Randy Weston

Friday, October 21, 2011 | 8:00 pm

Nelson Music Room

The author of a 2010 autobiography from Duke University Press visits the acoustically ideal Nelson Music Room for an intimate solo concert. Randy Weston was praised by the eminent critic Stanley Crouch for having “the biggest sound of any jazz pianist since Ellington and Monk.” Born in Brooklyn, Weston rose to be-bop stardom in the mid-20th-century, adding standards like “Hi-Fly” and “Little Niles” to the repertoire. A jazz-ambassador tour of 14 African countries in 1967 led to a stint living in Morocco, changing Weston’s music — and arguably jazz itself — forever. His sophisticated integration of African and Caribbean rhythms into jazz was an invaluable contribution to the genre. More than four decades later, he continues to refine it with energy and grace.