The three CDs that make up the Randy Weston Mosaic Select package comprise the complete sessions from six different albums, one of which was previously unreleased. Weston has had a long and varied career, and one that has established him in the consummate realm of piano soloists with his idiosyncratic, inclusive style. His deep jazz roots were accompanied, almost from the beginning, by the influences of Afro-Caribbean folk and the music of Asia, which he encountered during his tenure with the U.S. armed forces.
As represented by this set, the only consistent thing in Weston's output from the years 1957-1963 is the high quality. Piano à la Mode was released on Jubilee with a trio that included Connie Kay and Peck Morrison; two big band albums, Uhuru Afrika and Highlife, were issued in 1960 and 1963, respectively; and there were three recordings in between: an unreleased date for Roulette, Little Niles, and Live at the Five Spot, the latter two for United Artists. Their personnel, producers, and material varied so widely that, if it weren't for Weston's telltale style in the middle register, we'd never know that the albums had the same bandleader. Little Niles, and Five Spot reflect the Weston we've come to know since 1989, creating a new pan-African classical music, structured outside of the Western cultural paradigm. How they came into being after the Five Spot date (the first of his recordings arranged by Melba Liston) -- which featured a band with Kenny Dorham, Coleman Hawkins, Roy Haynes, and Wilbur Little -- is a mystery. The late hard bop and bluesy swing from that date is nowhere in evidence on Uhuru or Highlife. But this set offers clues in the form of compositional development and the gradient incorporation of new ideas, rhythmic concepts, and contrapuntal strategies. As a bandleader, the gradual expansion from a trio to quintet to big band is also fascinating because Weston sounds more at home with each phase of his band. But at the time Highlife was issued, according to the music here, Weston sounded as if he had liked a big band playing trans-African music his entire life. These three CDs are nothing less than monumental in the revelation of Weston's musical thought and application. His interaction with small rhythm sections and various groups of soloists reveal his consummate status as one of the most generous bandleaders in history. This highly recommended package is indispensable not only because it fills the cracks in Weston's legacy, but for the merits of the music in it, as well.
DISC ONE
1. Earth Birth (A) 2:50
(Randy Weston)
2. Little Susan (A) 3:22
(Randy Weston)
3. Nice Ice (A) 2:54
(Randy Weston)
4. Little Niles (A) 5:58
(Randy Weston)
5. Pam’s Waltz (A) 3:13
(Randy Weston)
6. Babe’s Blues (A) 6:55
(Randy Weston)
7. Let’s Climb A Hill (A) 5:50
(Randy Weston)
8. Hi Fly (B) 7:21
(Randy Weston)
9. Beef Blues Stew (B) 5:00
(Randy Weston)
10. Star Crossed Lovers (B) 5:09
(B. Strayhorn-D. Ellington)
11. Spot Five Blues (B) 10:42
(R. Weston-K. Dorham)
12. Lisa Lovely (B) 4:40
(Randy Weston)
13. Where 5:53
(Randy Weston)
DISC TWO
1. Earth Birth (C) 5:10
(Randy Weston)
2. Nobody Knows The Trouble I’ve Seen (C) 3:14
(traditional)
3. Saucer Eyes (C) 4:19
(Randy Weston)
4. I Got Rhythm (C) 5:22
(George Gershwin-Ira Gershwin)
5. Gingerbread (C) 2:54
(Randy Weston)
6. Cocktails For Two (C) 3:35
(Sam Coslow-Arthur Johnson)
7. Honeysuckle Rose (C) 6:28
(Fats Waller-Andy Razaf)
8. Fe-Double-U Blues (C) 5:36
(Randy Weston)
9. Portrait Of Patsy J (D) 4:07
(Randy Weston)
10. Uncle Nemo (D) 4:58
(Randy Weston)
11. Cry Me Not (D) 5:17
(Randy Weston)
12. Honk Honk (D) 2:01
(Randy Weston)
13. Saucer Eyes (D) 4:22
(Randy Weston)
14. 204 (D) 6:31
(Randy Weston)
15. C.B. Blues (D) 4:54
(Randy Weston)
DISC THREE
1. Introduction: Uhuru Kwanza (Part One) (E) 2:36
(Langston Hughes)
2. First Movement: Uhuru Kwanza (Part Two) (E) 5:45
(Randy Weston)
3. Second Movement: African Lady (E) 8:24
(R. Weston-L. Hughes)
4. Third Movement: Bantu (E) 8:03
(Randy Weston)
5. Fourth Movement: Kucheza Blues (E) 8:01
(Randy Weston)
6. Caban Bamboo Highlife (F) 2:44
(Randy Weston)
7. Niger Mambo (F) 5:01
(Bobby Benson)
8. Zulu (F) 4:40
(Randy Weston)
9. In Memory Of (F) 7:44
(Randy Weston)
10. Congolese Children (F) 2:32
(Randy Weston)
11. Blues To Africa (F) 6:21
(Randy Weston)
12. Mystery Of Love (F) 7:37
(Guy Warren)
(A) Idrees Sulieman (“Babe’s Blues”), Ray Copeland (all others), trumpet; Melba Liston, trombone; Johnny Griffin, tenor saxophone; Randy Weston, piano; George Joyner (Jamil Nasser), bass; Charlie Persip, drums. Arranged by Melba Liston.
On “Let’s Climb A Hill”, no horns appear and Persip doubles on tympani.
Recorded in New York City in October 1958
Produced by Jack Lewis. Recording engineer Ray Hall
Originally issued as LITTLE NILES (United Artists UAL 4011/UAS 5011)
(B) Coleman Hawkins, tenor sax; Kenny Dorham, trumpet; Randy Weston, piano; Wilbur Little, bass; Roy Haynes, drums. Arranged by Melba Liston. On “Lisa Lovely” Clifford Jarvis is added as an additional drummer. On “Where” vocalist Brock Peters is added.
Recorded live at the Five Spot, NYC on October 26, 1959
Originally issued as LIVE AT THE FIVE SPOT (United Artists UAL 4066/UAS 5066)
(C) Randy Weston, piano; Peck Morrison, bass; Connie Kay, drums. “Nobody Knows..” and “Cocktails For Two” are piano solos.
Recorded at Beltone Studios in New York City in Spring 1957
Produced by Lee Kraft
Originally issued as PIANO-A-LA-MODE (Jubilee JGM 1060)
(D) Cecil Payne, baritone saxophone; Randy Weston, piano; Ron Carter, bass; Roy Haynes, drums.
Recorded in New York City on June 4, 1960
Produced By Teddy Reig
“Saucer Eyes” was first issued on The Roulette Jazz CD Sampler (Roulette B2-97772). All other selections are previously unissued.
(E) Clark Terry, trumpet, fluegelhorn; Benny Bailey, Richard Williams, Freddie Hubbard, trumpets; Slide Hampton, Jimmy Cleveland, Quentin Jackson, trombones; Julius Watkins, French horn; Gigi Gryce, alto saxophone, flute; Sahib Shihab, alto & baritone saxophone; Jerome Richardson, saxophones, piccolo, Budd Johnson, tenor saxophone, clarinet; Yusef Lateef, tenor saxophone, flute, oboe; Cecil Payne, baritone saxophone; Les Spann, flute, guitar; Kenny Burrell, guitar; Randy Weston; piano; George Duvivier, Ron Carter, basses; Max Roach, Charlie Persip, G.T. Hogan, drums; Babatunde Olatunji, African percussion; Candido Camero, congas; Armando Peraza, bongos,congas; Arranged by Melba Liston
On “African Lady” vocalists Martha Flowers and Brock Peters are added.
On “Introduction: Uhuru Kwanza” narrator Tuntemeke Sanga is added.
Recorded at Bell Sound, New York City in November 17 & 18, 1960
Produced by Teddy Reig
Originally issued as UHURU AFRIKA (Roulette SR 65001)
(F) Ray Copeland, trumpet, fluegelhorn; Jimmy Cleveland, Quentin Jackson; trombone; Julius Watkins, French horn; Aaron Bell, tuba; Booker Ervin; tenor saxophone; Budd Johnson, soprano & tenor saxophones; Randy Weston, piano; Peck Morrison, bass; Charlie Persip, drums; Frankie Dunlop, drums, percussion; Archie Lee, congas, percussion; George Young, percussion. Arranged by Melba Liston.
Recorded at Webster Hall in New York City in April, 1963
Produced by Jack Lewis
Originally issued as HIGHLIFE (Colpix SCP 456)
