Search - Yusef Lateef :: Prayer to the East

Early Yusef

Bomojaz | South Central PA, USA | 12/01/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This was Yusef Lateef's third album for Savoy, with Wilbur Harden on flugelhorn replacing Curtis Fuller, an original member of the group. Since his previous Savoy session six months earlier, Yusef has picked up a little trick with his flute playing: humming along with his blowing. He employs this on both flute tracks, CHECK BLUES and the title track.



The title track has a most interesting theme, and everyone gets a chance to solo on CHECK BLUES. NIGHT IN TUNISIA is a real wailer after getting the royal Tunisian treatment with gong and shennai (a double-reed instrument). LOVER MAN is done slowly and with great feeling by Yusef (Lawson is the only other soloist here). Finally, ENDURA is a funky blues that shows off Lateef's blues prowess to good effect. Yusef would soon be adding instruments to his arsenal and exploring the music of Africa and the Far East, but these early recordings set the pace to a productive career and are among his best sides. Definitely worth checking out."

Great Jazz

kimykali | Bay Area, CA USA | 11/08/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Yusef Lateef and the accompanying artists on this CD give a great performance. I hadn't heard any of it before purchasing it, but have since kept carrying it in my backpack for the last couple of months. Other people at my job have inquired about it when they hear me playing, so I think that is a good indicator of the quality of this offering."