Belafonte Returns to Carnegie Hall

They Say...

Review by Cary Ginell, All Music Guide

On May 2, 1960, Harry Belafonte returned to Carnegie Hall for what was supposed to be one of the last concerts in the venerable hall's last season. Carnegie was scheduled to be torn down, although this was an edict that was thankfully short-lived. The hall was instead renovated and remains one of New York's premier showplaces. The first Carnegie Hall recording from the previous year had had such an impact on the recording industry that it opened up new vistas for live recordings. Belafonte faced the challenge of living up to his own legend. For this concert, he began what would be a concert tradition for him: sharing the spotlight with up-and-coming folk performers. Representing the new collegiate folk singing group trend was the Chad Mitchell Trio, currently appearing at New York's Blue Angel, where Belafonte had seen them perform. South African singer and activist Miriam Makeba, another Belafonte discovery, also performed, as did folk and blues singer Odetta, and the Belafonte Folk Singers. The guest stars nearly upstaged Belafonte, but this turned out to be de rigueur for his concerts. Highlights include Odetta's powerhouse medley of the work songs "I've Been Driving on Bald Mountain" and "Water Boy," the Folk Singers' exciting "Ox Drivers Song," Makeba and Belafonte's charming duet on "One More Dance," and the Mitchell Trio's exuberant Israeli song "Vaichazkem." For a finale, Belafonte turned to the Mexican folk dance "La Bamba," treating it to an eight-minute-long heels-flying festive romp.