Khepera is an album by the American pianist Randy Weston, released in 1998.[2][3] The album was in part an exploration of the connection between African and Chinese cultures.[4] It is dedicated to Cheikh Anta Diop.[5] Khepera is Egyptian for transformation.[6]
| Khepera | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
.jpg) | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1998 | |||
| Recorded | March 1998 | |||
| Genre | Jazz | |||
| Label | Verve[1] | |||
| Producer | Randy Weston, Brian Bacchus | |||
| Randy Weston chronology | ||||
| ||||
Production
editRecorded in March 1998, the album was produced by Weston and Brian Bacchus.[7][8] Min Xiao-Fen played the gong and pipa on two tracks.[9] Talib Kibwe played alto sax and flute; Benny Powell played trombone.[10][11] Melba Liston help to arrange the music.[12] Weston played many songs at a 6/8 time.[13]
Critical reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [14] |
| Birmingham Post | [4] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [15] |
| Los Angeles Times |  [16] |
| MusicHound World: The Essential Album Guide | [11] |
| The Sydney Morning Herald | [17] |
JazzTimes praised Weston's "uncanny ability to re-craft, to maintain freshness in melodies and rhythms he has investigated frequently, such as the familiar 'Niger Mambo'."[9] The Washington Post noted that "an Ellingtonian elegance marks the massed horns of the swinging 'Portrait of Cheikh Anta Diop'."[18] The Sydney Morning Herald stated that "the music has a breadth and density of emotion, spirituality, colour and creativity that push it towards masterpiece stature."[17]
The Globe and Mail concluded that "Min's performances aren't quite curios, but they're not a lot more either, one a sweet but inconclusive pipa-piano duet and the other a nonet piece in which she makes only a buzzy cameo appearance."[19] The Los Angeles Times applauded the "particularly effective linkage" of Powell and Pharoah Sanders.[16] The National Post deemed Khepera "a fiendishly clever romp through African rhythms, Chinese melodies and '60s jazz tonalities."[20]
AllMusic called the album "a powerful, even visionary piece of work for any musician," writing that Sanders is "in thrilling form throughout much of the album."[14]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Creation" | |
| 2. | "Anu Anu" | |
| 3. | "The Shrine" | |
| 4. | "The Shang" | |
| 5. | "Prayer Blues" | |
| 6. | "Boran Xam Xam" | |
| 7. | "Portrait of Cheikh Anta Diop" | |
| 8. | "Niger Mambo" | |
| 9. | "Mystery of Love" |
References
edit- ^ Lien, James (January 1999). "Best New Music". CMJ New Music Monthly. No. 65. p. 18.
- ^ Margasak, Peter (April 18, 2002). "Randy Weston". Chicago Reader.
- ^ Monson, Ingrid (October 18, 2007). Freedom Sounds: Civil Rights Call Out to Jazz and Africa. Oxford University Press, USA.
- ^ a b Bacon, Peter (November 14, 1998). "Randy Weston Khepera". Birmingham Post. p. 34.
- ^ Mandel, Howard (December 1998). "Randy Weston: Khepera". Jazziz. Vol. 15, no. 12. p. 78.
- ^ Simon, Jeff (November 13, 1998). "Jazz". The Buffalo News. p. G34.
- ^ Panken, Ted (October 1998). "African soul". DownBeat. Vol. 65, no. 10. pp. 20–25.
- ^ Weston, Randy; Jenkins, Willard (October 5, 2010). African Rhythms: The Autobiography of Randy Weston. Duke University Press.
- ^ a b Jenkins, Willard. "Randy Weston: Khepera". JazzTimes.
- ^ Point, Michael (October 15, 1998). "Jazz Masters". Austin American-Statesman. p. 10.
- ^ a b MusicHound World: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 2000. p. 808.
- ^ Chapman, Geoff (November 28, 1998). "African jazz adventure". Entertainment. Toronto Star. p. 1.
- ^ Bernotas, Bob (May–June 1999). "Randy Weston: Khepera". Piano & Keyboard. No. 198. p. 50.
- ^ a b "Randy Weston Khepera". AllMusic.
- ^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 8. MUZE. pp. 601–602.
- ^ a b Heckman, Don (January 3, 1999). "Not Easy Listening, Rewarding Listening". Los Angeles Times. p. F66.
- ^ a b Shand, John (May 24, 1999). "A masterful hybrid". The Guide. The Sydney Morning Herald. p. 6.
- ^ "Randy Weston 'Khepera'". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 10, 2022.
- ^ Miller, Mark (November 12, 1998). "Khepera". The Globe and Mail. p. D4.
- ^ "Jazz". National Post. January 19, 1999. p. B9.