Randy Weston

[Lazaro Vega]

Anyone checking this out? On "The Shrine" they establishes the kind of mesmerizing groove that could never end. Good to hear another version of "African Sunrise" which the Jazz Institute of Chicago commissioned from Weston for the Chicago Jazz Festival. Originally played by a quintet with Weston, Richard Davis (?), Art Blakey, Johnny Griffin, Dizzy Gillespie and the Machito Orchestra, this version makes allusion to several of Dizzy's themes before stretching out. The Storyteller is a live hit released simultaneously with an autobiography -- a must read.

http://www.motema.com/artist/randy-weston

[jazzbo]

An excellent cd, in great sound, both studio and live. I have collected quite a bit of material by this group and it's not startlingly different, but they're very seasoned and playful with the material.

Going to have to check out the "autobiography" that is "arranged" by Willard Jenkins. . . . But maybe next year sometime. I already have a year's worth of reading piled up waiting for me!

[king ubu]

I'd love to hear that Chicago performance w/Dizzy and Machito, but my inquiries so far haven't led to any results... (Richard Davis was indeed there, at least for the solo/duos/quartet set w/Randy, Griffin and Blakey).

Will definitely look for the new Weston disc - haven't heard anything bad from him so far!

(Haven't heard Destry yet... guess that one's the most likely candidate)

[Lazaro Vega]

The 1994 (?) Chicago Jazz Festival performance was broadcast live by WBEZ, I believe.

[Chuck Nessa]

Ten years earlier - 1984.

I assembled the program.

Dizzy's quartet performed a set as well.

Richard Davis was the bassist for the "all-star" groupings.

These things are booked about a year in advance and a few months before the concert Machito died. His son Mario busted his but to fulfill the engagement. The rehearsals were something else. I will never forget the experience. No mention has been made of Melba Liston who did the arrangements. Many thanks to her.

Edit to mention:

The theme of the program was African and Afro-Cuban influences on the music. The first act was the Ethnic Heritage Ensemble with Kahil El’Zabar, leader, percussion/ Edward Wilkerson, woodwinds, piano; Hanah-Jon Taylor, woodwinds.

Edited November 19, 2010 by Chuck Nessa

[Lazaro Vega]

Light Henry Huff?

[Chuck Nessa]

Don't think so.

[Ken Dryden]

The 1994 (?) Chicago Jazz Festival performance was broadcast live by WBEZ, I believe.

Lazaro, I think Randy Weston was in Europe at the time of the 1994 Festival, I have a broadcast from Switzerland date 9/4.

He did appear at the Chicago Jazz Festival on 9/6/1992 with his Spirits of Our Ancestors band, which was broadcast by WBEZ-FM and carried by additional public radio stations. I taped the broadcast, it includes:

African Village Bedford-Stuyvesant

African Sunrise

The Healers

African Cookbook

The band included Talib Kibwe (T.K. Blue), Billy Harper, Benny Powell, Jamil Nasser, Clyde Lucas and Neil Clarke, with arrangements by Melba Liston.

Edited November 23, 2010 by Ken Dryden

[Lazaro Vega]

Very good, though it was the 1984 concert I attended.

[David Gitin]

I still remember Randy's quartet with Booker Ervin (1964).

[AllenLowe]

Monterey Blues

[six string]

I'll be getting this new Weston album in the near future. I'm only holding off because I recently bought two others (Zep Tepi and the 2 cd version of Ancient Future which is actually 2 albums). I also bought the autobiography and have read it as well. I was a little disappointed in the book because of the writing style. I was warned in a review that it was conversational in style but being a big fan I bought it. Sometimes facts and incidents are repeated on the same page, sometimes in the same paragraph, which while may be like having a conversation with your grandfather, makes for frustrating reading at times. It pains me to be critical because I really do love his music and Randy's heart is in the right place. I just wish the book had been written differently. Still, there is plenty of stories and information around some of his music and performances and in the end I did enjoy the book overall.

For those who haven't heard Zep Tepi, I give it my highest recomendations for a Weston album and if you're not very familiar with his music, it's a good introduction to his songs and what he's all about.

[jazzbo]

Thanks for mentioning your experience with the book. I agree with the recommendation of Zep Tepi, it's a wonderful recording.

[king ubu]

agree about "Zep Tepi" - wonderful disc!

[Shawn]

A beautiful record!

[six string]

I apologize for turning this into a more general discussion of Randy's music but does anyone have the album African Rhythms? It looks like a worthy addition to the collection.

[Lazaro Vega]

For what it is worth, last year's Monk biography painted a brief but important picture of the Brooklyn musicians who Monk encountered, including Weston.

[jazzbo]

The one with Rebop Kwaku Bah? It's quite good.

Edited November 26, 2010 by jazzbo

[six string]

Yeah, that's the one. Thanks for that. I'm trying to plan my Weston purchases. I went through a phase of buying a bunch of his stuff over the years and then I took a break and recently discovered that I've missed a few albums in the mean time. I'm sort of playing catch up now. The new one is definitely on the list but I'm focusing on older ones at the moment since they don't always stay in print a long time.