ART BLAKEY
The African Beat (Blue Note)
Reviewed by Shaun Dale

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For this 1962 date, Art Blakey took a break from the Jazz Messengers to assemble a unit he called the Afro-Drum Ensemble. The group was made up of North and South American, as well as African, drummers, but the music is deeply rooted in African traditions and instrumentation. In addition to the eight percussionists, the group featured Ahmend Abdul-Malik on bass and multi-instrumentalist wonder Yusef Lateef on oboe, flute, tenor, cow horn and thumb piano. (Solomon Ilori doubled on talking drums and penny whistle, adding the other non-percussive element.)

The re-release of this classic album is particularly timely given the resurgence of interest in world music generally, and African percussion specifically, in recent years. Blakey's conception of a trans-Atlantic cultural bridge reached one of its finest realizations on The African Beat, and this is one that deserves a place in any collection of jazz or world music.

Track List:

Prayer by Solomon G. Ilori * Ife L'Ayo * Obirin African (Woman of Africa) * Love, The Mystery Of * Ero Ti Nr'Ojeje * Ayiko, Ayiko (Welcome, Welcome, My Darling) * Tobi Ilu

© 2000 - Shaun Dale