European Blues Association Incorporating the Archive of African American Music

The Archive

Music & Drama Library, Greyfriars, Gloucester GL1 1TS

The European Blues Association incorporating the Archive of African American Music is a registered charity. We are dedicated to keeping the Blues very much in the forefront of music today. As an educational institute, our aim is to become 'the resource' for our members and the general public who are interested in the historical past and the modern progression of the blues. Our goal is to promote all aspects of the music and the African American culture from which it evolved. As the music crossed the Atlantic Ocean, it crossed all cultural barriers. It is always expanding. Today, it belongs to everyone!

Our Resource Activity Centre for operations and public display is located on the 2nd floor in the Music and Drama Library. The building is in the historic Greyfriars area of Gloucester which is situated in the city centre. If you have an interest in African American music, drop in to see us. We are open from 11am to 4pm on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Our telephone number is 01452 503 775.

Click on any of the thumbnail photos to view larger images.

Our centre will provide a focus for study, research, courses, projects, workshops, exhibitions and displays. If you have any items you would like to donate or would like to make a financial contribution to support our activities, please get in touch. Amongst the items contributed include the bequest of the Paul Oliver Collection and the Dave Dalton Collection. These collections are currently being catalogued and the following is a structural summary of its content.

Recordings:

Various 78 rpm, 10" long-play, 45s, extended play 45s, 12" long-play and Compact Discs on US and English labels that cover blues, jazz, gospel and soul music.

Blues Magazines:

The Archive contains publications from Blues Unlimited, Living Blues, Blues World, Juke Blues, Blues and Rhythm, Storyville and Sing Out.

Blues Ephemera Files:

We have a number of items that cover a wide range of interests from featured articles to radio broadcast scripts.

Photographs:

The Archive contains a large quantity of photographs and 35mm slides of African American sites and locations of blues singers, jazz musicians and vocalists, bands and instrumental groups.

Rare Publications :

Our rare publications includes Early Songbooks, Catalogues, Publicity Sheets, Posters, Song Sheets and Music Sheets .

Books :

The books within the Archive covers a range of subject matter that includes Slavery and Reconstruction, 20th Century Black History, WPA Writers Project Reports, Urban Contexts, Music and Song Traditions for Comparative Studies, Africa, European Folk Music, African American Sacred and Secular Music, the Blues, Jazz and Entertainment.

Instruments :

We have received donations of World and Popular Musical Instruments.

Last updated June 2009