1971 Cannonball Adderley – The Black Messiah

The Black Messiah is a live album by jazz saxophonist Cannonball Adderley recorded at The Troubadour in Los Angeles, California in 1971 featuring performances by Adderley’s Quintet with Nat Adderley, George Duke, Walter Booker and Roy McCurdy with guest appearances by Airto Moreira, Mike Deasy, Ernie Watts, Alvin Batiste, and Buck Clarke. After many years of being out of print, The Black Messiah was reissued in 2014 by Real Gone Music; the new 2CD reissue included liner notes by music journalist/blogger Bill Kopp.

Tracks

1  Introduction 00:43
2  The Black Messiah (George Duke) 16:18
3  Monologue 02:33
4  Little Benny Hen (Mike Deasy) 04:11
5  Zanek (Mike Deasy) 05:11
6  Dr. Honouris Causa (Joe Zawinul) 14:47
7  The Chocolate Nuissance (Roy McCurdy; Nathan Adderley Sr) 08:33
8  Untitled (Airto Moreira) 06:15
9  The Steam Drill (Julian Adderley) 08:45
10  Eye Of The Cosmos (Ernie Watts) 04:53
11  Episode From The Music Came (Alvin Batiste) 02:42
12  Heritage (Duke Ellington) 04:36
13  Circumference (George Duke) 03:19
14  Pretty Paul (Julian Adderley) 02:48
15  The Scene (Nathan Adderley Sr; Joe Zawinul) 02:15

Musicians

BassWalter Booker
DrumsRoy McCurdy
PercussionAirto Moreira
Electric PianoGeorge Duke
PianoGeorge Duke
SaxCannonball Adderley

Other Musicians

3 Monologue

GuitarMike Deasy
SaxErnie Watts


4 Little Benny Hen

VocalsMike Deasy


5 Zanek

GuitarMike Deasy
SaxErnie Watts


7 The Chocolate Nuissance

GuitarMike Deasy
CongasBuck Clarke


8 Untitled

SaxErnie Watts


10 Eye Of The Cosmos

GuitarMike Deasy
SaxErnie Watts


11 Episode From The Music Came

GuitarMike Deasy
ClarinetAlvin Batiste
SaxErnie Watts


12 Heritage

GuitarMike Deasy
ClarinetAlvin Batiste
SaxErnie Watts
VocalsNat Adderley Jr


13 Circumference

GuitarMike Deasy
ClarinetAlvin Batiste
SaxErnie Watts
CongasBuck Clarke


14 Pretty Paul

GuitarMike Deasy
ClarinetAlvin Batiste
SaxErnie Watts


15 The Scene

GuitarMike Deasy
ClarinetAlvin Batiste
SaxErnie Watts
CongasBuck Clarke

Liner Notes

Producer – Cannonball Adderley, David Axelrod
Engineer (Recording) – Gene Hicks

Art Direction– John Hoernle
Design – Roy Kohara
Photography – James Lewis, Neil Zlozower, Todd Gray

Recorded live at “The Troubadour”, Hollywood