Afrobeat Journal Issue 2 : Spring 2011
Exec Producer by Wuyi Jacobs
Audio:
Randy Weston discusses his autobiography “African Rhythms” with co writer Willard Jenkins, and produced by Wuyi Jacobs for Afrobeat Journal’s second edition.
Video:
Randy Weston
Randy Weston (1926–2018) was a visionary pianist, composer, and bandleader whose seven-decade career made him one of the most influential figures in global jazz. Deeply inspired by the rhythms, spirituality, and cultural heritage of Africa, Weston created a powerful fusion of African traditions with jazz, carving a unique and enduring musical path. His piano style, shaped by the likes of Duke Ellington and Thelonious Monk, was praised for its depth, originality, and profound rhythmic insight. Critic Stanley Crouch called him “the biggest sound of any jazz pianist since Ellington and Monk.”
Known as “America’s African Musical Ambassador,” Weston performed on five continents, collaborated with legendary artists such as Langston Hughes, Max Roach, and Melba Liston, and produced Africa’s first major jazz festival. He lived for years in Morocco, where he founded the African Rhythms Club in Tangier and immersed himself in indigenous musical traditions. Weston’s work was not only artistic but educational and political—centered on honoring Africa as the wellspring of African American music and culture.
Willard Jenkins
Willard Jenkins is an independent arts consultant, producer and writer, and is a public and community station radio broadcaster and producer at WPFW Pacifica Radio in Washington, DC. He has contributed to XM Satellite Radio, and National Public Radio. His websites is at: www.openskyjazz.com
Read Jason Squinobal: “Pan-African Rhythms: Exploring the Cultural and Political Influences of Randy Weston’s Music“.
