Flute and tenor sax player Yusef Lateef (1920-2013) just passed away, so here's a post dedicated to this real sound explorer (before being a jazzman), who integrated eastern or african influences in many of his recordings. Famous for his deep, free and spiritual music all along the 60's and 70's in the US, he also directly enriched his open-minded approach spending years in Nigeria in the early 80's.
An obscure 80s band from Thies in Senegal have just been brought back to life by label Teranga Beat. Dieuf-Dieul played from 1979 to 1982, but it appears their music never have chance to be released on a proper vinyl nor tape album until today. That's why i found interesting to present this record on Muzzicaltrips and to discuss with Teranga Beat Label founder, about these recordings and amazing piece of senegalese musical heritage.
Here's a unique musical project auto produced by Dane Belany and release in New York by Sahara label. Influences are clear: dedicated to Frantz Fanon, and lyrics from several songs inspired by Aimée Cesaire or David Diop (senegalese pan-africanist poet from the 50s).
Highlife knew his golden era during the 50s and 60s in Ghana, but this late 1970 "special hi-life numbers" just sounds like in the old good time, when president Kwame Nkrumah used to promote it as a symbol of modern (pan)african expression.
Entering Randy Weston spiritual world is a long story. Let's just have a glimpse at his special relation with the city of Tangier (Tanjah is local name).
This unique musical experience is based on a duo: Kouyate, balafon player from Kangaba in Mali, and Neerman a french vibraphone player. More than a cultural meeting, the dialogue between this two cousin instruments is here pretext to creative explorations in rhythm and melody. Taking roots in both jazz and mandingo tradition, the created atmosphere is definitely modern: although recorded in an analog studio, the second album integrates the balafon with breaks and vibraphone effects research. The title "Skycrapers and Deities" reflects perfectly the approach, linking up modernism and tradition, concrete and mysticism, human and god.
I saw them live in 2011 as a great opening for Randy Weston, and this month during Palmwine Mandingo Party, which allowed them to fully and freely express their original transe music in front of a highly charged dancefloor...
Meeting with Lansiné Kouyaté and David Neerman before the concert:
Saka Acquaye (+2007) was an artist from Ghana who had opportunity to travel to the U.S. during the 40s and 50s, and thus contributed to the modernization process of west african music during the 60s.
The liner notes insist on how modern was this music at the time:
"(...) The new african nations have taken their place among self-governing peoples; that great cultural changes are occurring in these new nations is not surprising. In the "new" music coming out of Africa, the rich spontaneity and color of african life are magnified a hundred times. American have a vested interest in this movement, for their own music - jazz, popular, dance and religious - have drawn heavily upon african sources. Actually the new african music is based solidly on traditional african musical expression, adapting elements from the music of the colonial powers which have governed these people. (...) Saka Acquaye and his African Ensemble furnish a striking example of present-day interaction between cultures. American jazz and popular music have now returned to Africa and are influencing the music that gave birth to them."
The great cover art from Elaine Gongora illustrates this message of modernity co-existing with secular traditions.
Concerning the following track, it has been composed to contrast the music from the Pygmies and from the Watusi (derived from Tutsi, supposed to be the tallest people in Africa).
Saka Acquaye and his african ensemble from Ghana - Congo beat:
Saka Acquai: drums, flute and tenor sax
Garvine Masseaux: vibes and drums
George Brooks: double bass
Edward Cooper: trumpet and mellophone
Wilfred Letman: trumpet
Charles Earland: tenor sax
Walter Miller: guitar
Robert Crowder, Joseph Acquai, Benny Parkes, Sunny Morgan: drums
This atypical afro-caribean jazzfunk band includes great musicians as George Edouard Nouel (keyboard), Louis Xavier (bass), Jo Maka (sax). A really groovy blend of influences...
Synchro Rythmic Ecclectic Language - Sipote:
Synchro Rythmic Ecclectic Language also released a LP on Moshe Naim label (MN 12007) on which full band is credited: Jo Maka: sax Louis Xavier: bass Georges Edouard Nouel: keyboards Saint-Yves Dolphin: perc Jean-Yves Rigaud: violin Gérard Curbillon: guitar Gérard Philadelphe: vocals / perc Steve Mac-Call: drumsFrank Valmont: vocals Another afrojazz record likable on Muzzicaltrips HERE.
Afrojazz has been produced by late 80s acidjazz crazy activists Gilles Peterson and Eddie Piller. This is the case with this track from the quintet led by Bukky Leo, a nigerian sax player based in UK. I am not aware of any other release of this tune than in this Totally Wired acid jazz compilation (JAZ ID 13LP).
Bukky Leo released more recently a kind of "new afrobeat from london" album (Mr bongo 2006), nice but not to be compared to this junglejazz trip...
Spending entire afternoons listening to music in small music shops, you can sometime fall into crazy sounds that even the guy from the shop is not able to name. This track comes from one of these CDs...
I've been told this comes from Tionk Essil, a village in Casamance (southern part of Senegal) where many traditions and various ethnical influences are still alive.
It seems to be a live kind of ceremony including drums, choirs, in a diola style, but also including a solo sax playing with the traditional rhythms. A good example of fusion between a very traditional non-urban african music (which could exist centuries ago) and an occidental instrument played in a jazzy but african way. Modernity and how traditions evolve in time is a key subject in black thought; this music is a great example of modernity integration without any dilutive effect.
This is 20 minutes of deep and hypnotic jam, but i guess this last up to dawn...
Luis Agudo (1940-) is an Argentinian percussionist who developed an unique style based on brazilian and african drums and rhythms. He's a real rhythmic explorer, building his own percussions. This led him to play worldwide for many jazz musicians (Baden Powell, Dizzy Gillespie, Elvin Jones, Junior Cook...).
This record is a solo recording realized in Italia (original press from Red Records) where he shows his wide variety of sounds, rhythms and effects.
From the 60s avant garde jazz to the 70s jazz rock fusion, Michael White had opportunity to play his violin with many kind of musicians. He released 3 LPs on Capitol with his band The Fourth Way, then various albums as leader on Impulse, and worked as sideman for Pharoah Sanders or Alice Coltrane.
The Land of Spirit and Light is a creative melodic and percussive mixture, allowing space for improvisations supported by Cecil McBee punchy bassline. This track is a unique trip around Fela Kuti's "Egbe Mi O"... Michael White seems to suggest that Spirit and Light are to be found (or at least searched) in Africa.
Michael White - The Land of Sipirt and Light (Part 3):
Michael White (violin)
Kenny Jenkins (vocals)
Bobby King (guitar, classical guitar)
Bob King (classical guitar)
Cecil McBee (bass instrument)
Stanley Nash (vocals)
Prince Lasha (flute, alto flute, piccolo, clarinet)
Ed Kelly (piano)
Kenneth Nash (percussion)
Ever heard a Fela Kuti track played by capeverdean artist based in Holland?! Check HERE.
