This is one of my all-time favourite albums, and I was lucky enough to have found it on vinyl a couple of years ago in a little shop on Wellesley just at Yonge. It's in extremely good condition (as it should be, I threw down $19 bones for it!). The double record set comes as a full live recording from his performance at Carnegie Hall on April 19th and 20th of 1959.The inside cover gives a great look into brief moments of the concert, in black and white photographs as well as an illustrative rendering done in purple. It starts with some recording notes on how they were able to get the recording at such a performance and with Belafonte's permission (it was actually a Benefit Concert for The New Lincoln School on April 19th and Wiltwyck School on April 20th).
I tried to pick which songs are my favourite to showcase in this post, but it's honestly too difficult since it's such a fantastic collection of songs and his live performance gives each of them such life and character. The real treat, however, is the very last recording, Matilda, in an uncut extended version... pure velvet.
Track Listing:
(Side 1)
Act I - Moods of the American Negro
Introduction
Darlin' Cora
Sylvie
Cotton Fields
John Henry
Take My Mother Home
(Side 2)
The Marching Saints
Act II - In the Caribbean
Day O
Jamaica Farewell
Man Piaba
All My Trails
(Side 3)
Mama Look a Boo Boo
Come Back Liza
Man Smart (Woman Smarter)
Act III - Round the World
Hava Nageela
Danny Boy
Merci Bon Dieu
(Side 4)
Cu Cu Ru Cu Cu Paloma
Shenandoah
Matilda
Here is a recording of Matilda I found on YouTube.... it's nothing compared to the live version on the album!!!
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