Randy Weston
b. Randolph Weston, 6 April 1926, New York City, New York, USA. Weston grew up in Brooklyn and in the late 40s ran a restaurant that was frequented by many of the city's leading bebop musicians. Deciding to pursue a musical career himself, he played piano with various R&B bands (including a record session with the Clovers) and also worked with Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson, Kenny Dorham and Cecil Payne. One of the first artists signed to Riverside Records, his debut session, in April 1954, comprised a set of Cole Porter tunes. Later Riverside sessions included a solo album and a trio recording with Art Blakey on drums. Long fascinated by all things African, Weston recorded Uhuru Afrika in 1960 - a big band suite with lyrics by Langston Hughes and arrangements by Melba Liston: players included Freddie Hubbard, Yusef Lateef, Max Roach and Babatunde Olatunji. In 1961 he travelled to Nigeria with other USA artists to appear at an arts festival in Lagos, and returned again for a lecture tour in 1963.
Listen to Randy Weston
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Albums
- (1998) Khepera
- (1992) The Spirits Of Our Ancestors
Top Tracks
- Portrait Of Cheikh Anta Diop
- African Village Bedford-Stuyvesant 1
- African Sunrise
- African Cookbook
- Anu Anu
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