Africa/Brass

Occupation

Africa / Brass is a jazz album by John Coltrane from 1961.

The album

The May 26 and June 7, 1961 recorded album was Coltrane's first for the newly formed jazz label Impulse!. The plan was initially as a one off album ( as a single album outside of his regular contract with Atlantic Records ). The Shaw Agency, which held Coltrane's management, however, endeavored to a recording contract with the newly founded label. So John Coltrane was the first artist for Impulse! Records completed an exclusive contract. His first Impulse! Album was then also the last production of Creed Taylor, who was hired away from the Verve label.

It falls very reason from the context of his previous releases, because the saxophonist his Quintet (consisting at that time of the two bassists Reggie Workman and Art Davis and pianist McCoy Tyner and drummer Elvin Jones) supplemented by a fifteen -member big band, in the inter alia, the trumpeter Freddie Hubbard and Booker Little and bass clarinetist Eric Dolphy played along. From Dolphy and the horn arrangements, to which, however, also had McCoy Tyner large proportion came ..

And in the time incurred orchestrations of Gil Evans not dissimilar - - also were used more horns, a baritone saxophone, two euphoniums and a tuba. Thus created a wall of sound with African- sounding rhythms was by the two bass players on the John Coltrane floated with his improvisations on tenor saxophone. In addition to Coltrane McCoy Tyner provided solely for solo deposits; this worked here with simple percussive figures. In " Greensleeves " Coltrane switched to soprano saxophone and played a sensitive solo at the end of the folk -style theme.

The background for the strong relation to Africa and African music was that in 1960 many African countries gained their independence, many African Americans which gave a new confidence and a clearer sense of life. At their discrimination in everyday life, however, nothing had changed; Jazz in the protests against the discrimination found an ever louder expression valve. The album We Insist! Freedom Now Suite by Max Roach is an example.

Edition history

In 1961 The original album Africa / Brass ( with liner notes by Dom Cerulli ) contained only 3 pieces, "Africa" ​​, " Greensleeves " and " Blues Minor". In 1974, a second record from the same sessions, entitled Africa / Brass Sessions, Volume 2 It also contained the title "Follow the Drinkin ' Gourd " (later renamed " Song of the Underground Railroad " ), as well as alternate takes of " Greensleeves " and " Africa". More outtakes of the "Africa / Brass" sessions like "The Damned Do not Cry", composed by Cal Massey, and other alternate takes of "Africa " and " Greensleeves " were not published until later.

As CD finally appeared both albums combined into a Compact disc. Meanwhile, all the material is (including both albums and three outtakes ) in the order they were recorded in a double CD titled The Complete Africa / Brass Sessions in 20 BIT Super ( Impulse! 21682 ) ago.

The title of the original album

The tracks on the double CD The Complete Africa / Brass Sessions

Disc 1

Disc 2

Record label Impulse! Records Genre Charles Greenlee (musician) James Buffington Bill Barber (musician) Laurdine "Pat" Patrick Bob Thiele Rudy Van Gelder Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey My Favorite Things (Album) Richard Cook (journalist) Blue Train (South Africa) Blue Note Records Prestige Records
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