Description
One of three releases marking the 100th birthday of Randy Weston, this album features previously unreleased live material from the great US pianist, alongside his Jamaican counterpart Monty Alexander. In the expansive landscape of jazz piano, few artists have as compellingly fused their cultural heritage with the jazz tradition as Randy Weston and Monty Alexander. Though separated by generation and geography - Weston from Brooklyn with deep African roots, and Alexander from Kingston, Jamaica - both pianists have carved unique paths, expanding the language of jazz while honoring its origins. Together, Weston and Alexander remind us that jazz is not just an American art form - it is a living, breathing conversation between continents, histories, and identities. They speak in different dialects of the same language, but their messages are equally vital: jazz is about where we come from as much as where we are going - and through rhythm, melody, and memory, we find our truest voices.
In 1988, the renowned Spanish promoter Jordi Sunol of International Jazz Productions organised a short European tour to present these two grand masters of the piano. The tour visited the Montreux Jazz Festival, the Zaragoza Jazz Festival, and the magical Ramatuelle Jazz Festival. The format of each concert featured a first set with each pianist performing with his percussionist, followed by a second set in which the two masters performed together. Of course, the supporting musicians contribute deeply to this achievement. African percussionist Eric Asante from Ghana evokes the passing of a caravan before your eyes, while Bobby Thomas transports you to Jamaica with his masterful hand drumming.
