Alkek Library News

Suggested Database: Oxford Music Online

Click here for Oxford Music Online. FeaturesThe New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 2nd edition (2001), The New Grove Dictionary of Opera (1992), & The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz, 2nd edition, (2002). Includes access to the Oxford Companion to Music, the Oxford Dictionary of Music and the Encyclopedia of Popular Music. 

Lengthy, informative, authoritative entries on musical styles, history of music, instruments, music theory, and individual musicians. Beautifully written and as technical (or basic) as you want to get! 

Stream Jazz Recordings from Jazz Music Library

Listen to streaming audio of classic jazz recordings. No CDs to return or buy from our database! Artists from Miles Davis to Kenny Burrell and styles from fusion to Dixieland.

Experience this great American art form. 

 

Largest Willie Nelson collection now at Texas State

The Wittliff Collections on the seventh floor of Texas State’s Alkek Library now house the Willie Nelson Recording Collection, which chronicles the career of the Texas singer, songwriter, and bandleader. Acquired from a fan and consummate collector of Nelson’s work, John Kalinsky, the collection spans 1954 to 2010 and contains 877 recordings, including 45s, LPs, audio cassettes, VHS tapes, CDs, and DVDs. These materials represent a significant addition to the Wittliff’s Willie Nelson holdings of handwritten song lyrics, screenplays, letters, concert programs, tour itineraries, posters, articles, clippings, personal effects, and memorabilia reflecting Nelson’s success as a concert artist, as well as a handmade songbook created by Nelson when he was around eleven years old.

Featuring recordings under Nelson’s leadership as well as tracks on which he is a producer, guest musician, or songwriter, the collection represents Nelson’s enormous output and collaboration with various musicians. The oldest recordings are two 45s by Dave Isbell from 1954, on which Nelson plays guitar, released by Sarg Records, a small label from Luling, Texas. The collection also contains Nelson’s first single released under his own name, “No Place for Me” backed with “Lumberjack,” recorded in Vancouver, Washington, while Nelson was working as a disc jockey.

Also included are deluxe-edition CDs of Nelson’s classic albums as well as box sets with extensive liner notes, recording and session information, and previously unreleased performances. There are also live recordings, including a DVD documentary on Willie’s 4th of July Picnic in 1974—a carnival-like affair emceed by Leon Russell with performances by Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Jerry Jeff Walker, and others.

With this new acquisition, the Wittliff Collections become the nation’s primary repository of Willie Nelson materials. See the A-Z Guide in the Research section at www.thewittliffcollections.txstate.edu for details. Much of Nelson’s early discography is on the original vinyl records, and these as well as the other recordings can be enjoyed in the Wittliff’s reading room. Everyone is invited to come and listen.

NEW Streaming Media Database: Films on Demand

Alkek Library is excited to share the news about adding Films on Demand a streaming media database. Video collections include Career & Job Search, Technical Education, Guidance & Counseling, Family & Consumer Science and a growing collection of individually selected titles in various fields. Many titles are purchased and some are available via the subscription to the database for 3 years when at that time we wil review the most heavily viewed videos to determine whether or not to purchase.

At this time there are over 160 purchased titles that can be found by searching the catalog. Here is the list.

Facuclty & Departments can help the library develop a strong streaming media collection by submitting requests for more titles at the selection site:  http://films.com/digitallanding.aspx. The search interface allows you to limit to streaming media type. Submit new titles by using the Collection Development order request form.

You can also Create personal login to save favorite video segments or playlists with custom URLs for use in lesson plans or TRACS. See the User Documentation for more information.

Films dealing with the following subjects are included in the database:

• Anthropology
• Archaeology
• Area Studies
• Art & Architecture
• Communication
• Criminal Justice
• Education
• English & Language Arts
• Geography
• History
• Music
• Philosophy & Religion
• Political Science
• American Government
• Psychology
• Sociology
• Social Work
• Women's Studies
• World Languages

Listen to World and American Roots Music via Alxander Street Press Databases

Contemporary World Music 

This database will contain 50,000 tracks delivering contemporary genres such as reggae, worldbeat, neo-traditional, world fusion, Balkanic jazz, African film, Bollywood, Arab swing and jazz, and traditional music - Indian classical, fado, flamenco, klezmer, zydeco, gospel, gagaku, etc.

The first release includes music from many labels, including: Topic, Playasound, Budamusique, Air Mail Music, Manuiti, Crossing Records, Lyrichord World Music, Navras Records, and INEDIT. Bela Lakatos & The Gypsy Youth Project, Etran Finatawa, Daby Balde, Sukke, Vakoka, Benjamin Escoriza, Nuru Kane, Don Shiva, Setona, Moussa Sissoko, Musafir, Lulendo, Ye Lassina Coulibaly, Yan Kadi Faso are just a few of the artists and ensembles contributing to the collection.

American Song

Database contains American roots music and pre-1960 American popular music: genres including country, folk, bluegrass, Cajun Zydeco, Western, old time, American Indian, blues, gospel, and shape note singing.

The first release includes music from many labels, including Rounder Records, McNeil Music, Native Ground Music, Rebel Records, County Records, Smithsonian Folkways, and Document Records. American Song will become the definitive source for American roots music and pre-1960 American popular music. It encompasses the great American musical genres including country, folk, bluegrass, Western, old time, American Indian, blues, gospel, and shape note singing - combined with powerful recordings by artists such as Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Peggy Seeger, Si Kahn, Lead Belly, Sleepy LaBeef, the New Lost City Ramblers, Otis Clay, Eddy "The Chief" Clearwater, Nanci Griffith, The Lilly Brothers, Merle Travis, and many others.

Click here for the system requirements.

New Database: Encyclopedia of Popular Music

The library just added the online version of the Encyclopedia of Popular Music. The encyclopedia is part of the Oxford University Press and covers all genres of popular music including trends, styles, record labels, venues, music festivals, and biographies including discographies.

"The encyclopedia is the authoritative biographical encyclopedia of rock, pop, and jazz artists, covering popular music from 1900 to the present."
Oxford About Page

You can access the database via the library catalog or the databases page.