Released End of April 1961 Artist Randy Weston Producer Teddy Reig Genre Jazz | Uhuru Afrika
(1960) Highlife
(1963) Release date April 1961 Label Itwhy | |
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Recorded November 1960
Bell Sound Studios, New York City Similar Randy Weston albums, Jazz albums | ||
Uhuru Afrika (subtitled/translated as Freedom Africa) is an album by American jazz pianist Randy Weston recorded in 1960 and originally released on the Roulette label. The album features lyrics and liner notes by the poet Langston Hughes and was banned in South Africa in 1964, at the same time as was Lena Horne's Here's Lena Now! (Max Roach's Freedom Now Suite had been the victim of an earlier banning order), with copies of the albums being seized in Johannesburg and Cape Town.
Contents
Reception
Allmusic awarded the album 5 stars, stating: "Uhuru Afrika is one of the finest (and earliest) combinations of African rhythms with advanced jazz and it features Weston utilizing a 24-piece big band".
Track listing
All compositions by Randy Weston except as indicated
- "Introduction: Uhuru Kwanza" (Langston Hughes) - 2:35
- "First Movement: Uhuru Kwanza" - 5:49
- "Second Movement: African Lady" (Weston, Hughes) - 8:27
- "Third Movement: Bantu" - 8:07
- "Fourth Movement: Kucheza Blues" - 8:03
Personnel
Songs
1Intro2:47
2Uhuru Kwansa5:56
3African Lady8:46