My People (Joe Zawinul album)

My People is a studio album by Austrian-born jazz musician Joe Zawinul which was recorded and released in 1996.

Recording and music

The album was recorded in 1996. The music draws on several international influences. "The musical structures are linear, the rhythms full of intricacies welded to Zawinul's love affair with the groove, the synthesizer textures usually sparer than ever. There are vocals in several languages".

Reception

The AllMusic reviewer suggested that the album was more world music than jazz, and concluded: "Hear it; you purists may be jiggling along in spite of yourselves." The Penguin Guide to Jazz described it as "hugely disappointing", containing "a drab residue of common riffs, rhythms and disharmonies".

Track listing

1. "Introduction to a Mighty Theme"
2. "Waraya"
3. "Bimoya"
4. "You Want Some Tea, Grandpa?"
5. "Slivovitz Trail"
6. "Ochy-Bala/Pazyryk"
7. "Orient Express"
8. "Erdäpfee Blues (Potato Blues)"
9. "Mi Gente"
10. "In an Island Way"
11. "Many Churches"

Personnel

Musicians

• Joe Zawinul – lead vocals, keyboards, programming
• Bobby Malach – tenor saxophone
• Mike Mossman – trumpet, piccolo, trombone
• Gary Poulson – guitar (tracks 2, 5, 9)
• Osmane Kouyake – guitar (track 3)
• Amit Chatterjee – guitar (5, 7, 9, 11)
• Matt Garrison – bass (tracks 2–3, 5, 8)
• Richard Bona – bass (tracks 6–7)
• Paco Sery – drums, percussion
• Ivan Zawinul – drums programming
• Arto Tuncboyaciyan – percussion
• Souleymane Doumbia – percussion
• Trilok Gurtu – percussion
• Salif Keita – lead vocals

Production

• Joe Zawinul – producer
• Ivan Zawinul – co-producer, mixing
• Joachim Becker – executive producer
• Ted Jensen – mastering
• Arthur Rothstein, Dorothea Lange, Fenno Jacobs, Russell Lee, U.S. FSA Collection – photography

References