Tag Archives: Babatunde Olatunji

Randy Weston: Uhuru Afrika

In April 1961, “Roulette” label released “Uhuru Afrika”, the thirteenth Randy Weston album. It was recorded in November 1960, at “Bell Sound Studios” in New York City, and was produced by Teddy Reig. The album features lyrics and liner notes by the poet Langston Hughes and was banned in South Africa in 1964.

Personnel:

  • Randy Weston – piano
  • Clark Terry – trumpet, flugelhorn
  • Benny Bailey, Richard Williams, Freddie Hubbard – trumpet
  • Slide Hampton, Jimmy Cleveland, Quentin Jackson – trombone
  • Julius Watkins – French horn
  • Gigi Gryce – alto saxophone, flute
  • Yusef Lateef – tenor saxophone, flute, oboe
  • Sahib Shihab – alto saxophone, baritone saxophone
  • Budd Johnson – tenor saxophone, clarinet
  • Jerome Richardson – baritone saxophone, piccolo
  • Cecil Payne – baritone saxophone
  • Les Spann – guitar, flute
  • Kenny Burrell – guitar
  • George Duvivier, Ron Carter – bass
  • Max Roach, Charlie Persip – drums, percussion
  • Wilbert Hogan – drums
  • Babatunde Olatunji – percussion
  • Armando Peraza – bongos
  • Candido Camero – congas
  • Martha Flowers, Brock Peters – vocals
  • Tuntemeke Sanga – narrator
  • Melba Liston – arranger

Track listing:

All tracks by Randy Weston, except where noted.

  1. Introduction: Uhuru Kwanza – Langston Hughes
  2. First Movement: Uhuru Kwanza
  3. Second Movement: African Lady – Randy Weston, Langston Hughes
  4. Third Movement: Bantu
  5. Fourth Movement: Kucheza Blues

Reginald Lucas

On May 19, 2018, Reginald Grant Lucas died aged 65. He was musician (guitar), songwriter and producer, started his career performing and recording with Billy Paul and Miles Davis. As producer, composer and sideman he worked with Madonna, Models, The Four Tops, Randy Crawford, Rebbie Jackson, Bunny DeBarge, John Adams, Elisa Fiorillo, The Weather Girls, Nick Scott, Stephanie Mills, Gary Bartz, The Spinners, Lou Rawls, Roberta Flack, Donny Hathaway, James Mtume, Carlos Garnett, Norman Connors, Babatunde Olatunji, Flora Purim, Lonnie Liston Smith, Zbigniew Seifert, Masabumi Kikuchi and Shunzo Ohno. As leader Lucas released two albums.

John Hammond

On July 10, 1987, John Henry Hammond II died aged 76. He was record producer, music critics, civil rights activist, and music scout, one of the most influential figures in 20th-century modern music. As “Columbia Records” company executive and as a record producer, he supported numerous musical careers, including those of Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Benny Goodman, Aretha Franklin, George Benson, Freddie Green, Leonard Cohen, Arthur Russell, Harry James, Charlie Christian, Billie Holiday, Count Basie, Teddy Wilson, Big Joe Turner, Pete Seeger, Babatunde Olatunji, Jim Copp, Asha Puthli, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Mike Bloomfield. He also initiated the revival of delta blues legend Robert Johnson’s music. He is the father of blues musician John P. Hammond.

Reggie Lucas

On May 19, 2018, Reginald Grant Lucas aka Reggie Lucas died aged 65. He was songwriter, musician (guitar) and record producer. As musician he has recorded and performed with Miles Davis, Carlos Garnett, Babatunde Olatunji, Norman Connors, Flora Purim, Lonnie Liston Smith, Hubert Eaves, Roberta Flack, Urszula Dudziak, James Mtume, Gary Bartz, Zbigniew Seifert, John Lee, Gerry Brown and Masabumi Kikuchi. As producer Lucas worked with Madonna, Mtume, Models, Randy Crawford, Rebbie Jackson, Bunny DeBarge, The Four Tops, John Adams, The Weather Girls, Elisa Fiorillo and Nick Scotti. In 1981, Lucas and James Mtume won a “Grammy Award” for “Best R&B Song” for their composition “Never Knew Love Like This Before”, which was performed by Stephanie Mills. As leader, Lucas has recorded two albums.

Pierre Moerlen’s Gong: Downwind

On February 9, 1979, “Arista” label released “Downwind”, the third Pierre Moerlen’s Gong album (it was the first to be released under that name, the previous two having been released as Gong albums for contractual reasons). It was recorded June – September 1978, and was produced by Pierre Moerlen.

Personnel:

  • Pierre Moerlen– lead vocals, drums, vibraphone, marimba, concert toms, timpani, organ, synthesizer, electric piano, assorted percussion
  • Mike Oldfield- guitar, solina strings, bass, Irish drum
  • Mick Taylor- guitar
  • Ross Record – vocals, guitar
  • Steve Winwood– synthesizer
  • Hansford Rowe– bass
  • Benoît Moerlen– vibraphon
  • François Causse – percussion
  • Didier Malherbe– saxophone
  • Terry Oldfield– flute
  • Didier Lockwood– violin

Track listing:

All tracks by Pierre Moerlen, except where noted.

  1. Aeroplane – Pierre Moerlen, Ruan O’Lochlain
  2. Crosscurrents
  3. Downwind
  4. Jin-Go-Lo-Ba – Babatunde Olatunji
  5. What You Know – Pierre Moerlen, Ruan O’Lochlain
  6. Emotions
  7. Xtasea

Santana: Same

On August 30, 1969, “Columbia” label released the self-titled, debut Santana album. It was recorded in January and May 1969, at “Pacific Recording” in San Mateo, and was produced by Carlos Santana, Gregg Rolie, David Brown, Michael Shrieve, Michael Carabello, José “Chepito” Areas, Brent Dangerfield and David Rubinson. In 2003, “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked the album at number 150 on its list of the “500 Greatest Albums of all Time”.

Personnel:

  • Carlos Santana– guitar, backing vocals
  • Gregg Rolie– lead vocals, Hammond organ, piano
  • David Brown– bass
  • Michael Shrieve– drums
  • Michael Carabello– congas, percussion
  • José “Chepito” Areas– timbales, congas, percussion
  • David Brown – engineer
  • Lee Conklin– cover art

Track listing:

All tracks by Carlos Santana, Gregg Rolie, David Brown, Michael Shrieve, Michael Carabello and José “Chepito” Areas, except where noted.

  1. Waiting
  2. Evil Ways – Clarence “Sonny” Henry
  3. Shades of Time – Carlos Santana, Gregg Rolie
  4. Savor
  5. Jingo – Babatunde Olatunji
  6. Persuasion
  7. Treat
  8. You Just Don’t Care
  9. Soul Sacrifice- Carlos Santana, Gregg Rolie, David Brown, Marcus Malone