Art Ensemble of Soweto

Summary

Art Ensemble of Soweto is a 1990 album by the Art Ensemble of Chicago and the Amabutho Male Chorus released on the Japanese DIW label. It features performances by Lester Bowie, Joseph Jarman, Roscoe Mitchell, Malachi Favors Maghostut, and Don Moye with vocals by Elliot Ngubane, Kay Ngwazene, Welcome "Max" Bhe Bhe, Zacheuus Nyoni and Joe Leguabe.

Art Ensemble of Soweto
Studio album by
Art Ensemble of Chicago with the Amabutho Male Chorus
Released1990
RecordedDecember 1989 & January 1990
GenreJazz
Length48:51
LabelDIW
ProducerArt Ensemble of Chicago
Art Ensemble of Chicago chronology
The Alternate Express
(1989)
Art Ensemble of Soweto
(1990)
America - South Africa
(1990)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]

Reception edit

The AllMusic review by Brian Olewnick describes the album as " very enjoyable recording, possibly the last all-around excellent Art Ensemble release before the group's retrenching after the departure of Joseph Jarman and the untimely death of Lester Bowie".[2]

Track listing edit

  1. "Coming Soon" (Bowie) – 1:31
  2. "African Woman" (Ngubone) – 13:55
  3. "Fundamental Destiny" (Jarman) – 9:14
  4. "Fresh Start" (Mitchell) – 6:42
  5. "Khauleza" (Amabutho Male Chorus) – 2:44
  6. "The Bottom Line" (Art Ensemble of Chicago) – 5:33
  7. "Black Man" (Amabutho Male Chorus) – 9:18
    • Recorded December 1989 & January 1990 at Systems Two Studios, Brooklyn, NY

Personnel edit

  • Lester Bowie: trumpet, fluegelhorn, percussion
  • Malachi Favors Maghostut: bass, balafon, percussion instruments
  • Joseph Jarman: saxophones, clarinets, percussion instruments
  • Roscoe Mitchell: saxophones, clarinets, flute, percussion instruments
  • Don Moye: drums, percussion
  • Elliot Ngubane: lead vocals, percussion, keyboards
  • Kay Ngwazene: vocals
  • Welcome "Max" Bhe Bhe: vocals
  • Zacheuus Nyoni: vocals
  • Joe Leguabe: vocals, percussion

References edit

  1. ^ AllMusic Review
  2. ^ Olewnick. B. AllMusic review accessed 16 February 2009.