Although all of this material has been previously issued this is a useful overview of some of the highlights of the great American pianist's work between the late 1950s and early 1960s, when he was effectively shifting from modern jazz into Afro-jazz with immensely thrilling results.

Perhaps it would have made more sense to sequence the tracks in chronological order but hearing the orchestral work first, in which Weston combines the superb arrangements of Melba Liston with a stellar horn section and the powerhouse Afro-latin percussion of Babatunde Olatunji, Candido Camera and Armando Peraza, gives an insight into the extent of the leader's ambition, politically, culturally and musically. Uhuru Afrika is something of a soundtrack to the anti-colonial movement of the late 1950s as well as a celebration of the ‘motherland’, and its successor HighLife is similarly fired by an energy of liberation and celebration, vividly symbolised by ‘Blues To Africa’. ‘Loose Wig’ and ’Little Niles’, in trio and quartet, respectively, also underline Weston's ability to draw a big sound from a small group.