Weston Randy & Alexander Monty
Montreux, Zaragoza & Ramatuelle Jazz Festivals 1988
Label: In + Out
Genre: Jazz / Avant Garde
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piano legend Randy Weston with three albums featuring
previously unreleased live material.
Montreux, Zaragoza & Ramatuelle Jazz Festivals 1988
Randy Weston & Monty Alexander – two master pianists
in dialogue. In 1988, their duo performances in Montreux,
Zaragoza, and Ramatuelle revealed jazz as a vibrant
conversation between continents, styles, and spirits.
Randy Weston had many faces. That’s why the third part of the
tribute marking his 100th birthday does not once again focus on
big bands, but rather on the smallest possible ensemble—the
duo. The encounters between him and Monty Alexander in
1988 rank among the most dazzling performances of two great,
versatile, and above all unconventional pianists who could be
admired on public stages at that time.
The fact that Randy Weston was joined by Eric Asanté from
Ghana and Monty Alexander by his Jamaican compatriot Bobby
Thomas—each bringing their own percussionist—does not
invalidate the term “duo.” On the contrary, the buoyant rhythms
only amplify the power of the two pianos. This congenial
partnership served as a vivid reminder that jazz does not have
to be solely an American art form, but rather a living dialogue
between continents, histories, and identities. Weston and
Alexander spoke different dialects of the same language. Yet their
message was always the same: in jazz, it matters as much where
we come from as where we are going.
1. Hi Fly (11:47)
2. Blue Moses (08:48)
3. Caravan (07:06)
4. Hi Fly (10:03)
5. Blue Monk (11:12)
6. St Thomas (08:56)
7. Blue Moses (17:47)
Randy Weston piano
Monty Alexander piano
Eric Asanté african percussion
Robert (Bobby) Thomas hand drums
&
The summit meeting of these two grand masters of the keyboard
took place in 1988 at the initiative of Spanish promoter Jordi
Suñol. The tour led from the Montreux Jazz Festival to Zaragoza
and finally to the picturesque Mediterranean village of
Ramatuelle in southern France. For the concerts, they agreed that
in the first part each would perform with his own percussionist,
while in the second part they would join forces on stage. Since
there already exists a considerable number of solo recordings by
both Randy Weston and Monty Alexander, the newly released
tracks focus on their magnificent intermezzi from the second
set—moments that drew their incredible energy from deep
mutual admiration. Once again, both “Hi-Fly” and “Blue Moses”
can be heard in two distinct versions, the fascination lying in how
Weston and Alexander made the same pieces sound completely
different, even though only a few days separated the recordings.
In addition, a wonderfully colorful rendition of Thelonious Monk’s
“Blue Monk” stands out as a luminous example of their shared
musical language.