Africa

(photo by Guy Le Querrec)

Here are a number of my favorite African-influenced free jazz albums. There are surely hundreds of jazz albums that have direct African involvement (musicians and music), bands with some or even most tracks referring to Africa, its music and its rhythms, as with Kahil El'Zabar's music, Chris McGregor or Dudu Pukwana, ... But some are very direct. The ones below are my short-list in random order.

Bengt Berger - Bitter Funeral Beer
Harris Eisenstadt - Guewel
The Either/Orchestra - Live In Addis (on the fabulous Ethiopiques series)
Mulatu Astatqe - Ethiopiques 4
Byard Lancaster - Pam Africa
John Carter - Castles Of Ghana
Johnny Dyani - Angolian Cry (but also worthwhile : Afrika and Song For Biko)
Albert Heath - Kawaida (with Herbie Hancock, Don Cherry, Ed Blackwell, ...)
Dollar Brand - The Journey (with Don Cherry, Carlos Ward, Hamiet Bluiett)
Aldo Romano, Louis Sclavis, Henri Texier - Carnet De Route
Aldo Romano, Louis Sclavis, Henri Texier - African Flashback
Hank Jones - Sarala
Chris Joris - Bihogo
Soriba Kouyaté - Live In Montreux
Roswell Rudd - Malicool
Lester Bowie - African Children
David Murray - Yonn-Dé

Since I don't think this music is still commercially available, you can download Albert Heath's Kawaida for free here.

As usual : suggestions are more than welcome.

© stef