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RANDY WESTON’S
AFRICAN RHYTHMS
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Randy Weston
piano |
1
African Cookbook
(Weston) |
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Randy Weston
piano |
7
Little Niles
(Weston) |
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Jacques Denis
THE LAST FIGURE OF THE ARTIST
Native of Boston and beginning as a beatnik poet, clarinetist for 10 years
in school, before becoming a kazoo lover (!), producer of these sessions,
Robin Hemingway had the chance in the 60's to meet Jimi Hendrix but he
also worked with the Georgie Fame combo, the Beatles and Apple Music, then
with the blues master Joe Turner, and later on the production of the
"Tales of Mozambique" LP by Count Ossie Mystic Revelation Rastafari and
even behind the desk for Earth Wind and Fire. This black american producer
ends up in Paris in May 1968. He couldn't have dreamt of a better time to
taste the funny breath of a capital in the excitement of these famous
times. Only then, everything was closed, even the record labels. So to
survive, he cooks 'soulfood' at night and prepares new "dishes" during the
day, It won't last long until he applies his recipes behind his recording
console, producing some anthology sides where jazz and blues traditions
are mixed to the sound of rock and funk,
R.H./ I like the sound
of the piano, and Randy Weston has always represented the last figure of
the artist. Not only in jazz, but also in blues and in a certain way in
classic. He has got a kind of magical touch. I met him for the first time
at the Jazz Gallery, a dub in New York. His group - with Cecil Payne, a
great baryton if I do recall - was sharing the stage with Monk's group,
when Charlie Rouse was playing tenor sax. During the break, Monk, Rouse
and myself went outside to get some fresh air. As we were walking, we
talked about Randy's game and Monk pointed out his respect for his
disciple and the sound of his keyboard. This is just to say that Randy
represents to me one of the most original and creative musicians of the
New York scene. And even more since his stays in Morocco, where he was
initiated Into powerful music which enriched his spirituality and deeply
changed his vision of rhythm.
R.H./ Of course, he has
always been drawn to Africa. "The earth of his Ancestors". But he is more
than that, because he has a bigger rock and soul dimension, without
mentioning his mastering of more classic material It, would be harmful to
rank him in only one category, as huge it can be, just because he wrote
and recorded "African Cookbook", Even with the spirit of Africa, Randy's
universe shines beyond.
J.D./
Is this why you chose this more "modern" sound, more electric, for these
Parisian sessions, which by the way gives a fair summary of Randy's two
personalities, one incarnating the jazz tradition, the other the more
african and funky way..,
R.H./ The sound I gave
to these recordings of Randy was guided by the fact that jazz was recorded
in a much too flat way in the 50's and 60's. The instruments were hardly
audible, with a very tight sound, and sometimes even out of tune,
particularly on the piano. In Manhattan, with John Coltrane, we called to
mind many times the way ‘Trane was recorded on Impulse ! He worked
constantly on how his solos were melted to the rest of the group's sound
He was always ready to experiment! I am sure that Coltrane would have
liked the whole sound, in a rock'n'roll way, that we printed on Randy's
sessions. Each Instrument had totally its own space- The double-bass as
the lined-up congas, the piano as the drums.
R.H./ Randy knew who he
wanted to play with. Art Taylor just arrived in France, which made things
easier. I suggested to him the percussionist Reebop Kwaabu Baah, a funny
man I worked with in London but more with rock'n'roll groups. He was part
of my back-up band there together with Nicky Hopkins on keys, John Paul
Jones on bass, Jimmy Page on guitar and a few others. His touch goes very
well with Randy's son's touch, Niles Azzedin. And there was this young
double-bass player, Henri Texier, unknown to me, who happened to be an
excellent surprise. For the repertoire, it was Randy who proposed it.
R.K,/ Can one seriously
produce music without being in touch with black music, especially
afro-american ? Even though Europe was tuned into that music, its wider
and more natural audience was still the black-american community in (he U
S, Still today, even though the young audience draws toward hip hop and
electronic music’s, Jazz, blues and soul remain music’s rooted in the
american reality.
R.H./ A good producer
is one who has prepared and anticipated everything before the session
Then, it's more about listening and working, and of course putting
together the best musicians in optimum conditions, at least the ones who
will have much to say at that time. After the recordings with Randy, I
stayed a few years in Paris before going back to the states. During that
period, I created a Parisian back-up band, with whom we recorded the
Guerillas' record, because I believe the home spirit is an essential
foundation in the artistic success of a recording. There were Manu Dibango
on sax, organ and piano, MAM on soprano sax Jean Mandengue Dikoto on bass.
Slim Pezm on guitar, Lucien Oobat on drums and Ben's on percussions. This
is how I recorded during this period T-Bone Walker's "Good Feeling", which
won a Grammy in 1971, Hal Singers "Paris Soul Food". Manu Dibango's "Saxy
Party", and actively participated on other albums like "Blackeyed Peas" or
"Robert Patterson Singers",,, I even spent nights and days with George
Moustaki. when Polydor wanted him to record in English. One failed
project, as well as one with Jacques Brel, who wanted me to cut a record
for his friend Maddly Bamy.
Jacques Denis and Robin
Hemmingway |
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