Highlife (full title Music from the New African Nations featuring the Highlife) is an album by American jazz pianist Randy Weston recorded in 1963 and originally released on the Colpix label.Randy Weston catalog, accessed August 15, 2012. Weston had traveled to Africa for the first time in 1961 for a series of concerts in Lagos, Nigeria, sponsored by the American Society of African Culture, and this album is inspired by the music of the African continent, in particular the highlife genre of West Africa.Highlife liner notes, Randy Weston discography, accessed June 20, 2016.
Reception
AllMusic awarded the album 5 stars, with its reviewer Scott Yanow stating: "Highly recommended, these sessions are among the recorded highpoints of Randy Weston's productive career."Yanow, S. Allmusic Review, accessed August 15, 2012.
Track listing All compositions by Randy Weston except as indicated "Caban Bamboo Highlife" - 2:46 "Niger Mambo" (Bobby Benson) - 5:03 "Zulu" - 4:42 "In Memory Of" - 7:46 "Congolese Children" - 2:34 "Blues to Africa" - 6:23 "Mystery of Love" (Guy Warren) - 7:41
Personnel Randy Weston - piano Ray Copeland - trumpet, flugelhorn Jimmy Cleveland, Quentin Jackson - trombone Julius Watkins - French horn Aaron Bell - tuba Budd Johnson - soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone Booker Ervin - tenor saxophone Peck Morrison - bass Charlie Persip - drums Frankie Dunlop - drums, percussion Archie Lee - congas, percussion George Young - percussion Melba Liston - arranger
References