Afro/American Sketches

Afro/American Sketches
Studio album by Oliver Nelson Orchestra
Released June 1962
Recorded September 29 & November 10, 1961
Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs
Genre Jazz
Length 41:30
Label Prestige
PRLP 7225
Oliver Nelson Orchestra chronology

Main Stem
(1961)		 Afro/American Sketches
(1962)		 Full Nelson
(1962)
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic [1]
Down Beat [2]


Afro/American Sketches is a jazz album by Oliver Nelson recorded in late 1961 and released in 1962. It is his first big band album as a leader.[3]

In a June 7, 1962 review for Down Beat magazine jazz critic Richard B. Hadlock said this of Nelson: "In his penchant for melodic simplicity and inner complexity he is close to the secret of Duke Ellington's most enduring scores, and in his thick linear voicings there are echoes of Gil Evans at his best."[4]

Track listing

All tracks composed by Nelson.

  1. "Message" – 5:56
  2. "Jungleaire" – 6:33
  3. "Emancipation Blues" – 8:11
  4. "There's a Yearnin'" – 4:24
  5. "Going Up North" – 6:11
  6. "Disillusioned" – 5:36
  7. "Freedom Dance" – 4:39

Recorded on September 29 (#1, 3, 4, 6, 7) and November 10 (#2, 5), 1961.

Performers

Tracks 2, 5

Tracks 1, 3, 4, 6, 7

References

  1. ↑ Allmusic review
  2. ↑ Down Beat: June 7, 1962 vol. 29, no. 12
  3. ↑ Afro/American Sketches at Jazzdisco
  4. ↑ Down Beat: June 7, 1962 vol. 29, no. 12