Famaudou Don Moye and Enoch Williamson: Afrikan Song

Subtitled Sun Percussion Summit & More, this recording is in the manner of a percussion discussion on Africana. An organic recording preaching, teaching, and celebrating the Motherland, the venerable Art Ensemble of Chicago and Lester Bowie Brass Fantasy percussionist, and his partner Enoch Williamson, are joined by ten other percussionist-soothsayers, and on occasion the late bassist Bobo Brown (Oscar Brown III), keyboard, and guitar. Of particular note are the two poetic contributions of bass-baritone “wordist” G’Ra, who should have been included on more of this recording.

The imagery is rife on this outing, an example being the track “Welcome/Diaspora Express,” with its ominous train-approaching soundscape; as though that locomotive is operating on the railroad of old African bones at the bottom of the Atlantic that poet Amiri Baraka speaks of in one of his epics. Unexpected is the R&B classic “Just My Imagination,” given an Afro doo wop treatment. “Ditto” the infectious funk line “Big Red Peaches,” from the unexpected pen of Roscoe Mitchell, imbued by the added guitar.

Originally Published March 1, 1997