Randy Weston - Thoughts and tributes

[Jason Bivins]

RIP, sir.

[mjzee]

RIP.  One of the true giants, in more ways than one.

[randyhersom]

Diane Reeves broke the news during her concert and sang a tribute, a Randy Weston composition I was unfamiliar with.  I became familiar with him from the Carnival album, where he spoke the words "a great loss of the twentieth century" before playing a heartfelt solo piano tribute to Duke Ellington.  One only needs to adjust the century to have a fitting tribute to Randy himself.

[sidewinder]

Sad news, sorry that I never got to see him live. I will pull out his Mosaic Select later on in recognition, RIP.

[king ubu]

My only sorta usable Weston pic ... 9 April 2014, at Moods, Zurich, listening to his duo partner Billy Harper - I didn't take out my cell phone that night really, but when Weston just sat there, in a contemplative mood, hearing Billy Harper's contribution to their low end theory, I just had to capture the moment. (And yeah, it's not quite in focus, that's because I was so moved by what was going on, dig?)

[imeanyou]

Sad news indeed. I saw him just the once in Leeds in the mid 90's when he came over with his Gnawa dancers and musicians. Loved his playing and his compositions. He radiated warmth and a generosity of spirit that we need now more than ever. A top-drawer musician who knew the music inside out. I'll miss him.  Thanks for all the music Mr Weston. 

 

 

[Utevsky]

A great loss, but what a huge career he had.  This week on my show on KBCS-FM in the Seattle area, I played almost two hours of Randy Weston's music.  In case you're interested, you can listen to a streaming version of the program any time in the next two weeks.  It's in the station's audio archive: 

https://www.kbcs.fm/programs/straight-no-chaser/

The playlist is posted on my Organissimo thread, here:

 

[Rooster_Ties]

I spun my copy of Randy's Mosaic Select over the weekend, and discovered the printed program from when I saw him perform a brief solo-piano concert with Q&A at the Jazz Museum in Kansas City back around 2010, iirc.  I also (apparently) got Mr. Westin to autograph my copy of the Mosaic Select booklet as well (which I'd totally forgotten about).  Seems I must have also talked to whomever it was that was interviewing him onstage (because I had a copy of his business card tucked into the program).  Almost 9 years ago, but it seems like half a lifetime ago, actually (everything from my time back in Kansas City does).

I have to confess that other than the Select, and the 1964 album African Cookbook (the one with Booker Ervin) -- those are the only Westin titles in my collection.  I've borrowed a few things over the years, but I've been delinquent in picking up more that I have.

[king ubu]

15 hours ago, Rooster_Ties said:

I have to confess that other than the Select, and the 1964 album African Cookbook (the one with Booker Ervin) -- those are the only Westin titles in my collection.  I've borrowed a few things over the years, but I've been delinquent in picking up more that I have.

Not sure how much you're into Booger, but if at all, you oughta get this:

It was released in the 90s, while Weston was in the midst of his great series of releases on PolyGram/Verve/Gitanes in France (11 albums in as many years, rec. 1989-2000, if you include this, you got your dirty dozen ... there was a reissue also of "Tanjah" one of his very finest as well).

I have played mostly Randy Weston since Saturday night, and revisiting many of his albums, from the 50s to the 10s, is just so rewarding. I don't think he ever made a bad album, hi earliest ones on Riverside may be a bit boring if you play them all in a row, but other than that, I love everything (and going through the discography on his stie - hopefully it's going to be maintained! -, I own but three of his releases, and have been provided a rip of one of those three ... even his CTI album isn't half bad, it's actually surprisingly good, though I'm sure with less streamlining it could have been totally great instead - but that wasn't what CTI was doing then).

[Milestones]

You may want to change that spelling on Booker (Booger).  I imagine that had Booker Ervin lived longer, he would have continued to appear on Weston's records.  As it turned out, Billy Harper became the tenor muse--and that was a good thing too.

 

 

[clifford_thornton]

RIP. Fascinating musician and a life well lived.

[Jason Bivins]

What a legacy he leaves, on so many levels. RIP, Mr. Weston and thank you for your artistry.

[uli]

http://www.jazzhot.net/PBCPPlayer.asp?ID=1979665

[mikeweil]

 

30 minutes ago, uli said:

http://www.jazzhot.net/PBCPPlayer.asp?ID=1979665

What an impressive series of recollections and compliments!

[Rooster_Ties]

54 minutes ago, uli said:

http://www.jazzhot.net/PBCPPlayer.asp?ID=1979665

My goodness, that list goes on, and on, and on... and on!  What a marvelous tribute.