Robert Garfias was born in San Francisco in 1932, the child of Mexican-American parents. As a youngster he studied classical guitar and jazz saxophone. In high school he studied Western classical music composition, and he formed a jazz combo that played gigs for beatniks in the North Beach area of San Francisco, where he traveled in a circle of musicians that included Dave Brubeck, Vince Delgado, Vince Guaraldi, Harry Partch, and Bill Smith. During his career he founded the ethnomusicology program at the University of Washington; served as Dean of Arts at the University of California, Irvine, as a member of the Smithsonian Council, and as a presidential appointee to the U.S. National Council for the Arts; and conducted significant periods of fieldwork and language study in Japan, Okinawa, Korea, the Philippines, Mexico, Zimbabwe, Central America, Burma, Romania, Turkey, Spain, Portugal, and among Okinawans in the United States.
- Society for Ethnomusicology Newsletter (Vol. 7, No. 4, September 2013)
Contents summary: Tapes 1-13 digitized fall 2013 (48 kHz, 24-bit) (no CD copies or logsheets produced); contents information from tape boxes and notes from R. Garfias.
2013-23.1 - L.A. Master I - Kayagum player (female) recorded in Los Angeles by R. Garfias 3/63 (full-track, 19:29)
2013-23.2 - L.A. Master II - Kayagum Sanjo recorded in Los Angeles by R. Garfias 3/63 (full-track, 24:38)
2013-23.3 - L.A. Master III - Taegum Sanjo, etc., recorded in Los Angeles by R. Garfias 3/63 (full-track, 29:57)
2013-23.4 - Tape box spine: Korea (Lee); Tape box back: #2003 / #2004 [followed by a list of contents] [appears to have been recorded by R. Garfias - master or copy of planned LP?] (7 1/2 ips, 1/2 tr. mono (recorded 2 sides); 32:48, 12:34)
2013-23.5 - KBS Dub 1960 - Kayagum Sanjo by Sung Gumyun (full-track, 30:17)
2013-23.6 - KBS Dub - P'ansori: Shim Chong Ga (The Ballad of Shim Chong) / Sung by Kim So-hi (1/2 tr. mono (recorded 2 sides); 30:17, 11:50)
2013-23.7 - KBS Dub 1960 - Ah Ahk dubs / Ancestors music Confucian music (full-track, 31:12)
2013-23.8 - KBS Dub - Court music (full-track, 48:18)
2013-23.9 - KBS Dub 1960 - Ah-Ahk / Yong Sang Hoe San (Pt. 1) (full-track, 30:11) (may be duplicate of AA1 Korea/66-6.6)
2013-23.10 - KBS Dub - Ah Ahk / Young Sang Hoe San (Pt. 2) / from Sanghyeon-Dodevri / Kayagum Sanjo by Shim Sangun (full-track, 29:11)
2013-23.11 - KBS Dub 1960 - Korean dance music by Korean folk music ensemble Goodguri & other (7 1/2 ips, full-track, 16:14)
2013-23.12 - KBS Dub - Korean Court Music / Ah Ahk (7 1/2 ips, full-track, 47:13, warped sound)
2013-23.13 - Dan Ka; Note from R. Garfias - "Dan Ga (Tangga) are P'ansori warmups - Gang Chang Won and Kim Sohi are famous singers"; may be duplicate of recording in Garfias collection 66-2 (7 1/2 ips, full-track, 15:21)
Tapes 14-21 have not been previewed or digitized; contents information from tape boxes and notes from R. Garfias.
2013-23.14 - KBS - Mono dub of Komungo solo / Chon Nyon Mansei
2013-23.15 - KBS Dub - P'ansori and Sanjo (copies of 78s)
2013-23.16 - Master - recorded in Japan 1958 and Korea 1960 / Piri solos by Kim Jun-Heun 9/28/58 / recordings made 6/15/60 by students of Ah-Ahkwon [sp.?]
2013-23.17 - Master tape - Kayagum _____ [?]; note from R. Garfias - "Hwang Byongki Sanjo - maybe 1960 master"
2013-23.18 - Note from R. Garfias - "Korean music obtained from Prof. Kim Sei Hyung 2/3/58
2013-23.19 - Komungo Sanjo / Kagok / Buddhist singing; note from R. Garfias - "KBS dub?"
2013-23.20 - Kagok / Shijo / Kasa; note from R. Garfia - "KBS Dub?"
2013-23.21 - Korean Court Music IV & Hawaiian Chants; note from R. Garfias - "These are dubs of pre-war Korean court ___ 78s - I got them from Barbara Smith - she added Hawaiian chant at the end of tape 4"; appears to be copy of 66-7.4.
Documentation: Photo-copy of notes written on tape boxes or inserted in box.
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