high fly from time changes by blood drum spirit

10 high fly 7:31 © 1958 randy weston, arrangement © 2013 royal hartigan

this piece adapts the late pianist, composer, and ensemble leader randy weston’s classic composition to rhythms from the kpanlogo traditional dance drumming of the ga people of ghana. throughout his life mr. weston has made visible the connections among the many musics of the african diaspora, especially jazz and its african ancestors. our music and film we are one continue that vision; in this arrangement, the kpanlogo ngongo bell voice is played on cymbal and balogo hand drum patterns are the basis for some drum set grooves.

i met mr. weston during his summers in the 1960s at avaloch inn in lenox, massachusetts, when his ensemble performed there and i played piano in another part of the complex. randy’s group consisted of bassist vishnu wood, drummer lenny mcbrowne, trumpeter ray copeland, baritone saxophonist cecil payne, tenor saxophonist booker ervin, and percussionist big black, who would make life and time stop with his transcendent drumming, solos lasting 20 minutes or more as everyone was brought to another realm. mr. weston, nana, medase paaa! (‘honored elder, thank you!’)