Harry Belafonte was an American singer, actor and activist, who popularized calypso music with international audiences in the 1950s. Belafonte is one of the few performers to have received an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony (EGOT), although he won the Oscar in a non-competitive category. He earned his career breakthrough with the album Calypso (1956), which was the first million-selling LP by a single artist.
Mento is a style of Jamaican folk music that predates and has greatly influenced ska and reggae music. It is a fusion of African rhythmic elements and European elements, which reached peak popularity in the 1940s and 1950s. Mento typically features acoustic instruments, such as acoustic guitar, banjo, hand drums, and the rhumba box — a large mbira in the shape of a box that can be sat on while played. The rhumba box carries the bass part of the music.
"Jamaica Farewell" is a Jamaican-style folk song (mento). The lyrics for the song were written by Lord Burgess, an American-born, half-Barbadian songwriter. It is about the beauties of the West Indian Islands.
"Day-O " is a traditional Jamaican folk song. The song has mento influences, but it is commonly classified as an example of the better known calypso music.
Calypso is the third studio album by recording artist Harry Belafonte, released by RCA Victor (LPM-1248) in 1956. The album became his second consecutive number-one album on the Billboard Top Pop Albums chart, where it peaked for 31 weeks. Calypso was the first Long Play record album to sell over one million copies.
William Alexander Attaway was an African-American novelist, short story writer, essayist, songwriter, playwright, and screenwriter.
"Choucoune" is a 19th-century Haitian song composed by Michel Mauléart Monton with lyrics from a poem by Oswald Durand. It was rewritten with English lyrics in the 20th century as "Yellow Bird". Exotica musician Arthur Lyman made the song a hit in 1961.
Belafonte at Carnegie Hall is a live double album by Harry Belafonte issued by RCA Victor. It is the first of two Belafonte Carnegie Hall albums, and was recorded on April 19 and April 20, 1959. The concerts were benefits for The New Lincoln School and Wiltwyck School, respectively. The album stayed on the charts for over three years.
Jump Up Calypso is an album by Harry Belafonte, originally released by RCA Victor in 1961. It reached number 3 on the Billboard Pop Albums charts.
Calypso in Brass is an album by Harry Belafonte, released by RCA Victor in 1966. The album contains new arrangements of previously recorded songs, notably from Calypso and Belafonte Sings of the Caribbean, with a brass ensemble accompaniment. The orchestra was conducted by Howard A. Roberts and arranged by Bob Freedman.
Caribbean Guitar is the eighteenth studio album recorded by American guitarist Chet Atkins, released in 1962.
Irving Louis Burgie, sometimes known professionally as Lord Burgess, was an American musician and songwriter, regarded as one of the greatest composers of Caribbean music. He composed 34 songs for Harry Belafonte, including eight of the 11 songs on the Belafonte album Calypso (1956), the first album of any kind to sell one million copies. Burgie also wrote the lyrics of the National Anthem of Barbados. To date, songs penned by Irving Burgie have sold more than 100 million copies worldwide.
The Essential Harry Belafonte is a two-disc compilation recording by Harry Belafonte, released in 2005 on the Legacy label. The 37 tracks span Belafonte's career from 1952 to 1977, including his RCA Victor and Columbia Records releases. All selections for inclusion were made by Belafonte himself.
Turn the World Around is an album by Harry Belafonte, released in 1977.
Belafonte is the second studio album by American recording artist Harry Belafonte, released by RCA Victor in late 1955. The album was the first number one on the Billboard Top Pop Albums chart, topping the chart for six weeks before being knocked out of the top spot by Elvis Presley's self-titled debut album, also issued by RCA Victor.
Belafonte Concert in Japan is a live album by Harry Belafonte, released in 1974. The album was Belafonte's final release for RCA Records, concluding a 21-year association with the label.
Belafonte '89 is a live album by Harry Belafonte, released in 1989. A truncated version of the album was released in the U.S., featuring only 10 out of 15 tracks. The international CD release was also truncated, featuring 13 tracks. It was also released in Germany as Stationen in 1990, and 1993. The CD release of Stationen from 1990 contains all 15 tracks.
An Evening with Harry Belafonte and Friends is a live album by Harry Belafonte, released in 1997. The album is the soundtrack of a concert, televised by PBS in March 1997. It was also released as a concert video. In 2003 the concert video was also released on DVD.
"Island in the Sun" is a song written by Harry Belafonte and Irving Burgie, and performed by Harry Belafonte for the 1957 film Island in the Sun and on his 1957 album Belafonte Sings of the Caribbean.
"Mama Look at Bubu" is a song written by Trinidadian calypsonian Lord Melody, Harry Belafonte and Lord Burgess, and performed by Harry Belafonte featuring Bob Corwin's Orchestra & Chorus featuring Millard Thomas, Franz Casseus and Victor Messer on guitars. Although Belafonte gets co-writing credit on his 1957 release, the song first appeared on Lord Melody's single "Mama Look a Boo Boo" in 1955, and his debut album "Calypso Fiesta – Limbo In Trinidad" in 1956, with solo writing credit to Lord Melody.
