Little Niles
title: "Little Niles" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["randy-weston-albums", "1959-albums", "united-artists-records-albums", "albums-arranged-by-melba-liston"] topic_path: "arts/music" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Niles" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::data[format=table title="Infobox album"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Little Niles |
| type | Studio |
| artist | Randy Weston |
| cover | Little Niles.jpg |
| released | 1959 |
| recorded | October 1958 |
| studio | RCA Studios, New York City |
| genre | Jazz |
| label | United Artists |
| UAL 4011 | |
| producer | Jack Lewis |
| chronology | Randy Weston |
| prev_title | New Faces at Newport |
| prev_year | 1958 |
| next_title | Destry Rides Again |
| next_year | 1959 |
| :: |
| name = Little Niles | type = Studio | artist = Randy Weston | cover = Little Niles.jpg | alt = | released = 1959 | recorded = October 1958 | venue = | studio = RCA Studios, New York City | genre = Jazz | length = | label = United Artists UAL 4011 | producer = Jack Lewis | chronology = Randy Weston | prev_title = New Faces at Newport | prev_year = 1958 | next_title = Destry Rides Again | next_year = 1959
Little Niles is an album by American jazz pianist Randy Weston recorded in 1958 and first released on the United Artists label. The album was later released as part of a Blue Note compilation under the same title. All the tracks are Weston originals and, as indicated in the LP's liner notes by Langston Hughes, the album was inspired by Weston's children Niles and Pamela, who are directly referenced in "Little Niles" and "Pam's Waltz" and feature in the cover photograph. As Hughes notes of the compositions, "All in three-quarter time, these charming little vignettes escape rigidity of beat by a fluid flow of counter-rhythms and melodies, one against another, that brings continuous delight."
Reception
| rev1 = Allmusic | rev1Score = | rev2 = The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide | rev2Score = {{Cite book |editor-last=Swenson |editor-first=J. | author-link = | year = 1985 | title = The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide | publisher = Random House/Rolling Stone | location = USA | isbn = 0-394-72643-X | pages = 206 Allmusic awarded the album 4½ stars, with the review by Scott Yanow stating: "Overall the music is advanced bop with a strong nod toward African music. Well worth searching for".
Track listing
All compositions by Randy Weston
- "Earth Birth" - 2:52
- "Little Susan" - 3:24
- "Nice Ice" - 2:55
- "Little Niles" - 6:00
- "Pam's Waltz" - 3:15
- "Babe's Blues" - 6:58
- "Let's Climb a Hill" - 5:53
Personnel
- Randy Weston - piano
- Ray Copeland (tracks 1–6), Idrees Sulieman (track 7) - trumpet
- Melba Liston - trombone, arranger
- Johnny Griffin - tenor saxophone
- George Joyner - bass
- Charlie Persip - drums
References
References
- [http://www.randyweston.info/randy-weston-discography-pages/1958littleniles.html Randy Weston discography] accessed August 13, 2012
- [http://www.thejazzrecord.com/records/2016/2/29/randy-weston-sextet-little-niles "Roots Music: Randy Weston - 'Little Niles'"], The Jazz Record.
- Yanow, S. [http://www.allmusic.com/album/little-niles-mw0000361453 Allmusic Review], accessed August 13, 2012.
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