Yusef Lateef The Blue Yusef Lateef

High Quality Pure Analogue 180g Vinyl LP!
Yusuf Lateef was a leading representative of world music, long before world music was known as such in the jazz, pop and rock community. He integrated all kinds of oriental instruments in his jazz music, such as the koto, bamboo flute and tambura and also - as in this case - in his blues compositions. His saxophone playing is also flawless too and full of wonderful textures, hard and impulsive at one moment, cool and exotic at the next.
On this album Lateef explores, in a painterly way, the border areas of the blues, in all their various guises and addresses both eastern and western cultures. "Juba Juba" begins with a drumbeat on a slave ship, the tempo builds up slowly and agonizingly, and is only penetrated by Lateef's plaintive flute and background voices singing »freedom, freedom, freedom«. After such a gloomy beginning the classical blues number "Like It Is" comes over like a breath of fresh air, with its superb string quartet as the foundation. The R&B contributions on the other tracks testify to Lateef's skilled excursions into the realm of the blues, while the truly adventurous tracks such as "Back Home" and the mystic, Chinese odyssey "Moon Cup" weave a magical net of sheer pleasure. "The Blue Yusef Lateef" is in every possible way absolutely breathtaking. It is a milestone as a jazz album. As a blues album it is quite unique. But as a musical work of art it is a glorious and genial masterpiece.

Features:

• 180g High Quality Vinyl
• Pure Analogue
• Made from the original, analogue mastertapes
• Faithful reproduction of original artwork and label
• Pressed at Pallas in Germany

Musicians:

• Yusef Lateef, tenor sax, flute, pneumatic flute, bamboo flute, shannie, tamoboura, Taiwan koto, scratcher, vocal on "Moon Cup"
• Sonny Red, alto sax
• Blue Mitchell, trumpet
• Buddy Lucas, harmonica
• Kenny Burrell, guitar
• Hugh Lawson, piano
• Cecil McBee, bass
• Bob Cranshaw, Fender bass
• Roy Brooks, drums
• The Sweet Inspirations, vocal backgrounds on "Juba Juba" & "Back Home"

Selections:

Side A
1. Juba Juba
2. Like it is
3. Othelia
4. Moon Cup
Side B
1. Back Home
2. Get over, get off and get on
3. Six Miles Next Door
4. Sun Dog