Khepera

Randy Weston | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 6, 1998)
• Original Release Date: October 6, 1998
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Polygram Records
• ASIN: B00000DBX5
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #50,895 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A powerful experience!, November 2, 2000

By 

Stephen (Virginia Beach, VA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Khepera (Audio CD)

This is a "concept album" that works without any knowledge of the concepts. Like the classic "Spirits of our Ancestors" Pharoah Sanders sits in with Weston's band once again, and the results are out of this world. Xiao-Fen's pipa playing is amazing. I have never heard a pipa sound like this. Usually a "mellow" instrument, here she shreds in an untraditional manner.

Only reservation -The final track "mystery of love" is a nice straight ahead tune but sounds very out of place after the dizzying heights the rest of this set reaches.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not just music, high art at its finest., January 5, 2011

By 

Keith R. Jackson (Silver Spring, MD United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Khepera (Audio CD)

I became aware of this album when I heard "Portrait of Cheikh Anta Diop" on my local jazz radio station. I almost crashed my car. Pharoah Sanders kills it. Min Xiao Fen plays the pipa at insane tempos. And Alex Blake on bass...oh, wow. And of course Randy is always Randy...Ellingtiona meets Monk. His use of space is just wonderful.

Most importantly this album hipped me to the artistry of Melba Liston. An extraordinary composer and arranger (and slamming trombonist in her day), she did this, her last recording before she died, while in a wheelchair.

This is a must have for any real jazz head.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars TRUE ORIGINALITY, September 8, 2007

By 

COMPUTERJAZZMAN "computerjazzman" (Cliffside Park, New Jersey United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Khepera (Audio CD)

RANDY WESTON WAS ONE OF THE FIRST AMERICAN JAZZ MUSICIANS TO EXPLORE "WORLD MUSIC", AND THIS CD IS JUST ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF THAT EXPLORATION. HIS FOCUS HAS MAINLY BEEN ON AFRICAN MUSIC, AND HE IS ONE OF AMERICA'S MOST WELL KNOWN JAZZ MUSICIANS WHO IS A PROPONENT OF IT. THIS CD FEATURES THE GREAT PHAROAH SANDERS ON SAXOPHONE AND SOME EXTREMELY AVANT GARDE MUSIC (A LA JOHN COLTRANE, AND SOME MONK-LIKE PIANO SOUNDS) MIXED IN WITH AFRICAN RHYTHMS AND FLAVORS. IF YOU WANT TO SIT DOWN AND "LISTEN" TO A CD, YOU WILL ENJOY THIS ONE.