A remarkable tribute album to Nina Simone, Miriam Makeba, Odetta, and Abbey Lincoln!

This 2013 release was recorded during two concerts at Jazz at Lincoln Center's Rose Theater in 2011 and certainly marks a new direction for the historic African-American female vocal group, whose legendary stature has been built on its acappella singing. But the group has always had many facets, manifested in the outside activities of its individual members and even by the group as a whole.

"We began discussing our next move, and started talking about the songs of Odetta, Miriam Makeba, Nina Simone and Abbey Lincoln -- and our own personal emotional connection to their music," recalls Sweet Honey's Carol Maillard. "Once we were all on board with the idea of doing a tribute concert to their songs, we had to decide which songs -- and how to present them."

Sweet Honey came up with songs that more than one of the singers had recorded, and others that represented their mutual themes and messages. Additionally, Sweet Honey had plenty of songs in their own copious catalog that they had either covered directly or had otherwise been inspired by the pioneering women they had chosen to honor.

The subsequent 2-disc collection, then, rightly includes political, civil rights, and Africa-centered songs. But Sweet Honey has also specialized in songs touching all aspects of everyday life, and these are here as well -- especially classic love songs.

Disc 1:
1. JALC Welcome (spoken)
2. Breaths (B. Diop, music by Y. M. Barnwel)
3. Sabumoya (traditional)
4. Come Ye (N. Simone)
5. Welcome (spoken)
6. Shuku Shuku (Choo Choo Song) (M. Makeba - C. Phiri)
7. See Line Woman
8. Can't Afford to Lose My Man
9. If I Should Lose You
10. Love Me or Leave Me
11. Trouble in Mind
12. Feeling Good
13. The Midnight Special
14. Pata Pata (M. Makeba - J. Ragovoy - E. Franco)

Disc 2:
1. Intro to Freedom Suite (spoken)
2. Freedom Suite: Oh Freedom, Come and Go with Me to That Land, I'm On My Way to Freedom Land, and Glory, Glory Hallelujah
3. Another Man Done Gone
4. Abbey Lincoln Medley: Down Here Below (A. Lincoln), The Music is the Magic (A. Lincoln), A Turtle's Dream (A. Lincoln - Laurent Cugny) and I'm in Love (J. Griffin)
5. Tell Me More and More and Then Some (B. Holiday)
6. Wild is the Wind
7. Run On
8. Let There Be Peace (lyrics by L. Robinson, music by L. Robinson & C. Maillard)
9. N'diarabi/Africa is Where My Heart Lies

Sweet Honey In The Rock