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Michael Blake: Afro Blake

By Ludovico Granvassu
March 23, 2023
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Africa seems to have been a special source of inspiration for

Michael Blake

saxophone, tenor
b.1964

" data-original-title="" title="">Michael Blake, as compositions like "Addis Abeba" (Elevated), "Malagasy" (Combobulate), "Mauritania" (Buzz), "Road to Lusaka" (In the Grand Scheme of Things), "Africa Used to Be Home" (More Like Us) or "Surfing Sahara" (Elevated ) attest. They are all characterized by memorable themes and an instantly recognizable sound, but there's one song that is like a "first among equals" and leaves a deep mark every time I listen to it, "Afro-Blake" (Drift, Intuition Records, 2000), his take on Afrobeat and

Fela Kuti

saxophone
1938 - 1997

" data-original-title="" title="">Fela Kuti, a world he was first exposed to in the ranks of

John Lurie

saxophone
b.1952

" data-original-title="" title="">John Lurie's

Lounge Lizards

" data-original-title="" title="">Lounge Lizards.

The hooky signature bass lines of

Ben Allison

bass, acoustic
b.1966

" data-original-title="" title="">Ben Allison and afrobeat guitar of

Tony Scherr

bass

" data-original-title="" title="">Tony Scherr ignite

Matt Wilson

drums
b.1964

" data-original-title="" title="">Matt Wilson's and

Mauro Refosco

percussion

" data-original-title="" title="">Mauro Refosco's propulsion of a horn section (including

Steven Bernstein

trumpet
b.1961

" data-original-title="" title="">Steven Bernstein,

Ron Horton

trumpet
b.1948

" data-original-title="" title="">Ron Horton and

Peck Allmond

trumpet

" data-original-title="" title="">Peck Allmond) which manages to combine the torrid sounds from Fela Kuti's legendary Shrine with

Duke Ellington

piano
1899 - 1974

" data-original-title="" title="">Duke Ellington's jungle sound. Then

Marcus Rojas

tuba
b.1963

" data-original-title="" title="">Marcus Rojas lifts off and—to use Blake's own words—him and

Briggan Krauss

saxophone

" data-original-title="" title="">Briggan Krauss sandstorm the village, while the brass section continues to act like a tour guide to post-modern jazz. Then Allison and Scherr co-pilot this groove airliner back from Lagos to JFK.

Contact Ludovico Granvassu on All About Jazz.
I'm the Editor-in-Chief of All About Jazz Italia, host of Mondo Jazz on Radio Free Brooklyn and was once visited by Frank Zappa's ghost.... he was funny too.

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