Davvero pochi artisti hanno avuto, o hanno ancora, la capacità di intrattenere qualsiasi tipo di pubblico, dalle grandi folle in campo aperto ad un pubblico più intimo, indipendentemente dall'età. Non posso non citare Mick Jagger tra di essi, giusto per fare un esempio, ma oggi si parla di Harry Belafonte.
E' il 1997, siamo alla State University Of New York (situata a Purchase, New York) e Belafonte ha la veneranda età di 70 anni ma la forza di un 25enne nel trascinare tutti a cantare in coro, piccoli e grandi, senza la necessità di fare capriole sopra il palco ma con la semplicità del suo sorriso e del suo umorismo che crea "piccoli momenti di teatro"; accompagnato da musicisti di straordinario calibro (Lenny Underwood, Morris Goldberg, Richard Bona e Ricky Sebastian tra tutti) e da quattro coristi/e (particolare menzione per LaTanya Hall, che personalmente adoro), ai quali viene dato spazio e libertà di espressione.
Peccato davvero che il concerto venga portato avanti solo per più di un'ora ma riesce comunque ad incorporare brani importanti della sua carriera: si ha la possibilità di passare dai sapori Caraibici con reminiscenze africane di "Turn The World Around" e "We Are The Wave", le note nostalgiche di "Jamaica Farewell", i grandissimi classici "Matilda" (portata alla soglia dei 10 minuti di performance, con improvvisazioni di pianoforte, sax, percussioni e dei coristi/e; uno dei grandissimi highlight dell'intero concerto) e "Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)", che non ha assolutamente bisogno di presentazioni, altro highlight. Inoltre splendide le interpretazioni di "Eyala" e "Eyando", brani provenienti dal repertorio dal camerunense Richard Bona e cantati da egli stesso.
Il pubblico presente è seduto ma non sta mai fermo, ecco: sarà impossibile non muovere testa, piedi e mani. Consigliatissimo l'accompagnamento con video.
Elenco tracce e testi
04 Jamaica Farewell (06:44)
Down the way
Where the nights are gay
And the sun shines daily on the mountain top
I took a trip on a sailing ship
And when I reached Jamaica I made a stop
(chorus)
But I'm sad to say I'm on my way
Won't be back for many a day
My heart is down
My head is turning around
I had to leave a little girl in Kingston Town
Sounds of laughter everywhere
And the dancing girls swing to and fro
I must declare my heart is there
Though I've been from Maine to Mexico
(chorus)
But I'm sad to say I'm on my way
Won't be back for many a day
My heart is down
My head is turning around
I had to leave a little girl in Kingston Town
Down at the market you can hear
Ladies cry out while on their heads they bear
Ackie rice, salt fish are nice
And the rum is fine any time a year
(chorus)
But I'm sad to say I'm on my way
Won't be back for many a day
My heart is down
My head is turning around
I had to leave a little girl in Kingston Town
Down the way
Where the nights are gay
And the sun shines daily on the mountain top
I took a trip on a sailing ship
And when I reached Jamaica I made a stop
(chorus)
But I'm sad to say I'm on my way
Won't be back for many a day
My heart is down
My head is turning around
I had to leave a little girl in Kingston Town
Sad to say I'm on my way
Won't be back for many a day
My heart is down
My head is turning around
I had to leave a little girl in Kingston Town.
07 Island In The Sun (04:36)
This is my island in the sun
where my people have toiled since time begun
I may sail on many a sea
her shores will always be home to me
Oh island in the sun
built to me by my father's hand
all my days I will sing in praise
of your forest waters
your shining sand
As morning breaks
the heaven on high
I lift my heavy load to the sky
sun comes down with a burning glow
mingles my sweat with the earthly low
Oh island in the sun
built to me by my father's hand
all my days I will sing in praise
of your forest waters
your shining sand
Solo
I see woman on bended knees
cutting cane for her family
I see man at the water-side
casting nets at the surfing tide
Oh island in the sun
built to me by my father's hand
all my days I will sing in praise
of your forest waters
your shining sand
I hope the day will never come
that I can't awake to the sound of drum
never let me miss carnaval
with calypso songs
philosophical
Oh island in the sun
built to me by my father's hand
all my days I will sing in praise
of your forest waters
your shining sand
11 Matilda (09:50)
Hey! Matilda, Matilda, Matilda, she take me money and run Venezuela.
Once again now!
Matilda, Matilda, Matilda, she take me money and run Venezuela.
Five hundred dollars, friends, I lost:
Woman even sell me cat and horse!
Heya! Matilda, she take me money and run Venezuela.
Everybody!
(Matilda,) Sing out the chorus,
(Matilda,) Sing a little louder,
Matilda, she take me money and run Venezuela.
Once again now!
(Matilda,) Going 'round the corner,
(Matilda,) Sing out the chorus,
Matilda, she take me money and run Venezuela.
Well, the money was to buy me house an' lan'
Then she got a serious plan,
A-hey, ah!
Matilda, she take me money and run Venezuela.
Everybody!
(Matilda,
Matilda,
Matilda, she take me money and run Venezuela.)
Once again now!
(Matilda,) Going 'round the corner,
(Matilda,
Matilda, she take me money and run Venezuela.)
Well, the money was just inside me bed,
Stuck up in a pillow beneath me head.
Don't you know,
Matilda, she found me money and...
Everybody...
(Matilda,
Matilda,
Matilda, she take me money and run Venezuela.)
Once again now!
(Matilda,) Hooma locka chimba,
(Matilda,) Bring me little water,
Matilda, she take me money and run Venezuela.
Women over forty?
(Matilda,
Matilda,
Matilda, she take me money and run Venezuela.)
Everybody!
(Matilda,) Goin' round the corner,
(Matilda,) Bring me little water,
Matilda, she take me money and run Venezuela.
Well, me friends, never to love again,
All me money gone in vain!
Uh, heya...
Matilda, she take me money and run Venezuela.
Everybody!
(Matilda,
Matilda,) Oom, ba-locka-chimba!
(Matilda, she take me money and run Venezuela.)
Sing a little softer!
(Matilda,
Matilda,
Matilda, she take me money and run Venezuela.)
EVERYBODY!
(Matilda,
Matilda,) Sing out the chorus!
Matilda, she take me money and run Venezuela!
13 Try To Remember (04:29)
Try to remember the kind of September
When life was slow and oh
so mellow.
Try to remember the kind of September
When grass was green and grain was yellow.
Try to remember the kind of September
When you were a tender and callow fellow.
Try to remember and if you remember
then follow
follow.
Try to remember when life was so tender
When noone wept except the willow.
Try to remember when life was so tender
When dreams were kept beside your pillow.
Try to remember when life was so tender
When love was an ember about to billow.
Try to remember and if you remember
then follow
follow.
Deep in December it's nice to remember
Although you know the snow will follow.
Deep in December it's nice to remember
Without a hurt the heart will hollow.
Deep in December
it's nice to remember
The fire of September that made you mellow.
Deep in December our hearts should remember and follow
follow.
Carico i commenti... con calma
