TWO BANKS OF FOUR / “Afro Blue”

MP3 17 Afro Blue (2 Banks).mp3 (4.17 MB)

Who wrote the oft recorded “Afro Blue”? A good number of people think Coltrane was the composer. Others are confident that Oscar Brown, Jr. is the originator. Although Coltrane surely popularized the song in jazz circles, it was not his creation. As for Oscar Brown, Jr., the recently deceased composer and vocalist, it is partially true to consider him because he did write the lyrics for the song, although he did not come up with the song itself. The composer of “Afro Blue” is Cuban congolero Mongo Santamaria.
mongo santamaria.jpg 
Let’s start with an early version from the true author available on Mongo’s Greatest Hits. This is a great example of late fifties/sixties Latin jazz. It starts out with trademark licks by Mongo and layers on syncopated instruments beginning with a bass line. (Which, by the way, is a methodology initiated by the great Chano Pozo in his composition “Manteca,” the tune that marks the recorded beginning of what is now known as Latin jazz). Other instruments enter building up to the flute. The song ends with conga improvisations over the bass ostinato and flute flourishes. What stands out is the pure joy of the melody.
oscar brown 01.jpg  
With the addition of Oscar Brown, Jr.’s lyrics, "Afro Blue" (from Brown's Sin & Soul) becomes pure poetry. My man was a genius as a lyricist plus he was a wonderful, warm and sensitive human being. I was blessed with the opportunity to see him in a number of different settings, including at conferences in Chicago where he simply and humbly spoke his mind, told his truths. As a vocalist he had an articulateness that I’ve noted in a number of other Chicago singers: think Lou Rawls, Joe Williams and, of course, Nat 'King' Cole in particular. Their enunciation was so sharp you could understand every word and they sang that way partly because the words did indeed matter to them. Anyway, pay attention to the lyrics Oscar Brown wrote. This is the sparest of arrangements, you might even accurately call it primitive; just voice and a conga drum. Exquisitely beautiful.
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I like the Diane Reeves I Remember version for two reasons. One, the sound of her voice and two the specificity of the rhythm section. The broad and bold beauty of Diane’s voice grabs me in all my grab-able places. I like her scatting, particularly when she does that high note thing. Notice that the rhythm section is not just pounding out a 6/8 rhythm. Although I don’t know the name of this particular clave, you can hear that it is a specific beat and that they maintain it throughout. Diane’s version is more specifically Cuban than is Mongo’s in terms of the rhythm base.
coltrane 15.jpg  
I could do a dissertation on the Live at Birdland Trane version. Suffice it to say, this is the classic John Coltrane Quartet and that means it is without peer as a powerhouse jazz unit. No other quartet could harness that kind of power. There is a whole school of pianists trying to get to what McCoy Tyner achieved with his thunderous left hand, not to mention those swirling treble runs or the sophistication of his chords. This group was so bad that they were untouchable even when Trane wasn’t playing, and Lord, help us, when Trane sailed in, it was like a fifth gear kicking in. I must make mention of Elvin Jones on drums. Elvin Jones. Elvin Jones. Elvin Jones. Damn how could one man create that many polyrhythms while interacting and improvising with McCoy and Trane?
imani winds.jpg  
The Imani Winds is a classical wind quintet made up of Valerie Coleman on flute (she also arranged their version of “Afro Blue”), Toyin Spellman-Diaz on oboe, Mariam Adam on clarinet, Jeff Scott on French horn, and Monica Ellis on bassoon. I’m not a fan of classical music, but I really dig what they do with "Afro Blue," especially how they incorporate African aesthetics into a specifically European form. In particular listen to some of the flute techniques and the vocal work. This is perhaps as definitive a contrast as you might ever hear when you compare Imani Winds to Trane. This is from Imani Winds' eponymous album on the Koch label.
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The last version is my pick because of the uncredited vocalist. This is from a London-based duo called Two Banks Of Four made up of DJ/MC Dillip Harris and Robert Gallagher. The arrangement is interesting and as dance music I like what they do with the bass line, but it’s the vocalist who really makes it for me, especially on the out chorus where she repeats “shades of delight, coco hue / rich as the night, afro blue.” Try singing it with her and you will see how superb her breath control is and how difficult it is to maintain the pace, not to mention, at the same time, inject the feeling and dynamic swell she does. Beware, there are two versions in circulation; this is not the remix version but rather the one from their City Watching release.

—Kalamu ya Salaam


       Completely different        

I like the variety of these versions. The interpretations are different enough that you sometimes don't feel like you're listening to the same song. For instance, compare the 'Trane version and the Oscar Brown, Jr. version—completely different. If I had to pick just one though, I'd have to go with Dianne Reeves. That surprised me, because I'm not a big Dianne Reeves fan. But in this case, I like everything about her performance. The rhythm, the accompaniment, and most of all, Dianne's vocals—all of it is near-perfect. I also really like the original and the Oscar Brown, Jr. versions. Both are very stripped-down and souful. I'm with that.

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And, while I'm at it, let me add one more version to the mix. It's a medley by Susana Baca that she calls "Afro Blue/Zum Zum" (from Baca's 2003 Espiritu Vivo CD). The great thing about this version is the richness of the instrumentation and the new melody line Susana and Co. have created. It's also interesting to hear Oscar Brown's lyrics translated to Spanish, particularly considering that it's a Latin jazz tune to begin with. ... One more thing. I promised before that I'd be doing a write-up on Susana Baca, and I will. I've been listening to a lot of her music lately. The hold up is because I'm trying to decide which album to feature. Maybe I'll feature a few of them at the same time. Soon....

Mtume ya Salaam

 

 



 

This entry was posted on Sunday, August 6th, 2006 at 12:31 am and is filed under Cover. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.


8 Responses to “TWO BANKS OF FOUR / “Afro Blue””

Paul Says:
August 8th, 2006 at 4:03 am

Might this be the same Rob Gallagher who was part of Galliano: an early triphop / jazz dance collective that made some beautiful soulful music in the early nineties? They are definitely worth a post.
More info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galliano_(band)


Ken Says:
August 9th, 2006 at 7:58 pm

Not generally a fan of vocalese, but Oscar Brown’s cover is tremendous. A case where lyrics actually give new resonance to an already great song (another example I’d cite is a Jon Hendricks lyric/vocal cover of Bobby Timmons’ “Moanin'”).

Two other inspired versions of “Afro Blue” out there–(from) “Tito Puente’s Golden Latin Jazz All-Stars–Live at the Village Gate (Mongo plays with T.P.),” circa 1992. Also, a Mongo Santamaria title, “Watermelon Man”–the version of “Afro Blue” on here was recorded live at the Blackhawk Theater in San Francisco, 1962. This one has a bit more of that clave work in it that you cited in the Reeves cover, Kalamu.

The work that you two do on this site is truly life-affirming. Just great.


Simone Grant Says:
August 10th, 2006 at 8:11 am

Lizz Wright has an amazing version of “Afro Blue” on her first album entitled Salt.


Anonymous Says:
August 11th, 2006 at 6:37 am

Try out Jeffrey Smith’s version from the 1999 Down Here Below project (also recently featured on the Kings Of Jazz compilation). Great energy, great arrangements and authentic supporting vocals from Malian songstress Assitan ‘Mama’ Keita.

Other worthy mentions from my archives :-

Abbey Lincoln from Abbey Is Blue (1959)
Cal Tjader from Soul Sauce (1964)
Dee Dee Bridgewater from Afro Blue (1974)
J-Life from Tomorrow’s Warriors Presents… (1998) (Julie Dexter on vocals)
Roy Budd (feat. Okou) 12″ (2006)


ekere Says:
August 11th, 2006 at 7:46 am

My gosh, all of this is hot–no exceptions. I dig it all.

D. Reeves is soooooooo…breathtaking. I interviewed her way back when she released Art and Survival and she is such a pure soul. ( Are they chanting “Yemaya” in the background of her version of Afro Blue or is that my imagination???)

That Zum Zum…yes!!! On point. Ay.

And come on, I can’t even be articulate about the Coltrane take on it.

Santamaria, 2Banks…all gorgeous.

Have y’all seen Donnie Betts film about Oscar brown Jr?????? Pure brilliance.

This week, BOL has me levitating.
Big up!!!!

one love,
Ekere


tayari kwa salaam Says:
August 11th, 2006 at 10:13 am

7! Seven! Yes, seven versions of one tune. I love it!!!!! Do this as often as yall can and want to.


ekere Says:
August 12th, 2006 at 9:00 am

oh, and I like a reggae tinged version of Afro Blue by a group called Survival Sounds.

one love,
Ekere


Steve Says:
March 16th, 2007 at 11:44 pm

Thereare at least 150 recorded versions of Afro Blue. Even the all Music Guide does not list them all. I am in the process of putting together a 5 CD compilation with as many as I could reasonably find.

Steve


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