The Hamann Recording Initiative is building a sustainable engine for creativity in Northeast Ohio, honoring the legacy of the Hamann family, Cleveland Recording Company, and Suma Recording while directly funding new original music and empowering the artists who create it.
The Suma Archives is a collection of approximately 6,000 unique and “one-of-a-kind” multitrack, mono, and stereo master tapes and acetate records recorded at Cleveland Recording Company and/or Suma Recording (Cleveland Recording’s successor, est. 1977) between 1940 and 2017. As tapes and other media age, their physical materials degrade and can eventually become unplayable. It is imperative that these recordings are properly cataloged, restored, and preserved, as they represent a significant part of our region’s musical history, culture, and heritage.