Uhuru na Umoja | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 1970 | |||
Recorded | 1970 | |||
Studio | Paris | |||
Genre | Jazz | |||
Length | 33:52 | |||
Label | America | |||
Producer | Pierre Berjot | |||
Frank Wright chronology | ||||
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reissue cover | ||||
Uhuru na Umoja (in Swahili "Freedom and Unity") is an album by American free jazz saxophonist Frank Wright recorded in 1970 in Paris, originally released on the French America label and reissued on CD in 2004 by Universal France. Wright leads a quartet featuring alto saxophonist Noah Howard, who composed each of the tracks, pianist Bobby Few and bebop drummer Art Taylor in his first free jazz date. [1] "Oriental Mood" and "Aurora Borealis" are the same compositions as "Mount Fuji" and "Queen Anne", from Howard's The Black Ark album.
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [2] |
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings | [3] |
In his review for AllMusic, Sean Westergaard states "Wright's gruff tenor contrasts nicely with Howard's sweeter tone, which is not really less intense, just less ferocious.. Fans of '60s-style 'energy music' should really check this out." [2]
The Village Voice's Francis Davis wrote that Wright "blows with such conviction and spirit you find yourself being carried right along with him. It's free jazz at its most rapturous and hell-bent." [4]
Clifford Allen of Paris Transatlantic called the album an excellent snapshot of "a regularly working free jazz group at the peak of its form," and commented: "the pieces on Uhuru Na Umoja are generally short and fall far from the side- or album-length compositions that one usually finds on a typical free jazz blowing session from this period... one assumes that Wright performances weren't always endless blowouts, but rather explorations of colors and shapes, not to mention lengths." [5]
Writing for The Live Music Report, David Fujino called Noah Howard's compositions "simple incantatory tunes... that function as excellent spurs to creative group improvisation where melody and new melody combine and recombine into a progressively renewing albeit unfamiliar unity." [6]
All compositions by Noah Howard.
Arthur S. Taylor Jr. was an American jazz drummer, who "helped define the sound of modern jazz drumming".
Frank Wright was an American free jazz musician, known for his frantic style of playing the tenor saxophone. Critics often compare his music to that of Albert Ayler, although Wright "offers his honks and squawks with a phraseology derived from the slower, earthier funk of R&B and gospel music." According to AllMusic biographer Chris Kelsey, Wright "never recorded even a single record under his own name for a major label; he was 'underground' his entire career." In addition to tenor saxophone, Wright also played the soprano saxophone and bass clarinet.
Charlie Parker with Strings is the name of two separate albums by jazz musician Charlie Parker, released in 1950 on Mercury Records. It is also the name of a 1995 compilation album released by Verve Records, containing all the tracks from both the 1950 albums, as well as additional material. The sessions place Parker in the context of a small classical string section and a jazz rhythm section, rather than his standard bebop quintet. They were Parker's most popular sellers during his lifetime, and were admitted to the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1988.
Noah Howard was an American free jazz alto saxophonist.
Bobby Few was an American jazz pianist and vocalist.
Black Gipsy is an album by jazz saxophonist Archie Shepp recorded in Europe in 1969 for the America label. The album was also issued by the Prestige label under the title Black Gypsy.
Pitchin Can is an album by jazz saxophonist Archie Shepp recorded in Paris, France, in 1969 and 1970 for the America label. The album features one track by Shepp with Clifford Thornton, Noah Howard, Julio Finn, Leroy Jenkins, Dave Burrell, Earl Freeman, Sunny Murray and Chicago Beau and one extended track by Shepp with Thornton, Lester Bowie, Alan Shorter, Bobby Few, Bob Reid, Muhammad Ali, Djibrill and Ostaine Blue Warner.
For the song by Harold Arden and Ted Koehler, see When the Sun Comes Out
The Black Ark is an album by American free jazz saxophonist Noah Howard recorded in New York City in 1969 for the Freedom label and was rereleased in 2007.
Generations is an album by saxophonists Pepper Adams and Frank Foster which was recorded and released on the Muse label in 1985.
Concentric Circles is the third album by jazz saxophonist Chris Potter, recorded in 1993 and released by Concord in 1994. It features Potter with pianist Kenny Werner, electric guitarist John Handy, bassist Scott Colley and drummer Bill Stewart.
Your Prayer is the second album by saxophonist Frank Wright. It was recorded in May 1967 in New York City and was released by ESP-Disk later that year. On the album, Wright is joined by saxophonist Arthur Jones, trumpeter Jacques Coursil, bassist Steve Tintweiss, and drummer Muhammad Ali. The tracks were reissued in 2005 on the Frank Wright compilation The Complete ESP-Disk Recordings.
The Marzette Watts Ensemble is the second and final album by saxophonist and composer Marzette Watts. It was recorded in 1968 in New York City, and was released on LP by Savoy Records in 1969. On the album, Watts is joined by cornetist George Turner, trombonist Marty Cook, violinist Frank Kipers, vocalists Amy Schaeffer and Patty Waters, pianist Bobby Few, bassists Cevera Jeffries, Juny Booth, and Steve Tintweiss, and drummers J. C. Moses and Tom Berge. The album was produced by Bill Dixon, whose composition "octobersong" is featured, and who also provided liner notes and played piano on one track.
Unity is a live album by saxophonist Frank Wright. It was recorded at the Moers Festival in Moers, Germany on June 1, 1974, and was released in 2006 by ESP-Disk. On the album, Wright is joined by pianist Bobby Few, bassist Alan Silva, and drummer Muhammad Ali.
The Complete ESP-Disk Recordings is a two-CD compilation album by saxophonist Frank Wright. Issued by ESP-Disk in 2005, it contains two studio albums released by the label during the 1960s: Frank Wright Trio, recorded in 1965 and issued in 1966, featuring bassist Henry Grimes and drummer Tom Price, and Your Prayer, recorded and released in 1967, featuring saxophone Arthur Jones, trumpeter Jacques Coursil, bassist Steve Tintweiss, and drummer Muhammad Ali. The compilation also features a twelve-part interview with Wright, conducted by ESP-Disk founder Bernard Stollman.
Noah Howard Quartet is the debut album by alto saxophonist Noah Howard. It was recorded in New York City during January 1966, and was released later that year by ESP-Disk. On the album, Howard is joined by trumpeter Ric Colbeck, bassist Scotty Holt, and percussionist Dave Grant.
Red Star is an album by alto saxophonist Noah Howard on which he is joined by drummer Kenny Clarke. It was recorded in Paris on May 16, 1977, and was released later that year by Mercury Records. The album also features trumpeter Richard Williams, pianist Bobby Few, and bassist Guy Pederson.
One for John is an album by saxophonist Frank Wright. Dedicated to Wright's mentor, John Coltrane, it was recorded at Studio Saravah in Paris on December 5, 1969, and was released in 1970 by BYG Records as part of their Actuel series. On the album, Wright is joined by saxophonist Noah Howard, pianist Bobby Few, and drummer Muhammad Ali.
Church Number Nine is an album by saxophonist Frank Wright. It was recorded in Paris on March 7, 1970, and was released in 1971 by Odeon Records in Japan. On the album, Wright is joined by saxophonist Noah Howard, pianist Bobby Few, and drummer Muhammad Ali. The French label Calumet reissued the album in 1973.
Space Dimension is an album by alto saxophonist Noah Howard. It was recorded during 1970 in Paris, and was released on vinyl in 1971 by America Records. In 2019, it was reissued by Eating Standing, an Italian label. On the album, Howard is joined by tenor saxophonist Frank Wright, pianist Bobby Few, and drummer Art Taylor. Drummer Muhammad Ali also appears on one track. Space Dimension is one of four albums recorded in Paris by the group, the others, credited to Wright, being Uhuru na Umoja, One for John, and Church Number Nine.