***** Randy Weston - The African Rhythms Space *****

[king ubu]

I could find no general thread dedicated to Randy Weston, so I figured why not start a new one...

Randy Weston Homepage

"Zep Tepi" thread

Randy Weston Select thread (1)

Randy Weston Select thread (2)

Randy Weston Select thread (3)

Live in St. Lucia DVD thread

I have managed to get hold of most of Randy's 80s/90s albums on French Universal and they're a marvellous run, favourites being "Volcano Blues" (the one with Teddy Edwards) and "Saga" (which has recently been reissued in French Universal's Heritage or Anniversary series of beautifully packaged digipacks).

His encounter with moroccan Gnaoua musicians are great as well, though that one CD dedicated to Gnaoua music in its entirety actually only features Randy on the shortest track at the end.

Also just a few months ago I finally got all four or his Fantasy CDs:

These, paired with his Dawn release make up for a great body of work. After having played all of them a somewhat pervert thought arose: what if Weston had died in early 1957 and left us with just these five (six, actually, "Duo & Trio" packs two albums) albums? Would he be of similar mythic stature as, say Herbie Nichols, or Sonny Clark?

His Mosaic Select, then, is even better - some terrific music to be found on it, likely his first really original music. The session with Hawk is terrific, KD, Copeland, Sulieman, Haynes and others can do no wrong, and the two "concept" albums on the third disc are very, very good, too, in my opinion.

Other personal favourites include "Monterey '66" (with Booker Ervin sitting in), "Carnival" (live in Montreux, with Billy Harper) and the big band effort "Tanjah". In fact, I have yet to hear a mediocre Weston album... (but I think about ten of the albums on his website's discography I don't have, so...)

Anyway, why I wanted to post in a Randy Weston thread today is because since a couple of weeks I have seen a new reissue of his three 1989 albums (Portraits of Duke, Portraits of Monk, Self Portraits) that is available here for budget prize in that nice digipack layout from French Universal (same packaging as these Heritage/Anniversary series reissues or the recent Mingus "Great Concert" 2CD set... I got the "Complete America" Mingus from German Amazon and it was packed in a slim digipack... quite a letdown, but it's about the music of course... now back on topic). It seems this is a limited edition (at least it says so on the cover).

The new cover is a variant of the "Self Portraits" cover, I am allowed only 10 images in this post, so I omit the new one as the only one I could find (here, courtesy of French Amazon) is in bad quality anyway.

Here are the original covers (reproduced in the new package, too):

These were recorded in three consecutive days and marked the beginning of his tenure with producer Jean-Philippe Allard, who produced all (?) of Randy's great Universal albums in the years to follow, up to "Spirit! The Power of Music" in 1999. A great run of albums in ten years!

The 1989 session features an editions of the African Rhythms band (Jamil Nasser on bass and Neil Clarke on percussion) with Idris Muhammad sitting in. You can check for complete info, including liner notes (all reproduced in the new reissue) on the Weston homepage.

[Niko]

damn, i just ordered my first Bill Barron CD, as in the Savoy thread everybody says over and over how glad they are to have theirs

had i waited another 15 minutes it might have been the first Weston, sure looks tempting

[jazzbo]

Didn't realize they are reissuing those three albums; good news, as they are very very good ones.

I'm a stone cold Weston nut. I think I have all the official releases save one Italian lp. And I'll confess to having a number of unofficial releases. I'm in awe of his work.

[brownie]

Those 3 Portraits albums were also released on vinyls (Made in Holland) by Polydor International in 1990. A great trio of LPs.

Latest good news for Randy Weston fans was the recent reissue by Fresh Sound of the Weston trio appearance at the 1958 Newport festival and the sextet sides (with Ray Copeland and Frank Haines) recorded in 1966 at the SF Both/And club that came out on Trip.

Can't think of a bad album by Weston. I even have a special fondness for the 'Destry Rides Again' UA album which was not included (with Weston's approval) in the Weston Mosaic Select set

[king ubu]

I just gave a first listen to his most recent effort "Zep Tepi" - it's magnificient! Alex Blake shines on bass, beautifully sounding recording, too!

You have all save one his LPs, Lon? Great! So you have both of the Cora LPs, too? I recently found Cora 01 and Pausa (I started a thread about these findings here).

Also the solo Freedom (a great one!) and the CTI only have on vinyl.

[kh1958]

Last weekend, I just picked up the very nice solo recording, Marrakech in the Cool of the Evening.

[randyhersom]

Music of immense dignity, and it grooves!

African Cookbook and Tanjah deserve a mention, Booker Ervin fit in very well.

Hi-Fly has been covered by many, anybody familiar with the sultry Karin Krog - Archie Shepp version?

I can't think of any Randy Weston appearances as a sideman, anybody know of any?

Edited March 6, 2007 by randyhersom

[paul secor]

Music of immense dignity, and it grooves!

African Cookbook and Tanjah deserve a mention, Booker Ervin fit in very well.

Hi-Fly has been covered by many, anybody familiar with the sultry Karin Krog - Archie Shepp version?

I can't think of any Randy Weston appearances as a sideman, anybody know of any?

Haven't listened to the Krog/Shepp in a long time. I'll have to put it on the turntable soon.

The only Weston sideman recording I have in my collection is on The Warm Sound of Johnny Coles.

edit - My mistake - I had it in my head that Randy Weston played on that date, but I just checked and it's Kenny Drew on piano. They do a version of Hi-Fly, and perhaps that's where the thought came from.

Edited March 6, 2007 by paul secor

[king ubu]

Music of immense dignity, and it grooves!

African Cookbook and Tanjah deserve a mention, Booker Ervin fit in very well.

Hi-Fly has been covered by many, anybody familiar with the sultry Karin Krog - Archie Shepp version?

I can't think of any Randy Weston appearances as a sideman, anybody know of any?

I got "African Cookbook" (Koch reissue) long after getting "Monterey '66" and to me it never came close to the live album with the extended tunes. It's a fine one, nevertheless.

Music of immense dignity, and it grooves!

African Cookbook and Tanjah deserve a mention, Booker Ervin fit in very well.

Hi-Fly has been covered by many, anybody familiar with the sultry Karin Krog - Archie Shepp version?

I can't think of any Randy Weston appearances as a sideman, anybody know of any?

Haven't listened to the Krog/Shepp in a long time. I'll have to put it on the turntable soon.

The only Weston sideman recording I have in my collection is on The Warm Sound of Johnny Coles.

edit - My mistake - I had it in my head that Randy Weston played on that date, but I just checked and it's Kenny Drew on piano. They do a version of Hi-Fly, and perhaps that's where the thought came from.

My Koch reissue says on #2 and #7 ("Where" and "Babe's Blues") Randy's on piano, not on "Hi-Fly" and "Pretty Strange", the other two of his compositions played on this marvellous album.

I have never heard the Krog/Shepp, alas.

[six string]

Randy Weston plays on his own Hi Fly on Talib Kibwe's album Introducing Talib Kibwe.

I have that Cora album Rhythm and Sounds too. I also have the album on PAUSA but it's just called Randy Weston from 1977. Actually the cover says 1976, the label states 1977.The cover has a picture of Randy sitting at the piano in black and white and a vine to his right at a window that flows over onto the piano. I can see from the other thread that the songs are identical, so I'm just curious if the covers are the same.

Blue Moses isn't my favorite Weston album, but like the other person who mentioned it, I'm not a big fan of that label either. I think I only own three or four CTI albums.

re: the Dawn recordings, Biograph released these on cd under the title How High the Moon.

Due to this thread I listened to a couple of his lps this afternoon. The PAUSA lp mentioned above, which really sounded great sonically and musically and Berkshire Blues on Arista/Freedom. I hadn't played either in quite a while so thanks to the person who started this thread. On a side note, I was looking at the inner sleeve of the Arista/Freedom record and noticed a lot of cool looking albums advertised. I've seen that Weston Carnival album before but didn't pick it up. Now I wish I had.

Edited March 7, 2007 by six string

[mikeweil]

Last weekend, I just picked up the very nice solo recording, Marrakech in the Cool of the Evening.

This is one of the most beautiful piano solo recordings I have ever heard! IMO, Weston's best solo disc, and beautifully captured with minimalistic technical means - a true audiophile recording!

Edited March 7, 2007 by mikeweil

[mikeweil]

Amazon.com has used copies from $ 3.99 of this one - get yourself one, it so beautiful!

[mikeweil]

The only sideman appearances Weston ever made were:

1 - early in his career with the Joe Morris band on Atlantic

2 - on Johnny Coles EPIC LP (either uncredited or the tracks remained unissued - the Koch CD has it all with correct credits)

3 - one track on Charles Mingus and Friends in Concert

4 - the two Talib Kibwe CDs

[kh1958]

Last weekend, I just picked up the very nice solo recording, Marrakech in the Cool of the Evening.

This is one of the most beautiful piano solo recordings I have ever heard! IMO, Weston's best solo disc, and beautifully captured with minimalistic technical means - a true audiophile recording!

The recording reminded me of my one live experience with Randy Weston--I saw him in Vancouver at a solo concert, in a small venue, a year or two after this recording was made--the only opportunity I've ever had to see him perform.

[mikeweil]

Also just a few months ago I finally got all four or his Fantasy CDs:

..... After having played all of them a somewhat pervert thought arose: what if Weston had died in early 1957 and left us with just these five (six, actually, "Duo & Trio" packs two albums) albums? Would he be of similar mythic stature as, say Herbie Nichols, or Sonny Clark?

Maybe - but when Clark or Nichols died they had reached their peak, whereas Randy's top recordings were made after his Riversides. Only with the Roulette/UA sessions in the Mosaic Select he was at his best, and from then ever after.

Melba Liston may be the critical ingredient here - her arrangements enhanced Weston's tunes in the best way possible. I cant think of him without thinking of her great arrangements.

Edited March 7, 2007 by mikeweil

[six string]

Last weekend, I just picked up the very nice solo recording, Marrakech in the Cool of the Evening.

This is one of the most beautiful piano solo recordings I have ever heard! IMO, Weston's best solo disc, and beautifully captured with minimalistic technical means - a true audiophile recording!

Agreed. This is one of my favorite cds. I keep it close at hand and listen to it often in the morning while having my ritual cup of java.

[BFrank]

Have not been a huge fan for long, but I have a couple of albums. And also going to see him w/Billy Harper in a week and a half at Yoshi's. Looking forward to it.

Also these as downloads from eMusic:

[king ubu]

Also just a few months ago I finally got all four or his Fantasy CDs:

..... After having played all of them a somewhat pervert thought arose: what if Weston had died in early 1957 and left us with just these five (six, actually, "Duo & Trio" packs two albums) albums? Would he be of similar mythic stature as, say Herbie Nichols, or Sonny Clark?

Maybe - but when Clark or Nichols died they had reached their peak, whereas Randy's top recordings were made after his Riversides. Only with the Roulette/UA sessions in the Mosaic Select he was at his best, and from then ever after.

Melba Liston may be the critical ingredient here - her arrangements enhanced Weston's tunes in the best way possible. I cant think of him without thinking of her great arrangements.

True! It was a stupid thought anyway... but I'm not sure Clark had reached his peak... anyway, stupid and off topic!

The Marrakech solo outing is indeed a very fine one! I couldn't name a favourite of the solos spontaneously (I't tend to name "African Nite" on Owl at this moment).

How is the Enja? I never got hold of it!

And what do you think of the strings project (one of the last ones by Liston, I think)? I like it alright but it's not one I return to all that often, I'm afraid.

[Guy Berger]

How is The Spirits of Our Ancestors? I've been thinking about picking that one up.

Guy

[king ubu]

How is The Spirits of Our Ancestors? I've been thinking about picking that one up.

Guy

I don't think it's among Weston's strongest, but that doesn't mean it's bad... his 90s Verve recordings are such a great bunch! Main problem wiht Spirits is its length, I think - it's just a bit too much.

On the other hand, the band comprises Idrees Sulieman, Benny Powell, Billy Harper, Alex Blake, Jamil Nasser, Idris Muhammad and others, as well as guest spots by Dizzy Gillespie, Dewey Redman, and Pharoah Sanders, so in the end for me it would be too good a thing to miss!

[mikeweil]

How is the Enja? I never got hold of it!

The ENJA solo disc is as fine as the Owl - but the Marrakech is soooo cool and masterful, a summary of his musical wisdom acquired during a long career, and recorded in the surroundings of his beloved Morocco. Randy recorded a dozen or so solo discs in Europe in the 1970's, some are pretty rare, and they are all pretty much in the same vein, and all very good, but the Owl, ENJA and Black Lion/Freedom discs sound the best.

And what do you think of the strings project (one of the last ones by Liston, I think)? I like it alright but it's not one I return to all that often, I'm afraid.

I love each and every project that Weston and Liston have done together, including the one with strings. To my ears, it has the grandeur of a dream that has become true.

Liston and Weston were a dream team. Like Hal Overton and Monk, and Gil Evans and Miles Davis.

Edited March 13, 2007 by mikeweil

[king ubu]

Mike, I think I agree about Marrakech, that's one of the best, indeed!

Will have to look for the Enja, then! Is there anything else on Freedom other than the one recording in Zurich ("Blues for Africa")?

I never got hold of that other Black Lion/DA Music album, "Berkshire Blues", how's that one?

[mjzee]

re: the Dawn recordings, Biograph released these on cd under the title How High the Moon.

Just noticed that the Biograph release is now available on eMusic:

http://www.emusic.com/album/11014/11014269.html

[ep1str0phy]

I found a copy of the Roulette Uhuru Afrika/Highlife twofer not too long ago. These are all-star sides (the Uhuru Afrika large group, for example, features--impossibly--Clark Terry, Benny Bailey, Richard Williams, and Freddie Hubbard), and the playing is generally stellar--even if nothing pans out as the all-star melee that opportunity would suggest. The pan-African overtones are very strong on both sides, although the music really teeters between crafty hard bop and timely rhetoric in the Max Roach mode (he appears on here). It's very worthwhile for fans of Weston and the Candid clique, although it may be difficult to find.

Edited March 13, 2007 by ep1str0phy

[Chuck Nessa]

I found a copy of the Roulette Uhuru Afrika/Highlife twofer not too long ago. These are all-star sides (the Uhuru Afrika large group, for example, features--impossibly--Clark Terry, Benny Bailey, Richard Williams, and Freddie Hubbard), and the playing is generally stellar--even if nothing pans out as the all-star melee that opportunity would suggest. The pan-African overtones are very strong on both sides, although the music really teeters between crafty hard bop and timely rhetoric in the Max Roach mode (he appears on here). It's very worthwhile for fans of Weston and the Candid clique, although it may be difficult to find.

These are included in the Mosaic set.