Abbey Lincoln

Abbey Lincoln, often remembered for her seminal work with Max Roach, was a powerful performer and indeed one of the greatest Jazz voices of all time. Straight Ahead stands as one her best albums. Lincoln is matched here by a ultra-stellar line up and is the perfect combination between Lincoln 's strong "Afro-Blue" tone singing, conscious lyrics and angular modern Jazz arrangements. Recorded in New York in a one-off studio session held on February 22, 1961 and released by Candid Records in the same year, the album includes highlights such as Oscar Brown jr's "When Malindy Sings", Thelonious Monk's "Blue Monk", Billie Holiday and Mal Waldron's "Left Alone" and "African Lady" a Randy Weston composition based on lyrics by the great writer Langston Hughes.

PERSONNEL:

• Abbey Lincoln - vocals
• Max Roach - drums
• Coleman Hawkins - tenor sax
• Eric Dolphy - reeds
• Mal Waldron - piano
• Booker Little - trumpet
• Julian Priester - trombone
• Art Davis - bass
• Walter Benton - tenor sax

New York, 22nd February 1961

TRACKS:

• SIDE A
• A1. Straight Ahead
• A2. When Malindy Sing
• A3. In The Red

• SIDE B
• B1. Blue Monk
• B2. Left Alone
• B3. African Lady
• B4. Retribution