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

[Milestones]

I don't have much at all from Weston during most of 70s-80s decades....not that a whole lot was put out anyway.

[jazzbo]

Yes, only about fifteen titles or so.

http://www.randyweston.info/randy-weston-discography.html

[romualdo]

Double whammy for me - big fan of both Harper & Weston

who's releasing it?

will definitely be grabbing this

[king ubu]

who's releasing it?

European Amazons says "Sunnyside commu" (nist?), but since I found out about it in the newsletter of German Universal, I guess it's Universal.

[Teasing the Korean]

I posted this once in the Vinyl forum and it got lost. So here is a slightly expanded version:

Once, in my late-20s, during a period in which I was moving a fair amount, I found myself in a strange city with very few possessions, and I had only ONE jazz album with me: Zulu, a 70s twofer reissue of "Trio and Solo" and "With These Hands.".

I played it non-stop.

You have NO IDEA how great a " really good" jazz album can be until you have only that one to listen to.

Years later, I saw Randy Weston play and lecture during a master class at Harvard. I wanted to tell him this story, with a lot more detail, but did not get the chance.

[TedR]

I became a Randy Weston fan after hearing the double album Blue Note reissue, Little Niles, that included the, to me, incredible "Live at the Five Spot". I heard his Zep Tepi group (along with a sax player...Talib Kibwe maybe) a few years ago at the Tri C (Cuyahoga Community College) Jazz Fest. Before his performance there was an interview/conversation with him on stage. I can't quote him exactly so I hope I recall this correctly but he was asked about Thelonious Monk as an influence. He said that when he first heard Monk play he thought that he (Randy W.) could play better than that. Then he said, as he (RW) grew as a musician, he realized that Monk was using the grand piano less as a European instrument and more like a percussion instrument.

[Д.Д.]

They are reissuing an Enja in November, Nuit Africaine.

it's the same recording as on the Owl one ("African Nite"), but Owl sounds much better.

[king ubu]

They are reissuing an Enja in November, Nuit Africaine.

it's the same recording as on the Owl one ("African Nite"), but Owl sounds much better.

Thanks for confirming ... I'd often wondered how that might have ended up on both these labels, anyone knows the story behind it?

[Milestones]

Jazzbo,

I'm thinking of the period between Tanjah and the Portraits albums, and that's 10 albums, which is actually more than I thought. But I would submit this is his most obscure period. I've only managed to pick up The Healers and maybe two more from this period. These projects all seemed to be solo or very small group.

[king ubu]

Weston's page says the Enja reissue of "African Night" omits two of the titles:

http://randyweston.info/randy-weston-discography-pages/1975africannite.html

@Milestones: do look for some of those LPs in those years ... some of the finest Weston around! Besides the Owl solo, I partucularly love the solo on Freedom ("Blues to Africa") as well as the album he made with Harper in that same year and also on Freedom, "Carnival".

[jazzbo]

Jazzbo,

I'm thinking of the period between Tanjah and the Portraits albums, and that's 10 albums, which is actually more than I thought. But I would submit this is his most obscure period. I've only managed to pick up The Healers and maybe two more from this period. These projects all seemed to be solo or very small group.

Well, imo they're all worth consideration.

[Milestones]

I wouldn't question that for a moment.

[Chuck Nessa]

Randy is a wonderful spirit and I was happy to connect again with him at the Chicago festival this year. Mark Sheldon took this shot after Randy's solo recital in the Cultural Center.

[relyles]

Does anyone know when the Weston/Harper recording was actually recorded? I know they performed together in around 1996 as a duo.

A side note - when I got married in 1994 instead of having a bachelor party or some other wild affair, I opted to go to Sweet Basil with my father and brother to hear Weston's African Rhythms trio. When I heard him in a solo performance at UMASS a couple of years ago I told him about my "bachelor party" and he was quite amused. I am such a wild man.

Weston has always been one of my favorites.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Does anyone know when the Weston/Harper recording was actually recorded? I know they performed together in around 1996 as a duo.

A side note - when I got married in 1994 instead of having a bachelor party or some other wild affair, I opted to go to Sweet Basil with my father and brother to hear Weston's African Rhythms trio. When I heard him in a solo performance at UMASS a couple of years ago I told him about my "bachelor party" and he was quite amused. I am such a wild man.

Weston has always been one of my favorites.

It isn't a duo. It's Weston, Harper (ts, fl), William Allen (b) - is he an old Sun Ra man? - Don Moye (d, perc) - I think this is Famadou Don Moye from BAG - Steve Berrios (cga, perc). Recorded at Montreux Jazz Festival 5 July 1974.

MG

[king ubu]

Does anyone know when the Weston/Harper recording was actually recorded? I know they performed together in around 1996 as a duo.

A side note - when I got married in 1994 instead of having a bachelor party or some other wild affair, I opted to go to Sweet Basil with my father and brother to hear Weston's African Rhythms trio. When I heard him in a solo performance at UMASS a couple of years ago I told him about my "bachelor party" and he was quite amused. I am such a wild man.

Weston has always been one of my favorites.

You are my kinda guy, Ronald!

@MG: the question is about the new release, I assume ... and Don Moye, to most of us, is he who was the drummer of the Art Ensemble of Chicago, of course

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Oh, I misunderstood.

Nice photo Chuck.

MG

[king ubu]

Two titles from the new album can be heard by streaming this radio programme from French radio:

http://www.francemusique.fr/emission/open-jazz/2013-2014/randy-weston-billy-harper-un-tete-tete-aux-sources-du-blues-10-08-2013-00-00

The should be the first ones, looking at the playlist - hit the "play button" next to "ÉCOUTER L’ÉMISSION".

My search for more info turned up without anything ... the promo blurbers (they must have long replaced all real writers out there in the corporate world, too bad) all repeat the same ... met in 1972, rekkid in 1974 at Montreux with Don Moye added bla bla bla ...

Seems "Carnival" is being reissued, too - at least so says the short write-up in the page of the radio show.

Ha, found it - it's in small print on the back cover - it's indeed a new recording, Feb. 2013!

[relyles]

Great!

[mikeweil]

Looks like one to get!

[bluesoul]

https://nmbx.newmusicusa.org/randy-weston-music-is-life-itself/

[T.D.]

Thanks, excellent article. Years ago, when I was more into contemporary classical, I regularly read NewMusicBox, but I stopped and even forgot about the site. I'll have to check it more often.

[Milestones]

Randy Weston has an astonishing mind and memory.