Every tune for this show includes a musician/musicians who jammed together in New York in 1976 on what was to become Martin Luther King Day. They produced music for Black Renaissance – but indeed all the selections for this show speak of Black renaissance and empowerment.

1. Roy Ayers Ubiquity – We Live in Brooklyn Baby from He’s Coming/Roy Ayers – a Shining Symbol

This show is based around a one-off group formed by piano/keyboard player, producer, arranger and composer Harry Whitaker. One of the people he composed for was vibes player Roy Ayers and We Live in Brooklyn Baby is a popular Roy Ayers Ubiquity classic, composed by Harry Whitaker and on which he played keyboards. The line-up also included the jazz great Ron Carter on bass and Billy Cobham on percussion and it was recorded at the Rudy Van Gelder studios with the man himself as studio engineer. The tune  raises the question of who lives in Brooklyn – and the answer is We Live in Brooklyn Baby and in case of any doubt But we’re gonna make it, baby and what is more Our time is now – clearly a statement of  community rights, Afrocentricity and Black empowerment are themes that run through this first tunes and the work of all the musicians featured in this Cosmic Jazz show. On top of that this is just a great, hummable tune.

2. Black Renaissance – Black Renaissance from Body, Mind & Spirit

Harry Whitaker probably made his most significant earnings working closely with Roberta Flack as her musical director. But on what was to become Martin Luther King Day – 15 January, 1976 – at Sound Ideas Studio in New York City the 26-year-old Whitaker was responsible for a highly significant and original jazz recording of two long tunes, both written by him.  This was to become the only album of Black Renaissance. The evidence suggests that, unlike work with Roberta Flack, it brought him little in earnings – but what a legacy. A copy of the master tapes were later sent to Japanese jazz label Baystate who privately pressed the album without a deal ever being signed. Whitaker received no royalties and the tapes were seemingly lost until they were found when the house of a friend of Whitaker’s was burned down years later – with the tapes being rescued from the fire. Those Baystate Japanese pressings are near impossible to find, but luckily the album was finally reissued with Whitaker’s approval on the Luv N’ Haight label ‎in 2002.  It is an improvised masterpiece that opens with swirls from Whitaker’s piano and builds and builds through to quote the liner notes: Afrocentric spiritual soul, jazz poetry, a tasty bass line or two and more than a fair share of funky beats. Whitaker himself has recalled the atmosphere of the session: The studio was packed, it was like a party celebration or a gathering. It was full of people who appreciated music and that helped the energy and the vibe, we were able to bounce ideas off the crowd. There are solos, poetry and even rapping on it, all of it improvised. They say the first rap records came out in 1976, maybe mine was one of the first?  And the record is indeed one of the very first record to combine jazz and rap, Recorded in one take, you feel the spontaneity and energy, especially as the studio was packed with invited friends and industry people, including Roberta Flack and a current and past partner reciting poetry. It all helped to generate a party vibe. As for the musicians who joined Whitaker – what a line-up! Woody Shaw on trumpet, Azar Lawrence tenor and soprano sax, David Schnitter on tenor, Buster Williams on bass, Billy Hart on drums and percussion, and Mtume and Earl Bennett on percussion. Derek and Neil both think that this tune is up there with the very best – and so did Gilles Peterson in the sleeve notes – and because of this (and because it still needs to be heard much more widely), Derek has resolved to play it once a year on Cosmic Jazz.

3.  Azar Lawrence –  Lost Tribes of Lemuria from The Seeker 

Every selection in the show has been chosen because it includes at least one musician who played on Black Renaissance. Tenor and soprano saxophone player Azar Lawrence is next. Born in Los Angeles, Lawrence soon met drummer Elvin Jones who persuaded him to head to New York. Like Harry Whitaker, Lawrence’s career has combined jazz and soul projects. He too worked with Roberta Flack as well as Earth Wind and Fire, Ike and Tina Turner and Charles Wright. He has also an impressive CV of work for more great jazz musicians including McCoy Tyner, Miles Davis and Freddie Hubbard This 2011 tune, though, is from a group that Azar Lawrence put together himself many years after Black Renaissance. A live recording from Jazz Standard in New York City. it features Lawrence with an opening solo, followed by pianist Benito Gonzales before  trumpeter Nicholas Payton joins in with a fiery solo. There is a full-on sound when the brass combines with Jeff ‘Tain’ Watts on drums and Essiet Oken Essiet on bass. This album is a CJ recommendation – as is the very recent vinyl release of Lawrence’s People Moving album on the Real Gone Music label.

4. Eddie Harris – Free Speech from Free Speech/The Eddie Harris Anthology

Billy Hart, the drummer on Black Renaissance, is behind the kit here too – and credited as a co-writer for Free Speech, originally released on the 1970 Eddie Harris album of the same name. It is a number free of sound and spirit, in many ways most unlike the music often associated with Eddie Harris who here, though usually associated with the sax, provides a sparkling trumpet solo. Billy Hart, now 84 years old, was born in Washington D.C. but – like many jazz artists – moved to New York. His career has taken him not only into performance but also as an educator at Conservatory and University level as well as in a private capacity. Lik eLawrence, his music has covered soul and jazz, working with impressive names from across these areas. They range from Sam and Dave and Otis Redding to McCoy Tyner, Miles Davis, Shirley Horn, Wayne Shorter, Joe Zawinul. Stan Getz and Herbie Hancock.

5. McCoy Tyner – La Cubana from Sama Layuca

The name of the great pianist McCoy Tyner has come up more than once as a musician associated with players from Black Renaissance. It is appropriate, therefore, that we end the show with the Tyner number La Cubana from his superb 1974 Milestone album Sama Layuca. This tune and the album includes no less than four members of Black Renaissance: Azar Lawrence on tenor and soprano, Buster Williams on bass, Mtume on conga drums and percussion and Billy Hart on drums. This tune is pure fire. It is an extended workout of improvisatory music based on African and Cuban roots, with mesmerising and super fast piano from Tyner, with the same description going for the vibraphone of Bobby Hutcherson, positive sax playing from Azar Lawrence and heavy bass and percussive workouts underpinning and driving the tune along. Wow! What a way to end any show and a fitting link to Black Renaissance.

Derek is listening to…

•  Dennis Brown – I’m Coming Home Tonight
• Richie Spice – Earth A Run Red
• Stephen Marley – Mind Control (Acoustic Version)
• Stephen Marley – Fed Up
• Kanda Bongo Man – Dyna

Neil is listening to…

• Crusaders feat. Randy Crawford – Street Life (Opolopo Rebounce)
• Citrus Sun – Down For the Third Time
• Michael Franks – Woman in the Waves
• Nubiyan Twist and Nile Rogers – Lights Out
• Olli Aventlahti – Mirror Mirror