MANN HERBIE – AFRICAN SUITE CD

Herbie Mann was one of the most forthright, rhythmically acute and culturally receptive of jazz flute players, virtues amply demonstrated on the two albums, African Suite and Flute, Brass, Vibes & Percussion, collected here. They were made when, inspired by a stint with Machito’s Afro-Cuban orchestra in 1958, he decided to form his own small-combo using some of the same basic rhythmic concepts and opened with the new group in June 1959 at New York’s Basin Street East club. The move established Mann as the leading exponent of jazz played with African percussion instruments added to the rhythm section, a position underlined by his passionate playing and consistent musical perception on these two albums.
Although vibraphonist Johnny Rae is exhilarating throughout both, at the music’s core remains the wonderfully exciting rhythmic interplay between the congas, bongos and drums. With this combination of ingredients Mann created a signature style for himself for a time, one which appealed not only to jazz audiences, but whose accessibility also appealed to audiences not normally receptive to jazz.