Afro-Cuban (album)

Afro-Cuban
Studio album by
ReleasedEnd of October 1955 (10")[1]
End of May 1957 (12")[2]
RecordedJanuary 30 and March 29, 1955
StudioVan Gelder Studio
Hackensack, NJ
GenreJazz
Length18:53 (10")
35:08 (12")
45:44 (CD)
LabelBlue Note
BLP 5065 (10")
BLP 1535 (12")
ProducerAlfred Lion
Kenny Dorham chronology
Kenny Dorham Quintet
(1953)
Afro-Cuban
(1955)
'Round About Midnight at the Cafe Bohemia
(1956)
Alternative cover
10" Vinyl (1955) artwork

Afro-Cuban is an album by American jazz trumpeter Kenny Dorham, recorded for Blue Note on March 29, 1955 and released later that year on the Blue Note Modern Jazz Series, shortly before the label discontinued the format. It was soon reissued on the new 1500 series, recompiled with a session by an early incarnation of the ensemble, with new cover art.[2]

Reception[edit]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[3]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings [4]

The AllMusic review by Michael G. Nastos states, "A first-rate recording for the under-appreciated Dorham, this one should be in every collection of all true music lovers."[3]

Track listing[edit]

10" LP, BLP 5065[edit]

All tracks are written by Kenny Dorham, except as noted.

Side 1
No.TitleDate recordedLength
1."Afrodisia"March 29, 19555:06
2."Lotus Flower"March 29, 19554:17
Side 2
No.TitleWriter(s)Date recordedLength
1."Minor's Holiday" March 29, 19554:27
2."Basheer's Dream"Gigi GryceMarch 29, 19555:03

LP, BLP 1535[edit]

All tracks are written by Kenny Dorham, except as noted.

Side 1
No.TitleWriter(s)Date recordedLength
1."Afrodisia" March 29, 19555:06
2."Lotus Flower" March 29, 19554:17
3."Minor's Holiday" March 29, 19554:27
4."Basheer's Dream"Gigi GryceMarch 29, 19555:03
Side 2
No.TitleDate recordedLength
1."K.D.'s Motion"January 30, 19555:29
2."La Villa"January 30, 19555:24
3."Venita's Dance"January 30, 19555:22

CD reissues[edit]

1987 reissue
No.TitleWriter(s)Date recordedLength
1."Afrodisia" March 29, 19555:02
2."Lotus Flower" March 29, 19554:15
3."Minor's Holiday" March 29, 19554:25
4."Minor's Holiday" (alternate take) March 29, 19554:21
5."Basheer's Dream"Gigi GryceMarch 29, 19555:00
6."K.D.'s Motion" January 30, 19555:25
7."La Villa" January 30, 19555:20
8."Venita's Dance" January 30, 19555:18
9."K.D.'s Cab Ride" January 30, 19556:06
  • The 2007 RVG edition restores the original track order, placing the alternate take of "Minor's Holiday" at the end, and retitles "K.D.'s Cab Ride" to "Echo of Spring".

Personnel[edit]

Musicians[edit]

January 30, 1955[edit]

March 29, 1955[edit]

Technical personnel[edit]

Original[edit]

Reissue[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Billboard Nov 5, 1955
  2. ^ a b Billboard May 20, 1957
  3. ^ a b Nastos, M. G. Allmusic Review accessed September 28, 2010
  4. ^ Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2008). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings (9th ed.). Penguin. p. 392. ISBN 978-0-141-03401-0.