Art Ensemble of Soweto is a 1990 album by the Art Ensemble of Chicago

Art Ensemble of Chicago

The Art Ensemble of Chicago is an avant-garde jazz ensemble that grew out of Chicago's AACM in the late 1960s. The group continues to tour and record through 2006, despite the deaths of two of the founding members....

 and the Amabutho Male Chorus released on the Japanese DIW

DIW Records

DIW Records is a Japanese record label. It is a subsidiary label of Disc Union and specializes in jazz and avant garde music. Kazunori Sugiyama was an executive producer for the label before starting Tzadik Records with John Zorn.-Discography:...

 label. It features performances by Lester Bowie

Lester Bowie

Lester Bowie was an American jazz trumpet player and composer. He was a member of the AACM, and cofounded the Art Ensemble of Chicago.-Biography:...

, Joseph Jarman

Joseph Jarman

Joseph Jarman , is a jazz musician, composer and Shinshu Buddhist priest. He is perhaps best known as one of the first members of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians and the Art Ensemble of Chicago.-Early life:Jarman grew up in Chicago, Illinois...

, Roscoe Mitchell

Roscoe Mitchell

Roscoe Mitchell is an African American composer, jazz instrumentalist and educator, mostly known for being "a technically superb—if idiosyncratic—saxophonist." He has been called "one of the key figures" in avant-garde jazz who has been "at the forefront of modern music" for the past...

, Malachi Favors Maghostut, and Don Moye

Don Moye

Famoudou Don Moye, is an American jazz percussionist and drummer. He is most known for his involvement with the Art Ensemble of Chicago and is noted for his mastery of African and Caribbean percussion instruments and rhythmic techniques.- Early life and Detroit Free Jazz :Moye was born in...

 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".

Track listing

1. "Coming Soon" (Bowie) - 1:31
2. "African Woman" (Ngubone) - 13:55
3. "Fundamental Destiny" (Jarman) - 9:14
4. "Fresh Start" (Mitchell) - 6:42
5. "Khauleza" (Amabutho Male Chorus) - 2:44
6. "The Bottom Line" (Art Ensemble of Chicago) - 5:33
7. "Black Man" (Amabutho Male Chorus) - 9:18
   • Recorded December 1989 & January 1990 at Systems Two Studios, Brooklyn, NY

Personnel

• Lester Bowie
  Lester Bowie
  Lester Bowie was an American jazz trumpet player and composer. He was a member of the AACM, and cofounded the Art Ensemble of Chicago.-Biography:...
  
  : trumpet, fluegelhorn, percussion
• Malachi Favors Maghostut: bass, belafon, percussion instruments
• Joseph Jarman
  Joseph Jarman
  Joseph Jarman , is a jazz musician, composer and Shinshu Buddhist priest. He is perhaps best known as one of the first members of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians and the Art Ensemble of Chicago.-Early life:Jarman grew up in Chicago, Illinois...
  
  : saxophones, clarinets, percussion instruments
• Roscoe Mitchell
  Roscoe Mitchell
  Roscoe Mitchell is an African American composer, jazz instrumentalist and educator, mostly known for being "a technically superb—if idiosyncratic—saxophonist." He has been called "one of the key figures" in avant-garde jazz who has been "at the forefront of modern music" for the past...
  
  : saxophones, clarinets, flute, percussion instruments
• Don Moye
  Don Moye
  Famoudou Don Moye, is an American jazz percussionist and drummer. He is most known for his involvement with the Art Ensemble of Chicago and is noted for his mastery of African and Caribbean percussion instruments and rhythmic techniques.- Early life and Detroit Free Jazz :Moye was born in...
  
  : drums, percussion
• Elliot Ngubane: lead vocals, percussion, keyboards
• Kay Ngwazene: vocals
• Welcome "Max" Bhe Bhe: vocals
• Zacheuus Nyoni: vocals
• Joe Leguabe: vocals, percussion