Art Ensemble of Soweto


Art Ensemble of Soweto is a 1990 album by the Art Ensemble of Chicago and the Amabutho Male Chorus released on the Japanese DIW label. It features performances by Lester Bowie, Joseph Jarman, Roscoe Mitchell, Malachi Favors Maghostut, and Don Moye with vocals by Elliot Ngubane, Kay Ngwazene, Welcome "Max" Bhe Bhe, Zacheuus Nyoni and Joe Leguabe.

Reception

The AllMusic review by Brian Olewnick describes the album as " very enjoyable recording, possibly the last all-around excellent Art Ensemble release before the group's retrenching after the departure of Joseph Jarman and the untimely death of Lester Bowie".
Bill Shoemaker reviewed the album for DownBeat and assigned it 4 stars. He wrote, "The simultaneous stylistic diversity and programmatic cohesion on Soweto is impressive".

Track listing

  1. "Coming Soon" – 1:31
  2. "African Woman" – 13:55
  3. "Fundamental Destiny" – 9:14
  4. "Fresh Start" – 6:42
  5. "Khauleza" – 2:44
  6. "The Bottom Line" – 5:33
  7. "Black Man" – 9:18

Personnel