Darius Brubeck & Victor Ntoni
Afro Cool Concept

Live At The New Orleans & Heritage Festival 1990
BW024

Track Listing (30 Second Samples)

1. Kwela Mama
2. Lakutshon Ilanga
3. Daveyton Special
4. Mokotedi
5. Kilamanjaro

Formed in 1987 by co-leaders Darius Brubeck and Victor Ntoni, with Lulu Gontsana as their regular drummer, Afro ool Concept is an ongoing project that its participants can pick up and put down as other commitments allow. At the 1990 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, the trio were joined by Barney Rachabane, who is considered by many to be South Africa's premier alto sax player. The performance was captured live and broadcast on National Public Radio on over 100 radio stations in the US. It appeared on the African Echoes label (SMB) later that year and it was MELT's privilege to give it a wider audience on CD.

The five tracks on the CD, containing previously unreleased material, provide big bay windows for the virtuoso skills of the four musicians to shine through. Darius' piano acts as musical conductor, setting the direction and then leaving Barney's sax to fire solos into an ecstatic audience. Victor's bass darts in and out nimbly, putting down challenges and watching the others take them up. The deftness and sensitivity of Lulu's drum work is breathtaking throughout.

Personnel:
Darius Brubeck Piano/Synthesizer
Victor Ntoni Acoustic bass
Lulu Gontsana Drums
Barney Rachabane Alto and Soprano Saxophone