The Black Messiah

The Black Messiah is a live album by jazz saxophonist Cannonball Adderley recorded at the Troubadour in Los Angeles, California in 1970 featuring performances by Adderley's Quintet with Nat Adderley, George Duke, Walter Booker and Roy McCurdy with guest appearances by Airto Moreira, Mike Deasy, Ernie Watts, Alvin Batiste, and Buck Clarke.^[2] The Allmusic review by Richard S. Ginell awarded the album 4 stars and states "Still immersed in the burgeoning electronic jazz-rock explosion of the times, Cannonball Adderley goes further toward a rapprochement with the rock and soul audiences than ever before on this fascinating, overlooked double album".^[3]

Track listing

All compositions by Julian "Cannonball" Adderley except as indicated

1. Introduction - 0:50
2. "Black Messiah" (George Duke) - 16:12
3. Monologue - 2:20
4. "Little Benny Hen" (Mike Deasy) - 4:15
5. "Zanek" (Deasy) - 5:07
6. "Dr. Honouris Cousa" (Joe Zawinul) - 14:48
7. "The Chocolate Nuisance" (Nat Adderley, Roy McCurdy) - 8:22
8. "Untitled" (Airto Moreira) - 6:21
9. "The Steam Drill" - 8:42
10. "Eyes of the Cosmos" (Ernie Watts) - 4:51
11. "Episode from the Music Came" (Alvin Batiste) - 2:39
12. "Heritage" (Duke Ellington) - 4:43
13. "Circumference" (Duke) - 3:18
14. "Pretty Paul" - 2:48
15. "The Scene" (Nat Adderley, Zawinul) - 2:16

• Recorded at The Troubadour in Los Angeles, CA in 1970

Personnel

• Cannonball Adderley - alto saxophone, soprano saxophone
• Nat Adderley - cornet, vocals
• George Duke - piano
• Walter Booker - bass
• Roy McCurdy - drums
• Airto Moreira - percussion
• Mike Deasy - guitar, vocals (tracks 4, 5, 7, 10, 11 & 13-15)
• Ernie Watts - tenor saxophone (tracks 4, 5, 8, 10, 11 & 13-15)
• Alvin Batiste - clarinet (tracks 11 & 13-15)
• Buck Clarke - African percussion (tracks 7 & 13-15)

References