''African Cookbook'' is an album by

Randy Weston Randolph Edward "Randy" Weston (April 6, 1926 – September 1, 2018) was an American jazz pianist and composer whose creativity was inspired by his ancestral African connection. Weston's piano style owed much to Duke Ellington and Thelonious ...

's African Rhythms. The set of quintet performances was recorded in

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), ma ...

, France. It was released by Comet Records in 1969. The title track was inspired by the playing of tenor saxophonist Booker Ervin, who recorded with Weston between 1963 and 1966. Weston said: African Cookbook', which I composed back in the early '60s, was partly named after Booker because we (musicians) used to call him 'Book,' and we would say, 'Cook, Book.' Sometimes when he was playing we'd shout, 'Cook, Book, cook.' And the melody of 'African Cookbook' was based upon Booker Ervin's sound, a sound like the north of Africa. He would kind of take those notes and make them weave hypnotically.""Monterey '66"
Discography, Randy Weston African Rhythms website.

Track listing

''All compositions by Randy Weston except as indicated'' # "African Cookbook" - 14:06 # "A Night in Medina" - 4:43 # "Jajouka" - 6:06 # "Marrakech Blues" - 6:14 # "

Con Alma "Con Alma" is a jazz standard written by Dizzy Gillespie, appearing on his 1954 album '' Afro''. The tune incorporates aspects of bebop jazz and Latin rhythm, and is known for its frequent changes in key centers (occurring every two bars), while s ...

" ( Dizzy Gillespie) - 4:49 # "Afro Black" - 2:59

Personnel

– piano *Henry Texier – bass * Art Taylor – drums *Azzedin Niles Weston,

Reebop Kwaku Baah Anthony "Rebop" Kwaku Baah (13 February 1944 – 12 January 1983) was a Ghanaian percussionist who worked with the 1970s rock groups Traffic and Can. Biography Baah was born on 13 February 1944, in Konongo, Gold Coast. In 1969, Baah performe ...

– percussion

References

{{Authority control Randy Weston albums 1969 albums Polydor Records albums