The African Beat

The African Beat
The African Beat
Studio album by Art Blakey and the Afro-Drum Ensemble
Released	November 1962
Recorded	January 24, 1962
Studio	Van Gelder Studio; Englewood Cliffs
Genre	Jazz
Length	40:15
Label	Blue Note; BLP 4097
Producer	Alfred Lion
Art Blakey chronology

The African Beat is a jazz album by Art Blakey and the Afro-Drum Ensemble recorded for Blue Note on January 24, 1962 and released later that year.^[5]

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[2]
The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide	^[3]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings	^[4]

Background

He described it as the first opportunity he had to work with drummers from Africa; as a blend of American jazz with the traditional rhythms and tonal colors in the percussion of that continent. The album features compositions by African and American musicians, all based on aspects of West African (especially Nigerian) music.^[6]

Track listing

Side 1

"Prayer by Solomon G. Ilori" – 0:55
"Ife L'ayo (There Is Happiness in Love)" (Solomon G. Ilori) – 5:31
"Obirin African (Woman of Africa)" (Garvin Masseaux) – 3:45
"Love, The Mystery of" (Guy Warren) – 9:22

Side 2

"Ero Ti Nr'Ojeje" (Ilori) – 7:33
"Ayiko, Ayiko (Welcome, Welcome, My Darling)" (Ilori) – 7:13
"Tobi Ilu" (James H. Bey) – 5:56

Personnel

The Afro-Drum Ensemble

Art Blakey – drums, timpani, telegraph drum, gong
Ahmed Abdul-Malik – bass
Yusef Lateef – cow horn, flute, tenor saxophone, mbira, oboe
Curtis Fuller – timpani
Chief Bey – double gong, conga, telegraph drum
Robert Crowder – Batá drum, conga
James Ola. Folami – conga
Solomon G. Ilori – vocals, talking drum, pennywhistle
Montego Joe – corboro drum, log drum, bambara drum, double gong
Garvin Masseaux – shekere, African maracas, conga

Technical personnel

Alfred Lion – producer
Rudy Van Gelder – recording engineer
Reid Miles – design
Francis Wolff – photography
Nat Hentoff – liner notes

References

^ Billboard Dec 1, 1962
^ Allmusic review
^ Swenson, J., ed. (1985). The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide. USA: Random House/Rolling Stone. p. 25. ISBN 0-394-72643-X.
^ Cook, Richard; Brian Morton (2008). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings. The Penguin Guide to Jazz (9th ed.). London: Penguin. p. 135. ISBN 978-0-14-103401-0.
^ Billboard, 1 Dec 1962, p. 20.
^ Original liner notes by Nat Hentoff

[1] Billboard Dec 1, 1962

[2] Allmusic review

[RSJRG-3] Swenson, J., ed. (1985). The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide. USA: Random House/Rolling Stone. p. 25. ISBN 0-394-72643-X.

[Penguin-4] Cook, Richard; Brian Morton (2008). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings. The Penguin Guide to Jazz (9th ed.). London: Penguin. p. 135. ISBN 978-0-14-103401-0.

[5] Billboard, 1 Dec 1962, p. 20.

[6] Original liner notes by Nat Hentoff

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