Customer Reviews

Live at Carnegie Hall

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Recorded on two nights in April, 1959, this CD contains the full concert--all nineteen songs--unlike a previously released CD of this concert which omits four songs. Singing work songs and traditional folk songs for the first half of the concert, Belafonte switches, after the intermission, to novelty songs and some of the most famous of all his international folk songs before concluding, as he so often does, with "Matilda."

Opening with "Wake Up, Wake Up, Darlin' Cora," Belafonte holds key notes for several extra beats, prolonging the song's wailing sadness and stunning the audience with the song of a man who has been treated like a "dirty dog" and who now leaves "Darlin' Cora" behind as he takes to the road after a confrontation with his boss. With his strong, slightly husky voice and ability to hold a note till tomorrow, he follows this with a Leadbelly song, "Sylvie," in which he changes the lyric from a work song to a jailhouse plea. The tempo increases throughout this set through "Saints" and "Day-O," then slows for the sorrowful "All My Trials," an old Bahamian lullaby which became a sixties protest song.

In the second set, he begins with the calypso novelty song, "Mama Look at Boo Boo," in which he plays the role of a man whose children say "My daddy can't be ugly so," a statement that is so ironic for Belafonte that even he is chuckling throughout. "Man Smart, Woman Smarter," continues the fun and the calypso beat, with hand-clapping preparing the audience for four foreign folk songs--"Hava Nageela" (one of his most famous and most requested songs), "Danny Boy" (sung almost completely a capella), "Merci Bon Dieu," and "Cu Cu Ru Cu Cu Paloma," a charming Mexican song in which the orchestra makes bird sounds throughout.

Controlling his volume from a whisper to full-out wailing and the tempo from a slow ballad to wild calypso and street dance (in "Saints"), Belafonte is at his peak here, in total control of his audience. Though he usually sings with simple accompaniments, here he uses, on occasion, the full orchestra ("Saints," "Mama Look At Boo Boo"), incorporating trumpets ("Cu Cu Ru Cu"), strings, and flutes ("Come Back Liza). Though Belafonte was a star before this concert, this performance made him a superstar, a household name throughout the world. n Mary Whipple

Tracks flow into each other with no "silence" between; its just like the "Living Stereo" black vinyl Long-Play records. All of the content on the LPs is indeed here. Awesome.

Sound quality is quite good. CDs were issued in Germany in 1993 (performance dates were 19 & 20 April 1959). There are no markings on the CDs indicating remixing, remastering or other processing. Despite this, the sound is a little more "natural" than my LP transfer which had that circa-1959 bass richness. This may be just coloration in my turntable set-up and the CD gets it right. There is minor tape hiss in the background noise. The dynamic range may have been increased. The CD allows me to hear more in the music than I ever heard before (musican banter, HB's breathing etc).

The CDs are a great replacement to the LPs transfers I had on my iPod. (I'm not sure yet if I'll miss the ticks and pops from the needle. It was kinda cool on an iPod.)

Regarding musicality; the other reviews have said it all. I agree that this is one of those rare recordings where everything is perfect. It is unthinkable that this concert could even have one second edited from it. I love this concert. It is genius.

I used to listen to the LP from my parents when I was a kid. Now I have the double CD and I love it so much... it is so great. I had the good fortune of seeing Belafonte twice live in concert (in 1989 and 1998) and he is just one of the best "entertainers" in the world. Get this double disc set NOW ! (not a Pink Floyd, but a Tina Turner fan !)

I grew up with this album that my parents had, unfortunately I recalled it as Belafonte RETURNS to Carnegie Hall. Thankfully I ordered this first, then later got Harry Returns (basically for Odetta and Miriam Makeba).

The man is brilliant in concert and it is unbelieveable they were daring enough to try to record these performances live. I shudder to think anyone currently who could pull this off (with the exception of Midler who thrives on a live audience).

Does Belafonte have an incredible voice and fantastic range? Not really. He has a great voice but the man has PASSION and intelligence in his hip pocket and he presents a priceless show.

It's amazing to me, now, to realize what a global attitude this man has, did I mention passion and intelligence? So I did, but it's well worth repeating.

I played this album for a 7th grade class and they ape over it -- they knew two songs from the movie Beetle Juice and insisted I download the lyrics. When it came time for Cucurrucucu Paloma they went wild (and the staff freaked when they heard it was a live performance) so I knew Mama Look a Boo Boo would be appreciated.

I know Mr. Belafonte is known and loved for many of his standards (basicaly Day-O) but I my faorite piece will always be Merci Bon Dieu. It's so beautiful, it's heartbreaking in a wonderful way.

I hate live albums because most artists cannot do live what they create in the studio. Not so with this -- he sounds even better live. A truly talented man with intelligence and passion -- darn, that's rare and very much appreciated, especially in the year 2005.

I have been a huge Harry fan since I was 3 - I have grown up on his music, and his was the first concert that I ever went to, at the tender age of 4. (He was also my first crush, and when I met him, I couldn't look at him!)This has been my favourite albumn for as long as I can remember, and getting it on CD is great - I no longer have a turntable, so am unable to play the LP. Can't wait to annoy the neighbours. Make sure you get this live import version - then you get all his interaction with the audience too, unlike the other version that you can buy here.

Like so many, I grew up listening to my parents' album of this sterling performance. Great to have the CD myself to enjoy and enjoy - have taught my nieces as well - at 3 years old they know every word of Jamaica Farewell & Mama Look a Boo Boo. WE were lucky to be entertained by Mr. Belanfonte -from the 60's onto this generation. Such a humanitarian to boot - you can hear it thru the performance on the CD. A must buy! Hurray Harry!

Harry Belafonte, is on of the greatest, most influential man ever born in the United States, as well as a hero to the world as well as to all Americans. Mr. Belafonte, World WarII veteren, who volunteered and was on the battlefield, and still serves his nation and the World, with his international travel on behalf of Unicef.
As far as his totally unique talent, this magnificant talent, shows all of his power, his heart, soul and love for all humanity with the best live album ever created.
I have a sentimental feeling about the famous Carnegie Hall concert since I grew up in blue collar family in Brooklyn attended this show. Growing up, I used th hear my parents play this many times on weekends, while doing their chores and nothingw ould light up their faces, create laughter, got them to sing, more than when they listened to the album of this Carnegie Hall concert.
I was about eleven or so when I started hearing it, and I have the album about memorized and grew up loving the album, Mr. Belafonte, his talent, his incredibly diverse careers, and non-stop dedication to all of humanity.
There is comments by an individual who does live the CD about how Harry did "novelty songs" in the second act. THOSE ARE NOT NOVELTY SONGS, THEY ARE FOLK SONGS FROM DIFFERENT CULTURES AROUND THE WORLD. But I guess to an American, International folk music is a "novelty song". Grrr. I know the gentlemen who made that comment meant no harm, but I hope it is understood. Mr Belafonte is currently and has previously spent his life unfolding the cultures of nations from all over the world by singing and giving publicity to the great folk music that tells the story of the people of the world.

It is great that this import has the entire concert, but I have to admit that I am ashamed as an American, that it has to be AN IMPORT, that no American music company has taken the original tapes, re-mastered it with love as they would any major piece of history and re-released it. He was born in Harlem and is one of the great, great stories of someone who has lived the American dream. Please remember the racism he experienced as well as being blacklisted suring the McCarthy hearings. But nothing stops his optomism and love of humanity.

He talent is unequaled and no one delivers a folk song with more power, heart and soul.
Besides, he probably was the best guest the Muppets ever had.

A couple of quick pieces of info on Mr. Belafonte. Bob Dylan was recorded for the first time on a Harry Belafonte album, where Harry hired him as a harmonica player.
Mr. Belafonte is a graduate of the Actors Studio in N.Y. the produced a generation of great actors.
Calypso was the first album to sell 1 million copies, but how many people know that he followed that album up with a album where he read and discussed the works of the great American writer, Mark Twain.

Thank you Harry for this great album and the great memories you leave me listening to it and the great pleasure you gave to my late parents.

Jon

I was THRILLED when I saw this version and can't say enoughgood things about it - Belafonte is a true genius and although I'venever met him, sigh, you can tell by his banter with the crowd and his musicians that he is also a very lovely human being. Buy this if you like great live music - it's truly timeless (and this is coming from a huge Pink Floyd fan!)

I fell in love with this LP when I was a child. Now as an adult I have the full appreciation of this man's talent. The emotion he puts into each song is wonderful. He is pure vocal magic!!

The Harry Belafonte album dates back to High School for me, and for Nostolgic reasons I have wanted to own it. However the CD album, with the same picture of the Carnegie Hall concert as the original 2-record set, left out pieces that I loved. This album has all of it. I have enjoyed his great voice and personality once again.