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.
