Count Basie & His Orchestra – Afrique

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Afrique is a 1971 studio album by Count Basie and his orchestra, arranged & conducted by Oliver Nelson released by the Flying Dutchman label.

AllMusic reviewer Bruce Eder stated: “In late 1970, more than 35 years into his career as a bandleader, Count Basie, working with producer Bob Thiele and arranger/conductor/saxman Oliver Nelson, went into the studio and cut this album of big band blues built on recent compositions — and they made it sound cutting-edge and as urgent as anything the man had ever turned his talent toward. … Afrique is one of a handful of absolutely essential post-big band-era albums by him”.

Track listing:
All compositions by Oliver Nelson except where noted

“Step Right Up” – 4:15
“Hobo Flats” – 6:13
“Gypsy Queen” – 4:00 (Gabor Szabo)
“Love Flower” – 2:53 (Albert Ayler)
“Afrique” – 3:06
“Kilimanjaro” – 6:52
“African Sunrise” – 5:11
“Japan” – 5:05 (Pharoah Sanders)

Personnel:
The Count Basie Orchestra:
Bill Adkins – alto sax
Bob Ashton – alto, baritone & tenor sax, flute
Count Basie – organ, piano
Paul Cohen – trumpet, flugelhorn
George Cohn – trumpet, flugelhorn
Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis – tenor sax
Eric Dixon – flute, tenor sax
Steven Galloway – trombone
Freddie Green – guitar
Bill Hughes – trombone
Harold Jones – drums
Norman Keenan – bass
Richard Landrum – percussion
Hubert Laws – flute
Buddy Lucas – harmonica
Pete Minger – trumpet, flugelhorn
Sonny Morgan – bongos
Oliver Nelson – arranger, conductor, tenor sax
Bobby Plater – alto sax, flute
Cecil Payne – baritone sax, flute
Waymon Reed – trumpet, flugelhorn
Warren Smith, Jr. – drums, percussion, vibes
Mel Wanzo – trombone
John Watson – trombone
John Williams – bass

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Released: 1971
Recorded: December 22 & 23, 1970
Studio: RCA Studio A, New York
Length: 37:36
Label: Flying Dutchman
Producer: Bob Thiele