Randy Weston

Placing acclaimed pianist Randy Weston into narrow, bop-derived categories only tells part of the story of this restless musician. Starting with the gospel of bop according to Thelonious Monk, Weston emerged in the early '50s with a series of albums on the Riverside label and dates playing alongside such luminaries as Kenny Dorham and Cecil Payne. A virtuosic player, he also made his mark as a composer, writing songs like "Saucer Eyes," "Pam's Waltz," "Little Niles," and his most recognizable composition, "Hi-Fly." From the '60s onward, he spent much of his time in Africa, liv...