Makeba, Miriam – Her Essential Recordings
Reviewed by Sadie O., 10/27/06
40 songs by the undisbuted queen of African music. Ranging from music from her background in South African and sung in the ”click language” to American-style spirituals and sambas. She has an amazing life story, worth a look if you’re unfamiliar. We should all get down on our knees on a daily basis and thank whatever entity(ies) we believe in for music this gorgeous.
No FCCs. I assigned stars almost on a whim – it’s really all fabulous. Screw it, 5 stars for everyone!
CD 1:
1. 2:36 ***powerful vocal intro, female lead and male chorus response, beautiful harmonies, swingy midtempo music doesn’t come in until halfway through.
2. 3:03****big hit in the 60’s, upbeat and highly danceable. I can’t imagine ever getting tired of this great number.
3. 2:37**acoustic guitar , folksy “bananaboat” groove.
4. 2:34**spoken interchange between growly male voice and Makeba, then trumpet-let midtempo stroll, a bit jazzy, all cool.
5. 2:49 ***uptempo acoustic shuffle – Makeba’s voice floats over complex gumboot rhythms.
6. 3:09 **sweet pretty song, sung almost like a lullaby, acoustic guitar, flute and trumpet, subdued but uptempo beat.
7. 2:25 **midtempo skip, almost like a children’s song, but with absolutely transcendant female chorus.
8. 2:42 *a cappella gospel in English, complex harmonies, about death. Yikes!
9. 3:27 **solo vocal intro, somewhat downtempo hip-wiggler, almost a mambo groove, interesting vocalizations, no backing vocals.
10. 3:21 ***laid back midtempo acoustic groove with swingy beat. Spoken intro in English over music, no backing vocals.
11. 2:36 **male and female spoken intro, downtempo shuffle with guitar and flute, lost of harmonies.
12. 2:28 ***female harmonies intro, then downtempo rockin’ stomp.
13. 2:26 *swingy midtempo Gospel number in English, happy sound.
14. 3:04 ***big band swing with clarinet, unexpected but terrific.
15. 2:51 ***solo vocals intro, almost a lament, then big drums, very powerful, apparently highly traditional.
16. 1:23 *a cappella female vocals, harmonies for days, very downbeat but gorgeous
17. 3:17 ***slightly downtempo jazzy samba groove – in fact, it’s a cover of the Brazil ’66 megahit. Nice!
18. 2:28 **downtempo shuffle with female harmonies
19. 4:58 ****very downtempo rockin’ jazz version of The Lion Sleeps Tonight.
3:17 *very downbeat acoustic guitar, terribly pretty duet with Harry Belafonte

CD 2:
1. 2:21 ***somewhat uptempo vocals and acoustic guitars, swingy and definitely clicky. How DOES she do that?
2. 2:35 ****great uptempo South African rhythm, fun vocalizations, panting and stuff – wild! Some pretty singing, too…
3. 4:26 ***funky midtempo township jive bounce with chorus and a great bassline. Danceworthy!
4. 2:23 **drums and mystery, downtempo, solo vocals (Brazilian Portuguese, I’m almost positive), pretty acoustic guitar
5. 2:11 **midtempo shuffle with acoustic instruments and lots of percussion, solo vocals, cool trumpet solo
6. 2:44 *solo vocals in English, then sort of country spiritual with chorus and guitar, sort of Porgy and Bess meets Camptown Races – oddly upbeat for such sad lyrics, then back to sad solo vocals.
7. 2:29 *slow swing with clarinet, female harmonies, very 30’s Deep South sound.
8. 2:47 **midtempo swing with clarinet and female harmonies, same groove as previous cut but more upbeat.
9. 3:25 *very slow jazzy, almost swimming music, solo vocals in English
10. 3:10 **slow duet between solo vocals and trumpet, then complex thumb piano and percussion. Unique sound.
11. 2:31 *acoustic guitar and solo vocals, very lullaby kind of sound.
12. 4:01 **downtempo shuffling bounce with odd keyboards, solo vocals
13. 2:15 ***midtempo shuffle with big chorus
14. 3:11 **30’s swing sound, midtempo with cool chorus, bouncy.
15. 5:05 ****cool somewhat uptempo samba groove, terrific solo vocals.
16. 3:29 **folksy downtempo groove, subdued and pretty, solo vocals and horns, and bit of female choral response.
17. 5:37 *****midtempo slightly jazzy groove, great bassline, solo vocals in English, militant truth-up lyrics. She really lived this…
18. 2:36 **very downtempo shuffle with female harmonies, swingy clarinet and acoustic guitars
19. 3:47 * cheesy organ and male spoken word in English, really sad folk gospel farewell in English with chorus. Thanks to the crap farfisa, it would sound maudlin if you weren’t aware that she didn’t get to go home again for 31 f*cking years…
20. 1:39 **a cappella call and response, great harmonies.