Randy Weston - Uhuru Africa

A social awareness swept through the jazz community around 1960. African-American jazz artists began to assert their heritage, embarking on a cultural quest in an atmosphere of racial and social unrest. Between 1958-1961, albums addressing the African-American social landscape included Art Blakey’s Africaine, John Coltrane’s Africa Brass, Oliver Nelson’s Afro-American Sketches, Dizzy Gillespie’s Africana, Max Roach’s Freedom Now, and Sonny Rollins’ Freedom Suite. In addition to these albums, Randy Weston asserted his African Heritage with the 1960 recording of Uhuru Afrika, an inspired, historic statement from the pianist/composer. Weston titled the work Uhuru Afrika, or Freedom Africa, in celebration of several new African nations gaining their independence. Uhuru Afrika is one of the finest (and earliest) combinations of African rhythms with advanced jazz and it features Weston utilizing a 24-piece big band that includes 14 horns, one guitar, two bassists, three drummers, and three percussionists; Martha Flowers and Brock Peters take vocals on "African Lady," the best known of the four movements.

Genre - Jazz
Styles - Hard Bop, Post Bop, African Jazz, World Fusion, African Traditions
Time - 33:58
Format - mp3@320 Kbps
Size - 78 mb

Tracks
01. Intro
02.Uhuru Kwanza
03.African Lady
04.Bantu
05. Kucheza Blues

Credits
Randy Weston (piano)
Clark Terry (trumpet, flugelhorn)
Freddie Hubbard, Benny Bailey, Richard Williams (trumpet)
Quentin Jackson, Jimmy Cleveland, Slide Hampton (trombone)
Julius Watkins (french horn)
Gigi Gryce (alto sax, flute)
Yusef Lateef (tenor sax, flute, oboe)
Sahib Shihab (alto sax, baritone sax)
Budd Johnson (tenor sax, clarinet)
Jerome Richardson (baritone sax, piccolo)
Cecil Payne (baritone sax)
Les Spann (guitar, flute)
Kenny Burrell (guitar)
Ron Carter , George Duvivier (bass)
Max Roach, Charlie Persip (drums, percussion)
Wilbert G. T. Hoggan (drums)
Candido (congas)
Michael Babatunde Olatunji (percussion)
Armando Peraza (bongos)
Martha Flowers, Brock Peters (vocals)

Label
Roulette, 1960

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