Randy Weston • Jazz a la Bohemia

 

After contributing six decades of musical direction and genius, Randy Weston remains one of the world's foremost pianists and composers today, a true innovator and visionary. Encompassing the vast rhythmic heritage of Africa, his global creations musically continue to inform and inspire. “Weston has the biggest sound of any jazz pianist since Ellington and Monk, as well as the richest most inventive beat,” states jazz critic Stanley Crouch, “but his art is more than projection and time; it's the result of a studious and inspired intelligence...an intelligence that is creating a fresh synthesis of African elements with jazz technique”.

Randy Weston, born in Brooklyn, New York in 1926, didn't have to travel far to hear the early jazz giants that were to influence him. Though Weston cites Count Basie, Nat King Cole, Art Tatum, and of course, Duke Ellington as his other piano heroes, it was Monk who had the greatest impact. “He was the most original I ever heard,” Weston remembers. “He played like they must have played in Egypt 5000 years ago.”

Randy Weston’s first recording as a leader came in 1954 on Riverside Records “Randy Weston plays Cole Porter - Cole Porter in a modern mood.” It was in the 50's when Randy Weston played around New York with Cecil Payne and Kenny Dorham that he wrote many of his best loved tunes, “Saucer Eyes,” “Pam's Waltz,” “Little Niles,” and, “Hi-Fly.” His greatest hit, “Hi-Fly,” Weston (who is 6' 8”) says, is a “tale of being my height and looking down at the ground

Randy Weston has never failed to make the connections between African and American music. His dedication is due in large part to his father, Frank Edward Weston, who told his son that he was, “an African born in America.” “He told me I had to learn about myself and about him and about my grandparents,” Weston said in an interview, “and the only way to do it was I'd have to go back to the motherland one day.”

In the late 60's, Weston left the country. But instead of moving to Europe like so many of his contemporaries, Weston went to Africa. Though he settled in Morocco, he traveled throughout the continent tasting the musical fruits of other nations. This led him to settle in Morocco in 1968, where he continued to tour and perform throughout Morocco, Tunisia, Togo, the Ivory Coast, and Liberia.

Weston has made more than fifty recordings throughout his lifetime, the most celebrated including “African Cookbook,” “Little Niles,” “Blue Moses,” “Berkshire Blues,” “Uhuru Africa,” ( in collaboration with arranger Melba Liston) and Grammy-nominated “Tanjah” and “Carnaval.” A prolific composer, Weston’s highly individualistic works have been recorded by jazz virtuosi like Max Roach, Monty Alexander, Dexter Gordon, Jimmy Heath, Kenny Burrell, Abbey Lincoln, Bobby Hutchinson, Lionel Hampton, and Cannonball Adderly.

Weston is an articulate spokesman on the pivotal position of African music, dance, and other arts within world culture; on the diversity and importance of Africa’s vast musical resources; and on encouraging true cultural exchange and mutual learning between creative artists.
In 2006 Brooklyn College honored him with the honorary degree “Doctor of Music”
In 2003 New York University honored him with two weeks artist-in-residence and tribute concert
In 2001 He received the Jazz Masters Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts
In 2000 He received the Arts Critics and Reviewers Ass. of Ghana, Black Music Star Award
In 1999 Harvard University honored him with a 1 week residency and tribute concert
In 1997 He received The French Order Of Arts And Letters
In 1995 The Montreal Jazz Festival gave him a 5 night tribute.
In 1999, 1996 and 1994 he also won Composer of the year from Downbeat Magazine
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/musicians/randy-weston

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Tras aportar seis décadas de dirección y genialidad musical, Randy Weston sigue siendo hoy uno de los pianistas y compositores más importantes del mundo, un verdadero innovador y visionario. Abarcando la vasta herencia rítmica de África, sus creaciones globales siguen informando e inspirando musicalmente. "Weston tiene el mayor sonido de cualquier pianista de jazz desde Ellington y Monk, así como el ritmo más rico e inventivo", afirma el crítico de jazz Stanley Crouch, "pero su arte es más que proyección y tiempo; es el resultado de una inteligencia estudiosa e inspirada... una inteligencia que está creando una síntesis fresca de elementos africanos con la técnica del jazz".

Randy Weston, nacido en Brooklyn, Nueva York, en 1926, no tuvo que viajar mucho para escuchar a los primeros gigantes del jazz que iban a influir en él. Aunque Weston cita a Count Basie, Nat King Cole, Art Tatum y, por supuesto, a Duke Ellington como sus otros héroes del piano, fue Monk quien tuvo el mayor impacto. "Era el más original que he escuchado nunca", recuerda Weston. "Tocaba como debían tocar en Egipto hace 5.000 años".

La primera grabación de Randy Weston como líder llegó en 1954 en Riverside Records "Randy Weston plays Cole Porter - Cole Porter in a modern mood". Fue en los años 50, cuando Randy Weston tocaba por Nueva York con Cecil Payne y Kenny Dorham, cuando escribió muchas de sus melodías más queridas, "Saucer Eyes", "Pam's Waltz", "Little Niles" y, "Hi-Fly". Su mayor éxito, "Hi-Fly", dice Weston (que mide 1,90 metros), es una "historia de ser de mi altura y mirar al suelo

Randy Weston nunca ha dejado de establecer conexiones entre la música africana y la estadounidense. Su dedicación se debe en gran parte a su padre, Frank Edward Weston, que le dijo a su hijo que era "un africano nacido en América". "Me dijo que tenía que aprender sobre mí mismo, sobre él y sobre mis abuelos", dijo Weston en una entrevista, "y la única forma de hacerlo era volver a la patria algún día".

A finales de los 60, Weston abandonó el país. Pero en lugar de trasladarse a Europa, como muchos de sus contemporáneos, Weston se fue a África. Aunque se instaló en Marruecos, viajó por todo el continente probando los frutos musicales de otras naciones. Esto le llevó a establecerse en Marruecos en 1968, donde continuó realizando giras y actuaciones por todo Marruecos, Túnez, Togo, Costa de Marfil y Liberia.

Weston ha realizado más de cincuenta grabaciones a lo largo de su vida, entre las que destacan "African Cookbook", "Little Niles", "Blue Moses", "Berkshire Blues", "Uhuru Africa" ( en colaboración con la arreglista Melba Liston) y las nominadas al Grammy "Tanjah" y "Carnaval". Compositor prolífico, las obras altamente individualistas de Weston han sido grabadas por virtuosos del jazz como Max Roach, Monty Alexander, Dexter Gordon, Jimmy Heath, Kenny Burrell, Abbey Lincoln, Bobby Hutchinson, Lionel Hampton y Cannonball Adderly.

Weston es un portavoz elocuente de la posición fundamental de la música, la danza y otras artes africanas dentro de la cultura mundial; de la diversidad y la importancia de los vastos recursos musicales de África; y del fomento del verdadero intercambio cultural y el aprendizaje mutuo entre artistas creativos.
En 2006, el Brooklyn College le otorgó el título honorífico de "Doctor en Música".
En 2003, la Universidad de Nueva York le honró con una residencia artística de dos semanas y un concierto de homenaje
En 2001 recibió la beca Jazz Masters del National Endowment for the Arts
En 2000 recibió el premio "Black Music Star" de la Asociación de Críticos y Revisores de las Artes de Ghana.
En 1999 la Universidad de Harvard le honró con una residencia de una semana y un concierto de homenaje
En 1997 recibió la Orden de las Artes y las Letras de Francia
En 1995, el Festival de Jazz de Montreal le rindió un homenaje de 5 noches.
En 1999, 1996 y 1994 también ganó el premio al compositor del año de la revista Downbeat
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/musicians/randy-weston

Tracklist:
A1 - Theme: Solemn Meditation - 0:45
A2 - Just A Riff - 9:50
A3 - You Go To My Head - 6:10
A4 - Once In A While - 6:26
B1 - Hold 'Em Joe - 7:24
B2 - It's All Right With Me - 3:48
B3 - Chessman's Delight - 9:26
B4 - Theme: Solemn Meditation - 1:24

Credits:
    Baritone Saxophone – Cecil Payne (tracks: A1, A2, A4, B1, B3, B4)
    Bass – Ahmed Abdul-Malik
    Drums – Al Dreares
    Piano – Randy Weston

Notes:
Recorded at the Cafe Bohemia, Greenwich Village, New York; October 25, 1956.

Label: Riverside Records ‎– RLP 12-232
Series: Riverside Contemporary Series –
Released: 1957
Genre: Jazz
Style: Hard Bop

 

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