The first African woman to win a Grammy Award in 1966, Miriam Makeba was a central figure in the African jazz scene throughout the 1950s, starring in South Africa’s legendary musical King Kong, a musical crossover called a "jazz opera" by the show's promoters. She also performed with top singers of her times such as Abigail Khubeka and Dolly Rathebe and was member of the popular all female vocal group Skylarks, the Cuban Brothers and the big Manhattan Brothers. By the early 1960s, she was an international star and brought attention to South Africa and apartheid. While abroad, the government revoked her right of return and she moved to the United States. There, she married Stokely Carmichael (later Sekou Toure) of the Black Panthers movement but was hounded by authorities and eventually left for Guinea where she lived for a years as a citizen of the west African country after acquiring its citizenship through the then president Sekou Toure. Makeba was among many politically active youth and musicians who fled South Africa; many stayed in the United States, the UK and other European countries following their appearances at major festivals, and never returned to South Africa.
This album Pata-Pata is one of her popular albums, named after the title song Pata-Pata, which was also a kind of dance in the 50s and 60s. One of her performance highlights includes the collaboration with Africa-American great singers Odetta and Nina Simone. She was also married to trumpeter Hugh Masekela and released an album with Harry Belafonte titled ‘A night with Miriam Makeba and Harry Belafonte where she sings one of her revolutionary songs ‘Aluta Continua’, about the former Mozambican freedom fighter and president Samora Machel. This is the Grammy winning album. Mama Afrika as she was known worldwide passed away on the 10 November 2008 after collapsing onstage at a concert in Italy, a concert that would be her last.
Discography of more than 40 years:
Studio albums:
· Miriam Makeba: 1960 - RCA LSP2267
· The Many Voices Of Miriam Makeba: 1960 - Kapp KL1274
· The World Of Miriam Makeba: 1963 - RCA LSP2750
· Makeba: 1964 - RCA LSP2845
· Makeba Sings: 1965 - RCA LSP3321
· An Evening With Belafonte/Makeba (with Harry Belafonte): 1965 - RCA LSP3420
· The Magic of Makeba: 1965 - RCA LSP3512
· The Magnificent Miriam Makeba: 1966 - Mercury 134016
· All About Miriam: 1966 - Mercury 134029
· Miriam Makeba In Concert!: 1967 - Reprise RS6253
· Pata Pata: 1967 - Reprise RS6274
· Makeba!: 1968 - Reprise RS6310
· Live in Tokyo: 1968 - Reprise SJET8082
· Keep Me In Mind: 1970 - Reprise RS6381
· A Promise: 1974 - RCA YSPL1-544
· Live In Conakry - Appel A L'Afriqu: 1974 - Sonodisc SLP22
· Miriam Makeba & Bongi: 1975 - Sonodisc SLP48
· Live in Paris: 1977 - CD6508
· Country Girl: 1978 - Sonodisc ESP165518
· Comme Une Symphonie d'Amour: 1979
· Sangoma: 1988 - WB 925673-1
· Welela: 1989 - Gallo CDGSP3084
· Eyes On Tomorrow: 1991 - Gallo CDGSP3086
· Sing Me A Song: 1993 - CDS12702
· Homeland, 2000 - Putumayo PUTU1642
· The Definitive Collection, Wrasse Records - 2002
· Best of The Early Years, Wrasse Records - 2002
· Live at Berns Salonger, Stockholm, Sweden, 1966: 2003 - Gallo Music GWVCD-49
· Reflecting, 2004 - Gallo Music GWVCD-51
· Makeba Forever, 2006, Gallo Music CDGURB-082
Compilations:
· The Queen Of African Music - 17 Great Songs, 1987
· Africa 1960-65 recordings, 1991
· Eyes On Tomorrow, 1991
· The Best Of Miriam Makeba & The Skylarks: 1956 - 1959 recordings, 1998
· Mama Africa: The Very Best Of Miriam Makeba, 2000
· The Guinea Years, 2001
· The Definitive Collection, 2002
· The Best Of The Early Years, 2003
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