Kwanza (album)

Kwanza is an album by Archie Shepp released on Impulse! in 1974. The album contains tracks recorded from September 1968 to August 1969 by Shepp with four different ensembles.

Kwanza
Studio album by Archie Shepp
Released	1974
Recorded	September 9, 1968; February 17 and August 26, 1969 RCA Studios, New York City February 26, 1969 National Recording Studios, New York City
Genre	Jazz
Label	Impulse! AS-9262
Producer	Bob Thiele, Ed Michel
Archie Shepp chronology
For Losers (1969) Kwanza (1974) Live at the Pan-African Festival (1969)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]
The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide	[2]

Reception

The AllMusic review by Thom Jurek stated: "Kwanza may not be one of Shepp's better known recordings, but it is certainly one of his fine ones".^[3]

Track listing

All compositions by Archie Shepp, except as indicated

1. "Back Back" - 5:45
2. "Spoo Pee Doo" - 2:38
3. "New Africa" (Grachan Moncur III) - 12:50
4. "Slow Drag" - 10:09
5. "Bakai" (Cal Massey) - 9:59

Recorded September 9, 1968 (track 2), February 17, 1969 (track 1) August 26, 1969 (track 4) and February 26, 1969 (tracks 3 & 5).

Personnel

• Archie Shepp - tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone
• Martin Banks - trumpet, flugelhorn (track 2)
• Robin Kenyatta - alto saxophone, flute (track 2)
• Andrew Bey - piano (track 2)
• Bert Payne - guitar (track 2)
• Albert Winston - electric bass, bass (track 2)
• Beaver Harris - drums (tracks 2, 3 & 5)
• Leon Thomas - lead vocals (track 2)
• Tasha Thomas, Doris Troy - backing vocals (track 2)
• Jimmy Owens - trumpet (tracks 1, 3 & 5)
• Grachan Moncur III - trombone (tracks 1, 3 & 5)
• James Spaulding - alto saxophone (track 1)
• Charles Davis - baritone saxophone (tracks 1, 3 & 5)
• Dave Burrell - organ (track 1), piano (tracks 3 & 5)
• Wally Richardson - guitar (track 1)
• Bob Bushnell - electric bass (track 1)
• Bernard Purdie - drums (track 1)
• Walter Booker - bass (tracks 3 & 5)
• Woody Shaw - trumpet (track 4)
• Matthew Gee - trombone (track 4)
• Clarence Sharpe - alto saxophone
• Cecil Payne - baritone saxophone, flute (track 4)
• Cedar Walton - piano (track 4)
• Wilbur Ware - bass (track 4)
• Joe Chambers - drums (track 4)