Maya Angelou records her first album Miss Calypso



A former drama and dance student at the California Labor School, Maya Angelou worked as a calypso dancer to support herself and her son. She became a member of the applauded Alvin Ailey Dance Company and along with choreographer Alvin Ailey, she formed a dance group called Al and Rita. At the time, she was known as Rita Johnson. She toured Europe and African in the musical “Porgy and Bess” from 1954 to 1955 and in 1957, was cast in an off-Broadway production of “Calypso Heatwave.” Also that year, she made her feature acting debut in “Calypso Heat Wave” and released her debut album, “Miss Calypso.” Angelou was also spotted singing in New York nightclubs in the late 1950s.


Maya Angelou is known primarily (and deservedly) as a poet, activist and best-selling author, delivering the poem "In the Pulse of the Morning" as part of President Bill Clinton's inauguration ceremonies. She is far less known for her early career as a singer. In 1957, at the age of 27, she made her only sung album to date, Miss Calypso, which consisted of quite respectable calypso songs with pop and world music influences.


The kitsch masterpiece of a cover features Miss Angelou draped in a slip of a red dress, gyrating next to a fire in the middle of a fake jungle scene. Altogether an unusual sidelight on the work of a great and important literary figure, and let's not forget, a damn fine record too!