ART BLAKEY AND THE AFRO-DRUM ENSEMBLE – The African Beat (1962-1999) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

While not a universally praised piece of the Art Blakey discography, The African Beat is quite engaging. Yusef Lateef is the only horn player, featured on oboe, flute, tenor sax, cow horn, and thumb piano with Ahmed Abdul-Malik on bass, but trombonist Curtis Fuller is only heard playing tympani -- it was that kind of session. The drum ensemble includes Chief Bey, along with five other percussionists on conboro, log, and bata drums with penny whistles, gongs, congas, and African maracas. This is reminiscent of Lateef's more exotic sessions from the same time period, but quite unlike other Blue Note releases from the early '60s. Al Campbell

Tracklist :

1. Prayer By Solomon G. Ilori (00:52)

2. Ife L'Ayo (There Is Happiness In Love) (05:30)

3. Obirin African (Woman Of Africa) (03:41)

4. Love, The Mystery Of (09:23)

5. Ero Ti Nr'ojeje (07:33)

6. Ayiko, Ayiko (Welcome, Welcome, My Darling) (07:12)

7. Tobi Ilu (05:56)

Musicians :

Drums, Timpani, Gong, Drum [Telegraph Drum] – Art Blakey

Bass – Ahmed Abdul-Malik

Bata [Bata Drum], Congas – Robert Crowder

Congas – James Ola Folami

Congas, Drum [Telegraph Drum], Gong [Double Gong] – Chief Bey

Drum [Bambara Drum], Gong [Double Gong], Drum [Log Drum], Drum [Corboro Drum] – Montego Joe

Oboe, Flute, Tenor Saxophone, Horns [Cow Horn], Kalimba [Thumb Piano] – Yusef Lateef

Shekere [Chekere], Maracas [African Maracas], Congas – Garvin Masseaux

Timpani – Curtis Fuller

Vocals, Whistle [Penny Whistle], Talking Drum – Solomon G. Ilori

Recorded at the Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey on January 24, 1962.