Indonesian Gamelan Music

http://www.seasite.niu.edu/Indonesian/Budaya_Bangsa/Gamelan/Main_Page/main_page.htm
For an introduction to gamelan music, this is an informative site that discusses both Javanese and Balinese gamelan music. The discussions include the role of gamelan music, the structure of the music, and the instruments used, with a wide selection of audio files of both complete pieces and short excerpts for illustration.

Kroncong, Dangdut, and Jaipongan
http://www.indonesianmusic.com/ind.htm
This site offers good discussion of these styles of Indonesian popular music.

York University Gamelan ensemble, Gamelan Sekar Petak
http://www-users.york.ac.uk/~nfis1/gamesp.htm
This is the homepage of York University’s gamelan ensemble, Gamelan Sekar Petak, which offers some general information about gamelan music and a list of their upcoming performances.

Music of Africa

http://www.afropop.org/
This site offers a wealth of information on African traditional and pop musics, including that of North Africa and African-influenced musics in other parts of the world. Information is available on music by country, style, region, and artist, with extensive information on many African musicians, as well as audio files and links to broadcasts of afropop music.

http://www.rootsworld.com/africa/
Rootsworld is an e-newsletter and website about ethnic and ethnic pop musics from around the world. This particular address takes the viewer to their African page, which offers articles, reviews of recordings, audio files of music and interviews with African musicians, and news on African music. More information may be found by using their search engine to search by country, musician, instrument, etc.

Mbira Music of Zimbabwe
http://www.mbira.org/
An informative website about both the instrument itself and the musical tradition surrounding it.

Senegal Music
http://erslah.com/attaya/music.asp
Part of a website dedicated to Senegalese and Gambian culture, this page contains audio files of African and African-influenced popular music by many major artists.

West African Music
http://www.coraconnection.com/
A very good site for about the musics of West Africa. Obviously, one can learn about and hear a sample of the spiked harp known as the kora, but there is also similar information on other instruments such as the xylophone-like balaphone and the ancient West African lute, the ngoni. The site also offers links both to profiles of some of the different countries in West Africa and to other African music sites.

Music of Southern Africa
http://www.music.org.za/default.asp
This site offers a great deal of information on music and musicians in South Africa and nearby countries. There are biographies of many important musicians, news, feature articles, photographs, a list of current performances and tours, many links to related websites.

Youssou N'Dour
http://youssou-ndour.worldbeatplanet.com/
Youssou N’Dour is a Grammy-award-winning musician from the West African country of Senegal. This site offers a great deal of information about him and his music, including a biography, a discography, a discussion forum about his music, and much more.

Hugh Masekela
http://www.music.org.za/artist.asp?id=96
Hugh Masekela is an acclaimed trumpeter, vocalist, bandleader and arranger from South Africa. This site offers a good biography of him and information about some of the performances and tours in which he is currently or has recently been involved.

Miriam Makeba
http://www.music.org.za/artist.asp?id=101
Miriam Makeba has recently retired as one of South Africa’s most important and famous musicians who, like a number of other musicians of color, were exiled from their homeland during the period of apartheid. This site offers a biography and limited information on some of her more recent appearances and honors.

Babatunde Olatunji
http://www.babaolatunji.com/
Nigerian-born drummer Babatunde Olatunji emigrated to the U.S. and became an important recording artist and influence on many styles of music, from James Brown to modern jazz. This attractive site is dedicated to the man and his music, and includes a biography, discography, interviews, and news about his music. The biography and interviews provide valuable information on African drumming and popular music styles.

Ladysmith Black Mambazo
http://www.mambazo.com/
Grammy-award-winning vocal ensemble Ladysmith Black Mambazo hails from South Africa, and is perhaps the most-recognized African music ensemble around the world. This is their official site, with information on recordings, tours, news, photographs, a biography, a discography of the ensemble with sample audio files, and even a page of Zulu phrases and their English translations.

European Music and Klezmer

http://www.rootsworld.com/rw/europe.html
Rootsworld is an e-newsletter and website about ethnic and ethnic pop musics from around the world. This particular address takes the viewer to their Europe page, which, while offering a handful of articles on and interviews with some important European folk musicians, serves more as a set of links to more specific regions and musical styles within Europe.

Gheorghe Zamfir
http://www.gheorghe-zamfir.com/index-e.htm
Gheorghe Zamfir is a master performer on the panpipes, and perhaps Romania’s best-known musician. His official site offers a biography, discography, photographs, and an audio example of his playing.

Klezmer

Klezmorim
http://klezmo.com/index2.html
Klezmorim is one of the best-known klezmer ensembles in the U.S. Their official website offers a chronology of the ensemble, a biography of the band members, a discography, photographs, audio samples of their latest recording, and more.

Klezmatics
http://www.klezmatics.com/
The Klezmatics are another popular klezmer ensemble, and their site offers a wide variety of information about their group and music. Included are a discography with audio samples, a biography of the band and its members, a list of their recent and upcoming appearances, articles about the band, and more.

Klezmer Conservatory Band
http://www.klezmerconservatory.com/
Yet another excellent klezmer ensemble, the Klezmer Conservatory Band offers on their website a biography of their group and its members, reviews of their performances, a discography with audio samples, and other information of interest.

Celtic Music

http://www.ceolas.org/ceolas.html
The Ceolas website offers a very informative survey of celtic music in its many geographical and cultural variants. One may find an introduction and overview of celtic music, audio files, sheet music, profiles and discographies of many celtic musicians, tour and concert information, links to other sites, etc.

http://www.rootsworld.com/celtic/
RootsWorld’s celtic website is another valuable resource for information on celtic musics, with an overview of celtic music, articles on important instruments, interviews with celtic musicians, and reviews of recordings.

Clannad
http://www.clannad.ie/index.html
Clannad is one of the best-known contemporary Irish groups currently performing, and this website offers information about the group, including their biography, a discography, photographs, a discussion forum, and a few links to other websites.

Altan
http://www.altan.ie/
Altan is well-known for its performances of traditional Irish music, and their website offers a history of the group and an introduction to its members, a guide to their current live appearances, a discography with audio samples, photographs, and links.

Solas
http://www.solasmusic.com/
Solas is another popular traditional Irish band, and their website offers their tour schedule, news and information about the band, photographs, and an online store listing their albums and instructional CD-ROMs.

The Chieftans
http://www.irish.com/
The Chieftans are one of Ireland’s best-known and oldest bands. Their website, while featuring their latest album, also includes the band’s biography, photographs, audio files, and tour information.

http://members.shaw.ca/chieftains/
Though not The Chieftans’ official site, this website offers perhaps a broader degree of information about this renowned group, including biographies of its members, a comprehensive discography, news and tour information, a history of the band, and album and concert reviews.