Bill Summers 1997 / The Essence Of Kwanzaa‏

Percussionist Bill Summers uses Kwanzaa (which means "first" in Swahili), the African-American cultural and harvest festival celebrated from December 26 to January 1, as the theme for this array of tunes titled after Kwanzaa's seven guiding principals. There are also five tracks not titled after Kwanzaa: "Ghetto Get Up," "Did It Done It Wit It" (co-written by George Clinton), "Bahia Lady," "Yekola," and "Sure Wa." This is smooth, perky fusion with enough African rhythms to satisfy purists, and is perfect for unwinding and chilling. Vocalists (including Summers) play musical chairs, keeping it fresh until the last track. ~ Andrew Hamilton