The music library in the basement of KCRW-FM LA houses a priceless collection of more than 60,000 recordings of great historical importance and cultural relevance. The station is launching a major effort to save this precious resource and preserve it for years to come with "The Music Match: A Campaign to Save KCRW's Library."
The library has been shaped over three decades and its influence has been profound. The resources of the library inspired soundtracks for entertainment vehicles like The Matrix, Six Feet Under, Shrek, Little Miss Sunshine and a myriad of commercials, video games and more. All of this is currently housed in a 15 X 20 foot room with CD drawers and vinyl racks stacked floor to ceiling – about the size of a walk-in closet.
This campaign will raise the funds necessary to store the contents of the library as the highest fidelity digital sound files and allow the DJs to explore the full range of music available to them without the current physical limitations. (Imagine having to climb a ladder to reach that perfect Miles Davis record every time you want to play it on air). The library is the primary resource for both KCRW's on-air DJs and a 24/7 online music stream as well.
"KCRW is defined by its music. All of our music directors and hosts have expanded the library based on their unique tastes with only one thing in common – marvelous artistry," said GM Ruth Seymour.
The Annenberg Foundation and RealNetworks have provided lead grants of 100,000, and proceeds from this year's sold-out benefit concert, A Sounds Eclectic Evening, will go towards the modernization process.
