Miriam Makeba & The Skylarks (1956-59)

https://amf.didiermary.fr/miriam-makeba-the-skylarks-1956-59/

The Skylarks were an all-woman South African vocal group, founded by Miriam Makeba in 1956. The original lineup comprised Makeba and Johanna Radebe, Mary Rabotapi, and Mummy Girl Nketle. Later, Helen Van Rensburg and Abigail Kubeka replaced Radebe. They played a blend of South African (mbombela, kwela) and Zulu music, jazz and jive/swing. [...]

#50smusic #Jazz #SouthAfrica #OldAfricanMusic

Les Baxter's "The Poor People of Paris" hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on March 24, 1956 and spent four weeks at the top of the chart.

#Music, #LesBaxter, #50s, #50sMusic, #1950s, #1950sMusic

African Jazz & Grand Kalle – Parafifi (1957)

https://amf.didiermary.fr/african-jazz-grand-kalle-parafifi-1957/

Enregistrée dès 1953, en 78T, la chanson “Parafifi” a beaucoup évolué au fil du temps et de la composition des orchestres qui accompagnent alors l’artiste Joseph Kabasele alias Kallé.

Quelle est la signification du titre ?
C’est tout simplement la contraction de deux prénoms en dédicace à Paraiso (Para), béninois et ami de Kallé, et […]

#50smusic #Congo

Nelson Riddle's "Lisbon Antigua" hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 on February 25, 1956 and spent four weeks at the top of the chart.

#Music, #NelsonRiddle, #50s, #50sMusic, #1950s, #1950sMusic

Kay Starr's "Rock and Roll Waltz" hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 on February 18, 1956.

#Music, #KayStarr, #50s, #50sMusic, #1950s, #1950sMusic

If You Want to Make a Lover

https://amf.didiermary.fr/if-you-want-to-make-a-lover/

“Palm Wine, Akan Blues & Early Guitar Highlife, Pt. I & II” is a collection encompassing Akan blues, PalmWine and early guitar-based Highlife music, with recordings dating from the late 1920s through to the end of the 1950s.

The music included here can probably all be said to have all stemmed from a style that […]

#50smusic #Highlife #PalmWineMusic #OldAfricanMusic #Blues

#FortnightFridayMusic
Feb 6 2026
This week is all about the color #Purple (really it was although I can't find the post to prove it.)

Screamin’ Jay Hawkins - “Deep Purple” from "At Home With Screamin' Jay Hawkins" (1958)

When I think “Screamin’ Jay Hawkins” I don’t think “ballad,” nor does music of the 40s and 50s spring to mind when I hear the name "Deep Purple.” Nevertheless, here we have our high-strung friend singing a ballad of that name penned by Mitchell Parish and Peter de Rose, first recorded in 1946 by an outfit known as Paul Weston and His Orchestra on their four [shellac 10” 78rpm] disc album “Music For Memories.” (Sets like this were the origin of the term “album” for records, because each release was issued in a bound book with multiple pages of sleeves to store its multiple platters, similar to a photo album.) It appeared on Hawkins’ first release noted above; I have it via his “The Singles Collection” compilation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2uW7ZFC0Uc

#ScreaminJayHawkins
#78rpm #album #50sMusic

Saka Acquaye

https://amf.didiermary.fr/saka-acquaye/

Saka Acquaye (1923 – 2007) was a Ghanaian painter, sculptor, textile designer, teacher, arts administrator, dramatist, composer and multi-instrumentalist.

He founded the African Ensemble while in the US and, as its leader, recorded an album under the ELEKTRA label. This group was made up of American musicians. He also put together a group known as […]

#50smusic #FullAlbum #Ghana #Highlife #OldAfricanMusic

Please, release me
let me go.
I don't love you anymore.

To live together is a sin
Release me
and let me love again.

Release Me
Kitty Wells

#50sMusic
#MusicWomenWednesday

https://youtu.be/_3aV9Ux-RvI?si=-e_Y2Mc5_Oc_dFpN

Dean Martin's "Memories Are Made of This" hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 on January 14, 1956 and spent five weeks at the top of the chart.

#Music, #DeanMartin, #50s, #50sMusic, #1950s, #1950sMusic