This being the summer of South Africa’s World Cup, it was only natural that the reissue gods would grace us with a bounty of musical gifts to provide the soundtrack to half-time breaks and post-game parties. Nascente, the label that has also recently put out the excellent Beginner’s Guide to South Africa (3 discs for $18.99!), brings us a generous survey of one of the legends of South African music, the late Mariam Makeba. There have been many collections of her work in the past, but this one covers the broadest span of her career (including her early years with the Skylarks, my personal favourite Makeba period). Exiled to America, where she recorded some of her most famous recordings (“Pata Pata” and “The Click Song” are here, of course), Makeba became deeply involved in the Civil Rights movement and caused a stir when she married Black Panther Stokely Carmichael. In fact, the marriage left her a hot potato for bookers and label bosses, as tours and record deals were cancelled. What followed was a spell in Zaire (she performed at the Rumble In The Jungle match between Ali and Foreman), where she recorded for the fantastic Syliphone label, tracks from which are also included here.
You couldn’t overstate Makeba’s position as one of the great female vocalists of the last 50 years. Off the top of my head, she’s right up there with Elis Regina, Aretha Franklin and Dusty Springfield, but upped the ante by singing in multiple languages and countries, bridging the gap between South African jazz and American folk, soul and funk, and never compromising her political views. Over two discs and forty-five selections, there’s just too much great music to resist here. Get on this now!