Harry Belafonte

Recently released HBO documentary Sing Your Song tells of the remarkable life Harry Belafonte lived. Sing Your Song: The Music shows how equally remarkable his music has been. The 84-year-old American singer, songwriter, actor, humanitarian and social activist lived numerous lives, which now all feel worlds apart from our current musical and social landscape. But surprisingly, Sing Your Song is only the third Belafonte anthology to be released (the others being in 1978 and 2005), making this a truly essential release. Collecting 15 of his best known songs, including calypso classics "Banana Boat Song (Day-O)," "Island in the Sun" and "Jamaica Farewell," Sing Your Song also features some refreshing oddities, like the spoken-word, folk-y "Mark Twain," from his out-of print debut in 1954, and 1960 live Odetta duet "A Hole in the Bucket." Sing Your Song: The Music is a great introduction and fitting tribute to this musical legend.