BIG BLACK — Elements Of Now! (review)

BIG BLACK — Elements Of Now! album cover Album · 1968 · African Fusion Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
js
Big Black is the name for the renowned percussionist who was born under the name Danny Ray. At an early age, Black left his home in Georgia and headed for Florida and the Bahamas so he could learn the conga drum while playing with top musicians in calypso and salsa bands. Returning to the US northeast, Black became a top percussionist in the world of jazz as he performed with Dizzy Gillespie, Sun Ra, Pharoh Sanders, Eric Dolphy and many others. In the late 60s, when the jazz world was at a sort of experimental peak, he put out a couple albums as a leader. “Elements of Now” is one of those albums and it displays Black’s knowledge and expertise in a variety of African derived rhythms that became popular in Cuba, the Bahamas, the US and elsewhere. Black is joined on here by a small horn section, a couple guitarists, a drummer and a bass player, but the star of the show is Big Black and his African Kongo drum.

This album is all bout the rhythm and features several tracks in that RnB flavored Cuban groove known as boogaloo, a style made popular by Mongo Santamaria. In fact, side one closer, “La De Da”, has enough dance potential that it could have been a hit, but that apparently didn’t happen. Other songs on “Elements of Now” venture into calypso, swing boogie and more pronounced African flavors with closing track, “Burundi Pose”, getting into fairly abstract almost avant-garde territory. If there is a missing link between Sun Ra and Mongo, then this album might be it. There are some horn solos, particularly from the two saxophonists, but also occasional rides from the guitarists and the tuba meisters too. The main feature of this album though is the many percussion breakdowns that feature Black and his drum while the others hold steady patterns, including the guitarists who are masters of the Jimmy Nolan style repeating guitar riff. Fans of Pharoh Sanders, Sun Ra and the more experimental side of Afro-Cuban jazz will find a lot to like here.
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Jazz Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

JMA TOP 5 Jazz ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
A Love Supreme Post Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
Kind of Blue Cool Jazz
MILES DAVIS
Buy this album from our partners
The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady Progressive Big Band
CHARLES MINGUS
Buy this album from our partners
Blue Train Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
My Favorite Things Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners

New Jazz Artists

New Jazz Releases

Utopia Eclectic Fusion
OLIVER LUTZ
Buy this album from MMA partners
Charlie Pyne Quartet : Nature Is A Mother Vocal Jazz
CHARLIE PYNE
Buy this album from MMA partners
Norma Winstone & Kit Downes : Outpost of Dreams Vocal Jazz
NORMA WINSTONE
Buy this album from MMA partners
Djabe & Steve Hackett : When the Sound Turns Sweet Fusion
DJABE
Buy this album from MMA partners
Francesca Avant-Garde Jazz
DAVID MURRAY
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Jazz Online Videos

Lift
DAVE WILSON (US/NZ)
js· 15 hours ago
Nature is a Mother
CHARLIE PYNE
js· 15 hours ago
Marta Warelis solo @ FourOneOne 5-11-23
MARTA WARELIS
js· 1 day ago
The Chapparrals - Shake Your Head (US, 1978) [Full LP] {Funk, Disco, Soul} ??ULTRA RARE KILLER LP??
THE CHAPPARRALS
js· 2 days ago
Argyle - Art Installation (Full Album)
ARGYLE
js· 2 days ago
More videos

New JMA Jazz Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Jazz News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed