African (sub-Saharan)
Amerindian
Australasian
Central Asian/Siberian
East Asian

China
Japan
Korea

East Asian

Asian Rare Books---a bookseller dealing in old and antiquarian books on Asia and the Orient.
Eastern Books of London---a bookseller dealing in Oriental, Eastern and African books.
Modern Chinese Literature and Culture---offers a bibliography and directory of East Asian music.
East Asian Music---the Encyclopedia Britannica article.
The Music of East Asia---a short essay.
 

China
Overview and Theory:
Clack, Celestial symphonies: a study of Chinese music---history, theory, instruments, and themes.
Shen and Lee, China: A Journey into Its Musical Art---a personal introduction.
Lai and Mok, Jade Flute: The Story of Chinese Music---an historical overview.
Chao, The yellow bell; a brief sketch of the history of Chinese music---an historical overview.
Shen, Chinese Music and Orchestration: A Primer on Principles and Practice---an introduction.
Lee and Shen, Chinese Musical Instruments---an introduction to the instruments of the orchestra.
Robinson, Critical Study of Chu Tsai-Uy's Contribution to the Theory of Equal Temperament in Chinese Music---a curious episode.

History:
Kuttner, The Archaeology of Music in Ancient China: 2,000 Years of Acoustical Experimentation 1400 B.C.-A.D. 750---
Falkenhausen, Suspended Music: Chime Bells in the Culture of Bronze Age China---excellent; an extremely rare look into ancient music.
Kaufmann, Musical References in the Chinese Classics---an essential reference.
So and Beach, Music in the Age of Confucius---fascinating.  Here is an article on the associated exhibition.
Chang, From Confucius to Kublai Khan: Music and Poetics Through the Centuries---
Liang, Music of the Billion: An Introduction to Chinese Musical Culture---treats the inevitable influence of society.
Lieberman, Chinese Music: Annotated Bibliography---

Chamber:
Witzleben, Silk and Bamboo' Music in Shanghai: The Jiangnan Sizhu Instrumental Ensemble Tradition---awarded the 1996 Alan Merriam Prize for the "most distinguished English-language monograph in ethnomusicology."
Yung and Bingyan (Editors), Celestial Airs of Antiquity: Music of the Seven-String Zither of China---
Myers, The Way of the Pipa: Structure and Imagery in Chinese Lute Music---a study of the Hua Collection (1819).

Ritual (courtly, Confucian, Taoist, Buddhist):
Lam, State Sacrifices and Music in Ming China: Orthodoxy, Creativity, and Expressiveness---historical, ritual, and musical data.
Yung (Editor), Rawski and Watson (Editors), Harmony and Counterpoint: Ritual Music in Chinese Context---music in ritual.

Opera:
MacKerras, Peking Opera (Images of Asia)---an introduction.
Siu, Lovrick and Wang-Ngai, Chinese Opera: Images and Stories---a coffee-table book.
Chen, Improvisation in a ritual context: the music of Cantonese opera---its musical structure.
Crump, Chinese Theater in the Days of Kublai Khan---the roots of musical theater.
Wichmann, Listening to Theatre: The Aural Dimension of Beijing Opera---performance structure and aesthetics.
Riddle, Flying Dragons, Flowing Streams---a portrait of Chinese music in San Francisco (which is primarily Cantonese opera).

Folk:
Jones, Folk Music of China: Living Instrumental Traditions, Book & Cd edition---a fascinating look into a vast territory.
Stock, Musical Creativity in Twentieth-Century China: Abing, His Music, and Its Changing Meanings---interpretations of the mysterious folk musician (includes a CDROM).
Tsao, The music of Su-chou tan-tzu: elements of the Chinese southern singing-narrative---the history of storytelling, particularly the musical t'an-tz'u (tanci) tradition.

Minority:
Rees, Echoes of History: Naxi Music in Modern China---an eagerly-awaited study of both minority and Confucian ritual music.
Thrasher, La-Li-Luo Dance-Songs of the Chuxiong Yi, Yunnan Province, China---a sketch of lively dance music.

Traditional:
Chinese Traditional Music---an excellent introduction into Chinese music.
A number of very brief introductions are available: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
Gallery of China---provides a small directory.
Chinese Music Society of North America---a noble organization with publications, concerts, lectures and research.
CHIME---the European Foundation for Chinese Music Research, a large scholarly organization.
PRC Chinese Traditional Music Sound Archive---is being nominated for UNESCO's Memory of the World program.
The Chinese Music Archive---at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Music in China---publishes a journal.
Banquet Music in the Chinese and Korean Courts---an introduction to Yen-Yueh.
The Guqin and Its Music---an extensive page on the guqin.
Guqin---John Thompson's page on the old, long, seven-strings zither, aka "qin."
The Chinese Shêng---a page on the free-reed "mouth organ," including examples of various notations.
How to Produce Chinese Folk Music Using Regular MIDI Equipment---two very interesting articles on Chinese Folk Computer Music.
Abing---a page devoted to the early twentieth century folk musician.
Nakhi Music---a brief sketch of a minority music.
Beijing Opera---a page devoted to one of the many branches of Chinese opera, with some material on Kunqu opera.
Peking Opera---an introduction from the Peking Opera House of Beijing.
Cantonese Opera Home Page---a solid homepage.
Chinese Opera---a page on Chinese opera in Taiwan.
eChineseOpera---a large site in Hong Kong, entirely in Chinese.
HUGO and Wind---two exceptional commercial suppliers of traditional recordings. Here are Taoist and Buddhist suppliers.
Buddhist music and literature---an enquiry into the origins of Buddhist music.
The Aesthetics of Chinese Music---a brief note on Confucian and Taoist opinions. Here is another comparison.
Quantifying Ritual: Political Cosmology, Courtly Music, and Precision Mathematics in Seventeenth-Century China---a paper concerning ritual music and the contributions of Zhu Zaiyu, the discoverer of equal temperament.
Ritual Music in Taiwan---an introduction to Taoist, Buddhist and Confucian traditons.
Introduction to the Musical Traditions in Taiwan---including mainland, aboriginal and sacred music.
Chinese Music---a brief page on Chinese music in Taiwan.

Modern:
The C.C. Liu Collection---of modern Chinese music, in Hong Kong.
The Chinese music encyclopedia---a directory of popular bands, performers, record labels, styles, etc.
The Complete Reference to the Web Sites of Chinese Music---lists mostly sites which are in Chinese.
The Internet Chinese Music Archive---a large compendium of audio files representing many genres.
Rock Music in China---an investigation and a directory.
Chinese music---includes an introduction to sadly Westernized popular music and audio samples.
Guide to Chinese Music---some material on popular Westernized styles, with extensive links.
Tian An Man Music Hall---an archive of pop songs in the MIDI format.

Japan
Malm, Traditional Japanese Music and Musical Instruments, 2nd ed.---an eagerly-awaited new addition.
Holvik, Japanese Music: Another Tradition, Other Sounds---by the Indiana Nohgaku composer.
Malm, Six Hidden Views of Japanese Music---there are associated musical examples.
Garfias, Music of a Thousand Autumns: The Togaku Style of Japanese Court Music---excellent.
Garfias, Gagaku the Music and Dances of the Japanese Imperial---an excellent treatment.
Markham, Saibara: Japanese Court Songs for the Heian Period---a very old indigenous genre.
Wade, Tegotomono---an analysis of koto music.
Adriaansz, Kumiuta and Danmono Traditions of Japanese Koto Music---popular forms of the Edo period.
Crump and Malm, Chinese and Japanese Music-Dramas---its emphasis is on the Japanese Noh drama.
De Ferranti, Japanese Musical Instruments (Images of Asia)---a complete survey, beautifully illustrated.
Asai, Nomai Dance Drama: A Surviving Spirit of Medieval Japan---a study of a rural, regional genre.
Malm, Nagauta: The Heart of Kabuki Music---on the style of shamisen accompaniment.
Gerstle, Inobe and Malm, Theater As Music: The Bunraku Play 'Mt. Imo and Mt. Se: An Exemplary Tale of Womanly Virtue'---an analysis of puppetry music; includes cassettes.
Coaldrake, Women's Gidayu and the Japanese Theatre Tradition---the twentieth century revival of a narritive genre, with CD.
Groemer and Takahashi, The Spirit of Tsugaru: Blind Musicians, Tsugaru-Jamisen, and the Folk Music of Northern Japan, Revised Large edition---about folk shamisen music, by a winner of the Tanabe prize.
Eppstein, The Beginnings of Western Music in Meiji Era Japan---a study of large-scale transplantation.
Kondo,  Gagaku and Serialism---we'd like to see more cross-cultural studies.
Piggott, The Music and Musical Instruments of Japan---unfortunately out-of-print.
Harich-Schneider, A History of Japanese Music---published in 1973, now out-of-print.
Tsuge, Japanese Music: An Annotated Bibliography (Garland Reference Library of the Humanities, Vol 472)---out-of-print.

Japanese Music---a good overview.
The Music of Japan---an outline.
Japanese Music---an introduction to the best-known genres. Here are more: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. 11.
The Earliest Japanese Music---an excellent overview of ancient music.
Japan's Musical Substructure---a dialogue on its origins and history.
Traditional Japan---includes descriptions of several minor forms.

Gagaku---homepage for Japanese court music.
Gagaku and its History---an introduction.
Gagaku and Bugaku---an introduction.
What is Bugaku?---an introduction to classical dance music. Here and here are similar notes on Gagaku.
Bugaku---a note on dance music.
Gagaku---an introduction.
The Japan Gagaku Society---presents concerts.
Karl's Gagaku Home Page---a very small directory.

Japanese Religious Music---outlines Shinto, Buddhist and Zen genres.
Traditional Performing Arts---a note on several genres of Shinto and Buddhist music.
Kagura in the Chûgoku Mountain Range of northern Hiroshima---a photographic expedition.
Kagura: The Japanese Ancient Sacred Music---a brief introduction to Shinto music.
Kagura---a note on Kagura. Here is another.
The Kagura in Hiroshima---offers some video of performances.
About Shomyo---a note on Japanese Buddhist chant.
What Appears Through Chanting---a description of Tendai Shomyo Ryokyoku.

Music in Japanese Theatre---outlines Noh, Bunraku and Kabuki.
Nohgaku Com---the Nohgaku homepage.
Noh and Kyogen---classical dramatic traditions with distinctive music.
Noh and Kyogen---an introduction and directory.
Kabuki for Everyone---a guide.
Kabuki---an introduction.
The Kabuki Story---a good overview.
The Bunraku---a guide to traditional puppet theater.
Shinnai, Music of the Voice---an old style of narrative music.

Japanese Folk and Festival Music---an introduction.
Minyo---a note on folk music, "Minyo."
A Kiosk of Information Related to Okinawan Music---a few rare examples.

Kayô-kyoku: Japanese Popular Music---an excellent article
Barbara's Enka Site---devoted to Enka, the traditional pop music.
Enka: Song of Sweet Resignation---some pages on Enka.
Enka's Page---a short introduction.
Bonsai's Jpop Pages---a large directory for modern popular music.
Gunka no Hanamichi---a site devoted to modern martial music.
Improvised Music from Japan---a directory.
Japanoise---a directory of noise groups.

The Rolling Thunder Taiko Resource---a large site devoted to Taiko drumming. Here is an extraordinary specimen.
Tatsumaki Taiko---some articles and a good taiko dictionary.
San Francisco Taiko Dojo---includes historical and interactive sections.
About Shamisen---a small but good site devoted to the long lute.
Japanese Flutes Homepage---a good guide and directory.
Shakuhachi---a homepage for the bamboo flute.
Koto---a site devoted to the zither.
The Early Guitar and Biographies of Important Guitarists in Japan---the history of the guitar in Japan, 16th--early 20th century.
Katou's Accordion Room---a directory for Japanese accordion.
Japan Dulcimer Society---promotes the hammered dulcimer in Japan.

Korea

Traditional Korean Music---a good introduction.
Korean Traditional Music---a good introduction.
Traditional Korean Music---an outline.
Korean Culture Music---an introduction.
The Music of Korea---an outline.
A Study on the History of Korean Buddhist Music---an outline.
Association for Korean Music Research---an important scholarly organization.
Ritual Music and Dance---a note on the Chongmyo practice of Confucian rituals.
The Ancient Chinese Ritual Music as it is preserved in Korea---an introduction to Ah-Ahk.
Banquet Music in the Chinese and Korean Courts---an introduction to Yen-Yueh.

The Persian/Arabic/Turkish World

Asian Rare Books---a bookseller dealing in old and antiquarian books on Asia and the Orient.
Eastern Books of London---a bookseller dealing in Oriental, Eastern and African books.
What Are Makams?---with Turkish and Arabic examples.

Persian/Iranian:
Iranian Classical Music---a brief introduction.
From the Hymns of Zarathustra to the Songs of Borbad---a long article on ancient Persian music.
The Musical Culture of Iran at the Beginning of the Middle Ages (4th-8th Centuries)---an article by Ma'ruf Isamatov.
Music in the Shahname---piecing together musical forms mentioned by Firdowsi.
Contradictory Definitions Stunt the Growth of Persian Music at the International Level---the relationship of written theory to Persian music.
Another Look at Traditional Persian Music and Our Music---two brief essays.
The Role of Surud in the Mughul Dukhtar Legend---by Rushan Rahmonov.
Historical Traditions of the Time of Rudaki---with attention to art music.

Afghanistan:
Afghan Music---a small directory.
Afghani Music---a directory containing mainly musical samples.
Afghan Music Contemporary & Popular---a directory of artists.

Baluchistan:

Kurdistan:
Kurdistan Music---a guide.
Kurdish Music---a very brief introduction.
Kurdish Music---a very brief introduction.
La musique kurde---a small directory from the Institut kurde, Paris.
Kurdish music mailing list---with a link to its archive.
muzikikurdi---an index of material in various formats.
The Kamkars Ensemble---offers samples.

Tartarstan/Baskortostan:
Shevket's Tatar Music Page---a small directory.
Tatarstan Civil Network: Music---a small but official directory.
Tartar Traditional Songs---musical examples.

Arabian:
Arabic Classical Music---a brief introduction.
The Rythm in Arabian Music---an excellent resource; a large index of rhythms.

Turkish:
Turkish Music---an overview.
Turkish Music and Lyrics Homepage---a large directory.
Turkish Music and Voice Library---a large index.
The Yeni Makam Series---instructive pieces based of Turkish classical and folk music.
Turkish Music Club---a commercial supplier of recordings.
Published Research in Iranian Scales---a brief note.

Azerbaijan:
Azerbaijan Music---the Azerbaijan music homepage includes a number of articles.
Hypotheses of Early Azeri Scholars---a review of early Azeri music theory.
The Reconstruction of Azerbaijan's Medieval Instruments---a fascinating article; admirable work.
Azerbaijan Music---a directory.
Azary Music Section---claims to be the largest directory of artists.
Habil Music Online---quite a few musical examples.

Ancient

Maghreb

Prehistoric

The Origins of Music---a interdisciplinary anthology and an important first step in the field. Should we greet the birth of evolutionary biomusicology with elation or suspicion?
 
 

Minding the donkey is by no means the least tedious of the director's duties.