Prolific post-bop pianist Randy Weston (1926) explored the link between the jazz music of the USA and its ancestral black home of Africa.
He was influenced by both the swing melodies of Duke Ellington and Nat King Cole
and by the challenging harmonies of bop pianists such as Thelonious Monk and Bud Powell.
Most of his records were mediocre collections of standards, despite the fact
that Weston was capable of simple but effective compositions:
the nine-minute Chessman's Delight on Jazz A la Bohemia (october 1956),
Saucer Eyes on Piano A La Mode (june 1957),
Little Niles, Pam's Waltz, Hi-Fly on Little Niles (october 1958), a set of originals that inaugurated his collaboration with arranger Melba Liston.
However, Weston found his mission in life with the four-movement suite
Uhuru Africa (november 1960), particularly the three longer ones
(African Lady, Kucheza Blues, Bantu), that were performed
by an eccentric ensemble featuring jazz musicians such as
tenorist Yusef Lateef, trumpeters Clark Terry and Freddie Hubbard,
guitarist Kenny Burrell, bassist Ron Carter, drummer Max Roach,
as well as African percussionist Babatunde Olatunji and two conga players.
Weston's compositions became more socially aware and reflected his experience in
Africa.
African Cookbook (october 1964), arranged by trumpeter Ray Copeland,
contained the 12-minute African Cookbook, besides the catchy Willie's Tune and Berkshire Blues.
Weston actually lived in Morocco from 1968 to 1973, when he penned
the twelve-minute Ganawa Blue Moses and the twelve-minute Marrakesh Blues for Tanjah Blue Moses (april 1972), an album arranged by Don Sebesky and featuring trumpeter Freddie Hubbard and tenor-saxophonist Grover Washington,
the eight-minute Tanjah for a big band on Tanjah (may 1973)
and
Tangier Bay on the solo-piano Blues To Africa (august 1974).
Blue (march 1983) was a solo album that revisited some of his compositions,
notably Penny Packer Blues (7:24),
Blue In Tunisia (7:05) and
Ellington Tusk (7:36),
but the 1980s were mostly a decade of reduced activity.
As his original vision was being embraced by more and more musicians of the
younger generation, Weston got motivated to further expand it.
The double-CD Spirits Of Our Ancestors (may 1991) was a satori of the Weston-Liston collaboration, notably the 16-minute The Seventh Queen and the 20-minute African Sunrise.
The Splendid Master Gnawa Musicians of Morocco (september 1992) was a collaboration with Moroccan musicians.
Volcano Blues (february 1993) was devoted to blues numbers (some covers, but mostly originals).
Khepera (february 1998) was a collaboration between his quintet (Talib Kibwe on alto sax and flute, trombone, bass, percussion) and percussionist Chief Bey, saxophonist Pharoah Sanders and pipa player Min Xiao Fen. It was one of Weston's most inspired fusions, particularly in
the twelve-minute The Shrine and the ten-minute Mystery Of Love.
Spirit The Power of Music (september 1999) was another collaboration with the gnawa musicians of Marrakesh and Gnawa musicians of Tangier.
Live In St. Lucia (2003) debuted the African Rhythms,
a quintet with Benny Powell on trombone, T.K. Blue on sax and flute, Alex Blake on bass and Neil Clarke on percussion.
Ancient Future (june 2001)
The African Rhythms became a sextet on The Storyteller (2010).
Weston died in 2018 at the age of 92.
Roots Of The Blues (february 2013) collects duets
with saxtenorist Billy.
The 19-musician African Rhythm Orchestra conducted by trombonist Melba Liston,
is documented on
Brooklyn Academy Of Music 1985
(february 1985), containing
four compositions (notably the 18-minute Blue Moses and the 16-minute African Sunrise).
