Afrique (album)
# Afrique (album)

Afrique is a 1971 studio album by Count Basie and his orchestra, arranged & conducted by Oliver Nelson released by the Flying Dutchman label

## Reception

Professional ratings :

| Review scores ||
| - | - |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic | |
| The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide | |
| The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings | |

AllMusic reviewer Bruce Eder stated: "In late 1970, more than 35 years into his career as a bandleader, Count Basie, working with producer Bob Thiele and arranger/conductor/saxman Oliver Nelson, went into the studio and cut this album of big band blues built on recent compositions -- and they made it sound cutting-edge and as urgent as anything the man had ever turned his talent toward. ... Afrique is one of a handful of absolutely essential post-big band-era albums by him".

## Track listing

All compositions by Oliver Nelson except where noted

* "Step Right Up" – 4:15
* "Hobo Flats" – 6:13
* "Gypsy Queen" – 4:00 (Gabor Szabo)
* "Love Flower" – 2:53 (Albert Ayler)
* "Afrique" – 3:06
* "Kilimanjaro" – 6:52
* "African Sunrise" – 5:11
* "Japan" – 5:05 (Pharoah Sanders)

## Personnel

### The Count Basie Orchestra

* Bill Adkins - alto sax
* Bob Ashton - alto, baritone & tenor sax, flute
* Count Basie - organ, piano
* Paul Cohen - trumpet, flugelhorn
* George Cohn - trumpet, flugelhorn
* Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis - tenor sax
* Eric Dixon - flute, tenor sax
* Steven Galloway - trombone
* Freddie Green - guitar
* Bill Hughes - trombone
* Harold Jones - drums
* Norman Keenan - bass
* Richard Landrum - percussion
* Hubert Laws - flute
* Buddy Lucas - harmonica
* Pete Minger - trumpet, flugelhorn
* Sonny Morgan - bongos
* Oliver Nelson - arranger, conductor, tenor sax
* Bobby Plater - alto sax, flute
* Cecil Payne - baritone sax, flute
* Waymon Reed - trumpet, flugelhorn
* Warren Smith, Jr. - drums, percussion, vibes
* Mel Wanzo - trombone
* John Watson - trombone
* John Williams - bass
