Miriam Makeba The Voice Of Africa 1964 - Funk / Soul, Folk, World, & Country Style: African (vinyl)

Here's a genuine first pressing of Miriam Makeba's landmark 1964 album "The Voice Of Africa" on RCA Victor, capturing one of the most important artists of the civil rights era at the height of her international breakthrough. Makeba, who had been exiled from South Africa for her anti-apartheid activism, found herself embraced by American audiences after her show-stopping performance at the 1963 Newport Folk Festival. This RCA release showcases her remarkable vocal range across traditional African songs, protest ballads, and the folk-influenced material that made her a darling of the Greenwich Village scene.

What makes this pressing particularly significant is that it represents Makeba during her brief but influential period with a major American label, before her marriage to Stokely Carmichael essentially blacklisted her from US venues. The original RCA pressings from this era have that distinctive early-60s warmth and presence that really brings out the intimacy of Makeba's voice - something often lost in later reissues. For collectors of African music, civil rights era recordings, or anyone interested in the intersection of world music and American folk revival, this is essential listening. The album includes her haunting version of "Mbube" and showcases the artistry that earned her the nickname "Mama Africa" while documenting a crucial moment when African musical traditions were finding new audiences on the world stage.

Retro Revolution Records – Halifax, Nova Scotia

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