Afro (album)

Afro is a studio album by the jazz trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie. It was released in November 1954 through Norgran Records. Gillespie worked with many Cuban musicians on the album.

Reception

The AllMusic review states: "Pairing Dizzy Gillespie with Cuban arranger/composer Chico O'Farrill produced a stunning session which originally made up the first half of a Norgran LP... A later small-group session features the trumpeter with an all-Latin rhythm section and flutist Gilberto Valdes... it is well worth acquiring."

Track listing

1. "Manteca Theme" (Gil Fuller, Dizzy Gillespie, Chano Pozo) – 4:10
2. "Contraste" (Gillespie, Chico O'Farrill, Pozo) – 2:45
3. "Jungla" (Gillespie, O'Farrill, Pozo) – 4:44
4. "Rhumba Finale" (Gillespie, O'Farrill, Pozo) – 4:43
5. "A Night in Tunisia" (Gillespie, Frank Paparelli) – 4:19
6. "Con Alma" (Gillespie) – 5:05
7. "Caravan" (Duke Ellington, Irving Mills, Juan Tizol) – 7:19

Personnel

• Dizzy Gillespie – trumpet
• Gilbert Valdez – flute (tracks 5–7)
• Quincy Jones, Jimmy Nottingham, Ernie Royal – trumpet (tracks 1–4)
• Leon Comegys, J. J. Johnson, George Matthews – trombone (tracks 1–4)
• George Dorsey, Hilton Jefferson – alto saxophone (tracks 1–4)
• Hank Mobley, Lucky Thompson – tenor saxophone (tracks 1–4)
• Danny Bank – baritone saxophone (tracks 1–4)
• Réne Hernandez (tracks 5–7), Wade Legge (tracks 1–4) – piano
• Lou Hackney (tracks 1–4), Roberto Rodríguez – bass
• Charlie Persip – drums (tracks 1–4)
• Cándido Camero – congas, percussion
• Mongo Santamaria – congas (tracks 1–4)
• José Mangual – bongos
• Ubaldo Nieto – timbales
• Ralph Miranda – percussion (tracks 5–7)
• Chico O'Farrill – arranger (tracks 1–4)

References