Blog April 8, 2011
Jazz: Africa in America
We're really excited about our upcoming Hip Deep show, 'Jazz: Africa in America.' So much so, we've pulled together a few tracks for you to give you a taster of what is to come in the show. In 'Jazz: Africa in America,' we'll be looking at how American jazz musicians have addressed the African roots of their music, focusing in on Duke Ellington, Jim Crow, Max Roach, John Coltrane, Art Blakey, Jason Moran, and the AACM (the Art Ensemble of Chicago).
Here, we've picked out three tracks for you: Duke Ellington's awesome 1927 recording of 'Black and Tan Fantasy' with trumpeter, Bubber Miley; Art Blakey's 'Lamento Africano' from the 1958 Holiday For Skins which he recorded after his travels in Africa and is filled with West African and Latin rhythms; and a video clip of the AACM in the 1970 French film Les Stances à Sophie. The AACM performed an amazing soundtrack for this rare classic of the French new wave that was out of print for thirty years and has recently been re-released – definitely worth checking out.
Enjoy the music!
Duke Ellington, Black and Tan Fantasie (1927).
http://youtu.be/oy4CL2L0ono
Art Blakey 'Lamento Africano' from Holiday For Skins (1958, remastered 2006).
http://youtu.be/YvScuVLDLog
AACM 'Thème de Celine' from Les Stances à Sophie (1970).
http://youtu.be/LbEKQelx8TI
