Uhuru Afrika (subtitled/translated as Freedom Africa) is an album by American jazz pianist Randy Weston recorded in 1960 and originally released on the Roulette Records label.[ Randy Weston catalog accessed August 14, 2012.] The album features lyrics and liner notes by the poet Langston Hughes and was banned in South Africa in 1964, at the same time as was Lena Horne's Here's Lena Now! (Max Roach's Freedom Now Suite had been the victim of an earlier banning order), with copies of the albums being seized in Johannesburg and Cape Town.[ " Uhuru Afrika banned by South-African government", Jazz Publicity Service, October 5, 1964.]
Reception
The contemporaneous
DownBeat reviewer,
Ira Gitler, commented that the opening movement was too long, that vocalist Peters was poor in the second movement, and that percussion and solos were effective in the third and fourth movements, respectively.
awarded the album 5 stars, stating: "
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".
[Scott Yanow, AllMusic review, accessed August 14, 2012.]
Track listing
All compositions by Randy Weston except as indicated
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"Introduction: Uhuru Kwanza" (Langston Hughes) – 2:35
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"First Movement: Uhuru Kwanza" – 5:49
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"Second Movement: African Lady" (Weston, Hughes) – 8:27
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"Third Movement: Bantu" – 8:07
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"Fourth Movement: Kucheza Blues" – 8:03
Personnel
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Randy Weston – piano
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Clark Terry – trumpet, flugelhorn
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Benny Bailey, Richard Williams, Freddie Hubbard – trumpet
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Slide Hampton, Jimmy Cleveland, Quentin Jackson – trombone
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Julius Watkins – French horn
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Gigi Gryce – alto saxophone, flute
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Yusef Lateef – tenor saxophone, flute, oboe
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Sahib Shihab – alto saxophone, baritone saxophone
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Budd Johnson – tenor saxophone, clarinet
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Jerome Richardson – baritone saxophone, piccolo
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Cecil Payne – baritone saxophone
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Les Spann – jazz guitar, flute
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Kenny Burrell – guitar
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George Duvivier, Ron Carter – double bass
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Max Roach, Charlie Persip – drums, percussion
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Wilbert Hogan – drums
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Candido Camero – congas
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Babatunde Olatunji – percussion
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Armando Peraza – bongos
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Martha Flowers, Brock Peters – vocals
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Tuntemeke Sanga – narrator
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Melba Liston – arranger
