The Clovers (ldr), Frank "Floorshow" Culley (ts), Bill Harris (g), Randy Weston (p), Count Edmonson (b), Connie Kay (d), John "Buddy" Bailey, The Clovers, Harold Lucas, Matthew McQuarter, Harold Winley (v)

The Clovers are Harris, Bailey, Lucas, McQuarter and Winley. This was their first recording session for Atlantic Records.

The composer of "Don’t You Know I Love You" is listed on labels as "Nugetre" which is a pseudonym for producer Ahmet Ertegun.

Track b is listed as an "alt." take but to my ears, tracks a and b are identical except that the 4-bar intro featuring the bass on a has been edited out on b leaving a slightly shorter take.

Frank "Floorshow" Culley (ldr), Wallace Wilson (t), Walter "Phatz" Morris (tb), Frank "Floorshow" Culley (ts), Randy Weston (p), Count Edmonson (b), Connie Kay (d)

Wallace Wilson (t) on a.

Two other titles were recorded at this session but never released: "Leap Frog" (A 574) and "Saints" (A 575). The personnel on and composers of these songs are unknown.

The composers of track b are listed on labels as Culley and Ahbert. The latter is a pseudonym for producer Ahmet Ertegun.

Randy Weston (ldr), Randy Weston (p), Sam Gill (b)

This was Randy Weston’s very first recording as a leader. He was 28 years old.

Randy Weston (ldr), Randy Weston (p), Sam Gill (b), Art Blakey (d)

Sam Gill (b) on a-e; Art Blakey (d) on a-e.

Randy Weston (ldr), Randy Weston (p), Sam Gill (b), Wilbert Hogan (d)

Randy Weston (ldr), Cecil Payne (bar), Randy Weston (p), Ahmed Abdul Malik (b), Wilbert Hogan (d)

Cecil Payne (bar) on a, c, e-h.

Payne is out on tracks b and d.

This session provides the first recording of Weston’s often covered waltz, "Little Niles." Niles is Weston’s son also known as Azzedin Weston.

Randy Weston (p)

Randy Weston (ldr), Cecil Payne (bar), Randy Weston (p), Ahmed Abdul-Malik (b), Al Dreares (d)

Cecil Payne (bar) on a-b, d-e, g-h; Ahmed Abdul-Malik (b) on a-e, g-h; Al Dreares (d) on a-e, g-h.

The original issue, Riverside RLP 12-232, gives the recording date as October 14, 1956; however, later sources such as the reissue OJCCD-1747-2 indicate the session took place on October 25, 1956.

Payne is out on track c; Payne, Abdul-Malik and Dreares are out on track g.

The timings of tracks b-g include some concluding applause.

Randy Weston (ldr), Ray Copeland (t), Cecil Payne (as, bar), Randy Weston (p), Ahmed Abdul-Malik (b), Wilbert Hogan (d)

Ray Copeland (t) on a-c; Cecil Payne (as) on d, (bar) on a-c.

Randy Weston (ldr), Randy Weston (p), Ahmed Abdul-Malik (b), Willie Jones (d)

Randy Weston (ldr), Randy Weston (p), Peck Morrison (b), Connie Kay (d)

Peck Morrison (b) on b-g; Connie Kay (d) on b-g.

Tracks a and h are unaccompanied piano solos.

Randy Weston (ldr), Ray Copeland (t), Randy Weston (p), unknown (b, d), Joe Carroll (v)

Joe Carroll (v) on c.

This is a Bandstand USA radio broadcast. The bassist and drummer are unannounced. The date comes from New York Amsterdam News, Saturday, January 4, 1958, p. 9, Theatricals by Jesse H. Walker. (Many thanks to Michael Fitzgerald.)

The timings shown include announcements.

Randy Weston (ldr), Randy Weston (p), Jamil Nasser [George Joyner] (b), Granville T. (G.T.) Hogan (d)

The rest of the album features a quartet led by vibraphonist Lem Winchester.

This is the very first recording of Weston’s tune "Hi Fly" which has become a jazz standard.

It should be noted that contrary to widespread misinformation, G. T. Hogan and Wilbert Hogan are NOT the same drummer. They are two DIFFERENT musicians and both recorded with Randy Weston - see a very thoroughly researched article by Michael Fitzgerald.

The timings shown do not include announcements (Allan Morrison) or applause.

Randy Weston (ldr), Ray Copeland, Idrees Sulieman (t), Melba Liston (tb), Johnny Griffin (ts), Randy Weston (p), Jamil Nasser [George Joyner] (b), Charli Persip (d, tmp)

Ray Copeland (t) on a-e; Idrees Sulieman (t) on f; Melba Liston (tb) on a-f; Johnny Griffin (ts) on a-f; Charli Persip (tmp) on g.

Randy Weston liked waltzes. This album comprises seven of his compositions in 3/4 time.

Only Weston, Nasser and Persip are present on track g.

Randy Weston (ldr), Bennie Green, Slide Hampton, Melba Liston, Frank Rehak (tb), Randy Weston (p), Peck Morrison (b), Elvin Jones (d), Willie Rodriguez (per, cng)

This session is a rather strange entry in Weston’s discography. United Artists wanted him to record the music from a Broadway show and he hoped that if he did so, the label would then produce his primary project of the time, Uhuru Afrika. This was an unproductive tactic because the label never showed any interest in Weston’s controversial tribute to the African continent. Ultimately, he was able to do the recording with the Roulette label.

The tracks on Destry Rides Again are very short, the total time of the album being only a little over 26 minutes. And Weston is the only soloist outside of a short series of 4-bar exchanges among the trombonists on track f. What a waste in view of the fact that besides his close friend Liston, who also provided the arrangements, Weston had secured 3 of the most respected trombonists available in Hampton, Green and Rehak.

Randy Weston (ldr), Kenny Dorham (t), Coleman Hawkins (ts), Randy Weston (p), Wilbur Little (b), Roy Haynes, Clifford Jarvis (d), Brock Peters (v)

Kenny Dorham (t) on a-c, e-f; Clifford Jarvis (d) on f; Brock Peters (v) on c.

This is the only example of Weston recording with tenor saxophone giant Coleman Hawkins.

The timings of tracks a-f include some applause.

The only source of information on Track g comes from the 1988 21 LP box set shown. This track features Hawkins with the rhythm section alone and he is the only soloist. Dorham is not heard and no audience applause is audible. The provenance of this track is unknown. Could it be part of the United Artist recording that was never issued because Weston does not solo? Or could it be an audience recording or air check that was discovered after the original album was issued? Or is it possible that this track has nothing at all to do with Weston and comes from a completely different Hawkins session? If anyone has any ideas about this, I would be happy to hear them.

Randy Weston (ldr), Cecil Payne (bar), Randy Weston (p), Ron Carter (b), Roy Haynes (d)

These tracks have never been issued as an album.

Randy Weston (ldr), Benny Bailey, Freddie Hubbard, Clark Terry, Richard Williams (t), Babatunde Olatunji (fh, per), Jimmy Cleveland, Slide Hampton, Quentin Jackson (tb), Julius Watkins (frh), Gigi Gryce (as, ts, f), Jerome Richardson (as, pic), Sahib Shihab (as), Budd Johnson (ts, cl), Yusef Lateef (ts, f, o), Cecil Payne (bar), Les Spann (f, g), Kenny Burrell (g), Randy Weston (p), Ron Carter, George Duvivier (b), Granville T. (G.T.) Hogan, Charli Persip, Max Roach (d), Armando Peraza (bo), Candido Camero de Guerra (cng), Melba Liston (con), Martha Flowers, Brock Peters, Tuntemeke Sanga (v)

Overview of the Suite:
Track a - Candido, Sanga, Olatunji, Peraza, Roach; no piano, guitar, bass or horns.
Track b - Full ensemble; piano and both basses featured and piccolo (Richardson) is heard.
Track c - Full ensemble; Peters and Flowers featured and baritone saxophone solo by Cecil Payne.
Track d - Full ensemble; Watkins French horn and Weston piano are featured; Olatunji is heard on flugelhorn.
Track e - Smaller ensemble made of Bailey and Hubbard (t), Cleveland (tb), Gryce (as), Johnson (ts), Burrell (g), Weston (p) with rhythm section and percussionists (Persip on drums). Each soloist takes 2 choruses on this blues waltz, the first with backing only by drums and percussion, the second with piano and bass joining in.

Johnny Coles (ldr), Johnny Coles (t), Kenny Drew, Randy Weston (p), Peck Morrison (b), Charli Persip (d)

Kenny Drew (p) on a; Randy Weston (p) on b-c.

Five more tracks were recorded for this album on April 10, 1961. Tom Lord’s The Jazz Discography (online version) indicates the following personnel for all 8 tracks recorded at the April 10 and 13 sessions based on information from "the Columbia files":
"Hi Fly" (take 2) - Coles, Weston, George Tucker (b), Persip (4/10)
"Hi Fly" (take 5) - Coles, Weston, George Tucker (b), Persip (4/10)
"Come Rain or Come Shine" - Coles, Drew, Morrison, Persip (4/10)
"Pretty Strange" - Coles, Weston, George Tucker (b), Persip (4/10)
"If I Should Lose You - Coles, Drew, Morrison, Persip (4/10)
"Room 3" - Coles, Drew, Morrison, Persip (4/13)
"Where" - Coles, Weston, George Tucker (b), Persip (4/13)
"Babe’s Blues" - Coles, Weston, George Tucker (b), Persip (4/13)

After listening closely to these tracks, I am forced to differ from these personnel assignments. Therefore I have not included the April 10 session in this discography because, in my opinion, Randy Weston is NOT present on any of the 5 tracks. This is especially apparent on the 2 takes of "Hi Fly" where the pianist is certainly Kenny Drew. The presence of bassist George Tucker in addition to Peck Morrison on these sessions is not suggested anywhere else, to the best of my knowledge.

Randy Weston (ldr), Ray Copeland (t, fh), Jimmy Cleveland, Quentin Jackson (tb), Julius Watkins (frh), Aaron Bell (tu), Budd Johnson (ss, ts), Booker Ervin (ts), Randy Weston (p), Peck Morrison (b), Frankie Dunlop (d, per), Charli Persip (d), Archie Lee (per, cng), George Young (per)

Randy Weston (ldr), Ray Copeland (t, fh), Booker Ervin (ts), Randy Weston (p, cel), Vishnu Bill Wood (b), Lenny McBrowne (d), Sir Harold Murray (per), Big Black (Danny Rey) (cng, v)

Ray Copeland (t) on a, c-f, (fh) on b; Booker Ervin (ts) on a-f; Randy Weston (p) on a-e, g, (cel) on f; Sir Harold Murray (per) on d-f; Big Black (Danny Rey) (cng) on d-f, (v) on f.

Randy Weston (p)

Randy Weston (ldr), Ray Copeland (t), Frank Haynes (ts), Randy Weston (p), Vishnu Bill Wood (b), Lenny McBrowne (d), Big Black (Danny Rey) (cng)

Ray Copeland (t) on b-c; Frank Haynes (ts) on a, c; Big Black (Danny Rey) (cng) on c.

The timings shown include no announcements and minimal applause.

Tracks an and b are taken at slow tempi and are not traditional 12-bar blues. Track a seems to have a 14-bar structure while b has a 32-bar structure. Track c is performed briskly with the African highlife feel.

Randy Weston (ldr), Randy Weston (p), Vishnu Bill Wood (b), Lenny McBrowne (d)

Randy Weston (ldr), Ray Copeland (fh), Booker Ervin (ts), Cecil Payne (bar), Randy Weston (p), Vishnu Bill Wood (b), Lenny McBrowne (d), Big Black (Danny Rey) (cng)

Randy Weston (ldr), Ray Copeland (t, fh), Booker Ervin (ts), Cecil Payne (bar), Randy Weston (p), Vishnu Bill Wood (b), Lenny McBrowne (d), Big Black (Danny Rey) (cng)

Ray Copeland (fh) on e; Big Black (Danny Rey) (cng) on a-b, e, g.

The set is introduced by Jimmy Lyons. Part of his intro overlaps with track a.

The timings shown do not include Randy Weston’s comments to the audience except for track g where he closes the set at the end of the performance.

Randy Weston (ldr), Randy Weston (p), Henri Texier (b), Arthur Taylor (d), Reebop Kwaku Baah (per, cng), Niles Azzedin Weston (cng)

Anthony Rebop Kwaku Baah (1944-1983) was a percussionist from Ghana who worked mainly with rock groups.

Charles Mingus (ldr), Jon Faddis, Lonnie Hillyer, Lloyd Michaels, Eddie Preston (t), Eddie Bert (tb), Dick Berg, Sharon Moe (frh), Bob Stewart (tu), George Dorsey, Lee Konitz, Charles McPherson (as), Richie Perri (as, f), Gene Ammons (ts), Bobby Jones (ts, cl), Howard Johnson (bar, bcl), Gerry Mulligan (bar), James Moody (f), Randy Weston (p), Milt Hinton (b), Joe Chambers (d), Teo Macero (con)

Randy Weston does not appear on any of the other pieces performed at this concert. The producer was Teo Macero.

Track b is an edited version of track a.

Randy Weston (ldr), John Frosk, Alan Rubin, Marvin Stamm (t, fh), Freddie Hubbard (t), Wayne Andre (tb, bh), Garnett Brown, Warren Covington (tb), Paul Faulise (btb), Jim Buffington, Brooks Tillotson (frh), Grover Washington, Jr. (ts), George Marge (cl, f, af, bf, enh), Romeo Penque (cl, pic, f, af, bf, o, enh), Hubert Laws (pic, f, af, bf), Randy Weston (elp), David Horowitz (snt), Ron Carter, Vishnu Bill Wood (b), Billy Cobham (d), Phil Kraus, Airto Moreira, Niles Azzedin Weston (per), Madame Meddah (v)

Madame Meddah (v) on d.

Blue Moses was Weston’s most commercially successful recording and received the top 5-star rating when reviewed in DownBeat Magazine (Nov. 23, 1972).

The personnel is collective.

"Blue Moses" on Kudu SS1 is edited to 5:12.

Randy Weston (ldr), Randy Weston (p), William Allen (b), C. Scoby Stroman (d), Sonny Morgan (per, cng)

Randy Weston (ldr), Ray Copeland, Jon Faddis, Ernie Royal (t, fh), Al Grey (tb), Jack Jeffers (btb), Julius Watkins (frh), Budd Johnson (ss, ts, cl), Norris Turney (as, pic), Billy Harper (ts, f), Danny Bank (bar, bcl, f), Omar Clay (mar, tmp), Ahmed Abdul-Malik (oud, spk), Randy Weston (p, elp), Ron Carter (b, eb), Rudy Collins (d), Taiwo Yusve Divali, Earl Williams (per), Candido Camero de Guerra (cng, spk), Niles Azzedin Weston (cng, kar), Delores Ivory Davis (v)

Ahmed Abdul-Malik (oud) on f, i, (spk) on f, i; Randy Weston (p) on a, d, f-g, i, (elp) on b-c, e, h; Ron Carter (b) on a, c-i, (eb) on b; Candido Camero de Guerra (spk) on a; Delores Ivory Davis (v) on g.

Tanjah means Tangier (city in norther Morocco where Randy Weston lIved) in Arabic.

"Hi Fly" is done with an Afro-Cuban feeling, "In Memory Of" with a rock feeling and "Little Niles" is taken at an unusually fast tempo. "Jamaica East" has a "highlife" feeling (Ghanian music genre).

In addition to conga drum, Niles Azzedin Weston plays karkaba a west African instrument and Divali plays ashiko, a west African drum.

Randy Weston (ldr), Billy Harper (ts, f), Randy Weston (p), William Allen (b), Famoudou Don Moye (d), Steve Berrios (per, cng)

Billy Harper (ts) on a, (f) on c; William Allen (b) on a, c; Famoudou Don Moye (d) on a, c; Steve Berrios (per) on a, c, (cng) on a, c.

The timings shown do not include announcements.

Track a is played briskly in an African highlife or calypso style.

The Jazz Discography indicates that Ahmed Abdul-Malik playing bass and oud joined the ensemble for two titles that have not been issued, "Isma" and "Sahel."

Randy Weston (p)

Randy Weston (p)

Randy Weston (p)

Randy Weston (p)

Randy Weston (p)

a, b, c, d;   e, f, g, h, i  performed as medleys

The composer of track b needs confirmation.

Tracks a-d comprise a medley 19:52 in duration. Tracks e-i comprise a medley 8:10 in duration.

Randy Weston (p)

Randy Weston (p) on g.

Randy Weston (ldr), Benny Bailey (t), Wilton Gaynair (ts), Randy Weston (p), Jimmy Woode (b), Arthur Taylor (d), Humberto Canto (per, cng)

f, g  performed as medley

Benny Bailey (t) on a-b, d, g-i; Wilton Gaynair (ts) on a-d, g-i; Jimmy Woode (b) on a-d, f-i; Arthur Taylor (d) on a-d, f-i; Humberto Canto (per) on a-b, d, f-i, (cng) on a-b, d, f-i.

Most of the tracks are incomplete. Tracks f-g are performed as a medley 27:26 in duration but it seems that only the end of "Buena Cosecha" is included.
,
Track e is an unaccompanied piano solo by Weston.

Randy Weston (ldr), Randy Weston (p), Alex Blake (b), Niles Azzedin Weston (cng)

This is the only track on any of the issues with Randy Weston. It is included among performances by mostly avant garde musicians including Ahmed Abdullah, Dave Burrell, Andrew Cyrille, Kalaparusha, Ken McIntyre, Julius Hemphill and many others.

Randy Weston, Vishnu Bill Wood (ldr), Randy Weston (p), Vishnu Bill Wood (b)

Randy Weston (p) on a-c, e; Vishnu Bill Wood (b) on a, c-e.

Track b is a piano solo. Track d is a bass solo.

Randy Weston (ldr), Randy Weston (p), Wilbur Little (b), Niles Azzedin Weston (per, cng)

Randy Weston (p)

Randy Weston (p)

Randy Weston (ldr), Randy Weston (p), Richard Davis (b), Famoudou Don Moye (d)

b, c;   d, e, f  performed as medleys

Randy Weston (ldr) on a-b, d-f, (p) on a-b, d-f; Richard Davis (b) on a-b, d-f; Famoudou Don Moye (d) on a-b, d-f.

The timings shown do not include announcements or applause.

Track e is incorrectly introduced as "Elephant Tusk." Track c is a fragment of Weston’s theme song under his set-ending comments.

This is an NPR broadcast. It can be auditioned on YouTube.

Randy Weston (ldr), Randy Weston (p), Thomas 'Tiaz' Palmer (b), Tommy Campbell (d)

Thomas 'Tiaz' Palmer (b) on a-b, d-e; Tommy Campbell (d) on a-b, d-e.

Track c is an unaccompanied Weston piano solo.

Track a is called "Portrait of Dizzy Gillespie."

Randy Weston (p)

Randy Weston (ldr), Randy Weston (p), Wilbur Little (b), Niles Azzedin Weston (per, cng)

a, b  performed as medley

Wilbur Little (b) on a-f; Niles Azzedin Weston (per) on a-f, (cng) on a-f.

Tracks a-f are the trio performances. The timings shown includes Weston’s announcements.

Tracks g-j are the solo performances three of which are incomplete.

Tracks a-b comprise a medley 15:29 in duration.

Randy Weston (p)

a, b  performed as medley

Tracks a-b constitute a medley 16:01 in duration.

The timings shown include applause and announcements.

Track h includes snippets or longer passages of "Well, You Needn’t," "Con Alma," "It Don’t Mean a Thing," "Take the A Train," "I Mean You," "Monk’s Mood," "A Night in Tunisia" and "Ruby My Dear."

Randy Weston (ldr), Idrees Sulieman (t), Randy Weston (p), Jamil Nasser [George Joyner] (b), Frank Gant (d), Big Black (Danny Rey) (per, cng), John Towner Williams (con), Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra (var)

c, d, e  performed as medley

This was the world premiere of Three African Queens which was commissioned by the National Center of Afro-American Artists and funded by the Massachusetts Council on the Arts and Humanities.

Personnel of the orchestra are not known.

Big Black plays tumbas which are a type of conga drum.

Not auditioned.

Marian McPartland, Randy Weston (p)

Marian McPartland (p) on c-d, f-g; Randy Weston (p) on a-c, e-g.

Randy Weston (p)

Randy Weston (p)

This is the only track on the Monk compilation on which Randy Weston appears.

The CD issues actually have fewer tracks than the double LPs.

Roy Brooks, Randy Weston (ldr), Randy Weston (p), Roy Brooks (d, per)

The rest of the album includes Brooks’ duets with trumpeter Woody Shaw, and pianists Don Pullen and Geri Allen.

Brooks performs on "singing saw" in addition to drum set and percussion.

The two titles are preceded by an approximately one minute-long spoken introduction by Weston.

Randy Weston (ldr), Johnny Griffin (ts), Randy Weston (p), Richard Davis (b), Art Blakey (d)

a, b, c  performed as medley

Johnny Griffin (ts) on e-g; Randy Weston (p) on a-d, f-g; Richard Davis (b) on e-g; Art Blakey (d) on d, f-g.

Tracks a-c are performed as a solo piano medley. Track d is a Weston - Blakey duet. Track e is a Griffin - Davis duet. Tracks f-g are the only quartet performances.

Later in the evening, these 4 musicians joined the Dizzy Gillespie Quartet and the Machito Orchestra for a specially commissioned, grand finale performance of Weston’s "African Sunrise," arranged by Melba Liston. A recording of this performance exists and is stored at the Weston archive at Harvard University.

The 7 titles above have been issued as a Spotify digital album entitled Days of Longing (Live Chicago ’84) (2024). The set was broadcast on Chicago Public Radio WBEZ.

Randy Weston (ldr), Johnny Coles, Stanton Davis, Virgil Jones, Richard Williams (t), Al Grey, Benny Powell (tb), Greg Williams (frh), Greg Maker (tu), Talib Kibwe [T.K. Blue], Norris Turney (as, f), Billy Harper, Harold Vick (ts, f), Cecil Payne (bar), Randy Weston (p), George Duvivier (b), Charli Persip (d), Big Black (Danny Rey) (per), Sam Kelly (bo), Melba Liston (con), Shirley Steward-Farmer (v)

Shirley Steward-Farmer (v) on b.

These tracks are NOT from the actual Brooklyn Academy of Music concert which took place the night before, February 16, 1985. These tracks were recorded the next day, in a Brooklyn studio.

In+Out IOR 77168-1 is a limited edition, mixed media box set made up of both 180 g. LPs and CDs.

Randy Weston (p)

c, d  performed as medley

These performances were broadcast on CBC’s Jazz Beat program.

Tracks c and d comprise a medley 14:13 in duration.

Track a is listed on the CD as "Untitled."

The CD includes an interview with Randy Weston.

Randy Weston (ldr), Benny Bailey (t), George Lewis, Benny Powell (tb), Talib Kibwe [T.K. Blue] (as), Sahib Shihab (bar), Randy Weston (p), Wilbur Little (b), Clyde Lucas (d), Sam Kelly (per), Hale Smith (con)

Benny Bailey (t) on a-b, d; George Lewis (tb) on a, d; Benny Powell (tb) on a, d; Talib Kibwe [T.K. Blue] (as) on a, c-d; Sahib Shihab (bar) on a, d; Wilbur Little (b) on a, d; Clyde Lucas (d) on a, d; Sam Kelly (per) on a, d; Hale Smith (con) on a, d.

Track b is a Weston/Bailey duo. Track c is a Weston/Blue duo.

Not auditioned.

Randy Weston (ldr), Benny Bailey (t), George Lewis, Benny Powell (tb), Talib Kibwe [T.K. Blue] (ss, as, f), Sahib Shihab (bar), Randy Weston (p), Wilbur Little (b), Clyde Lucas (d), Sam Kelly (per), Hale Smith (con), unknown (v)

c, d  performed as medley

unknown (v) on g.

These live performances were recorded for Swiss television. See:
Montreux Jazz Festival Archive
Library of Congress Website

In+Out IOR 77168-1 is a limited edition, mixed media box set made up of both 180 g. LPs and CDs.

Tracks c and d comprise a solo piano medley 7:41 in duration. Track e includes band introductions. There are two unidentified (video not seen) scat vocalists on track g. Track h is a brief piano solo.

David Murray, Randy Weston (ldr), David Murray (ts, bcl), Randy Weston (p)

David Murray (ts) on a, d, (bcl) on b-c.

Monty Alexander, Randy Weston (ldr), Monty Alexander, Randy Weston (p), Eric Asanté, Bobby Thomas (per)