Yusef Lateef - 1965 - Live At Peps

Yusef Lateef

1965

Live At Peps

A1. Sister Mamie

A2. Number 7

A3. 12 Tone Blues

B1. See See Rider

B2. The Magnolia Triangle

B3. The Weaver

B4. Slippin' & Slidin'

CD Issue includes following tracks between side A and B:

04. Oscarlypso

05. Gee Sam Gee

06. Rogi

Bass – Ernie Farrow

Drums – James Black

Piano – Mike Nock

Tenor Saxophone, Woodwind [Argol], Flute, Oboe, Shanai – Yusef Lateef

Trumpet – Richard Williams

Recorded live at Pep's Musical Lounge, Philadelphia on 29, June 1964

This mid-'60s concert was one of Lateef's finest, as it perfectly displayed his multiple influences and interests. There were hard bop originals, covers of jazz classics like Leonard Feather's "Twelve Tone Blues" and an unorthodox but effective version of Ma Rainey's "See See Rider." On "Sister Mamie" and "Number 7," and drummer James Black's "The Magnolia Triangle," Lateef moves away from strict jazz, although he retained his improvisational flair. Lateef played meaty tenor sax solos and entrancing flute and bamboo flute offerings, and also had impressive stints on oboe, shenai, and argol. This was a pivotal date in his career, and those unaware of it will get a treat with this disc.

The second entry in Yusef’s Impulse! catalogue is perhaps his most well known of the set, and one of his highest regarded album from his entire discography. Recorded in front of lively crowd at Pep’s Lounge in Philadelphia. The live atmosphere, band chemistry, and overall energy of the recording elevates every tune. Peppy indeed.

"Sister Mamie” sets the tone wonderfully, as drummer Jimmy Black hammers out a nice boogaloo beat paired with a piano drone, and ostinato bass line. Then Yusef comes in just wailing on the shehnai, an Indian double reed instrument, not unlike an oboe. The result is a groovy east meets west jam that is bound to get your legs moving (if you can handle the timbre of the shehnai that is).

“Number 7” is a fantastic piece of hard bop that comes crashing out of the gate. It then slows for a middle portion that, to me sounds similar to music Wayne Shorter was making for Blue Note around the same time, with sax and trumpet working together to create mysterious mood. Unfortunately this would be the last record Lateef would make with trumpet player Richard Williams, who he had met at the Mingus Jazz Workshop. They have great chemistry and Williams gets to stretch his legs a little bit more on this album.

Other standouts are the take on the Ma Rainey classic “See See Rider” which acts as blues oboe vehicle (like Trouble in Mind from his previous record) and Jimmy Black’s “The Magnolia Triangle”. The later is driven by a 5/4 rhythm with an excellent drum performance, which is a theme throughout disc.

This album is a career highlight for sure. The energy is high, the soloing is great. It’s a mix of accessible hard bop that you can tap your toes too, while fitting in with Lateef’s penchant for musical exploration.

I also love this album cover, although there’s very limited flute on the recording, relegated to the last tune “Slippin’ and Slidin’”.

One of the greatest albums ever recorded by the mighty Yusef Lateef – and that's really saying a lot, given his fantastic legacy of albums! The set's a live one, which is a bit unusual in Lateef's catalog at this time – and the concert setting is perhaps a window onto some of his more expressive, experimental modes that didn't always show up on record, especially the Impulse studio sides he was recording at the time. Lateef's group is pure genius – with a young Mike Nock on piano, sounding all weird and dark, with amazing tones from his instrument – plus the great Richard Williams on trumpet, a player who always seems to bring something special to a record! The team of Ernie Farrow on bass and James Black on drums help create all these modal rhythms that are really fantastic – and Lateef himself blows tenor and flute, plus the more exotic reed instruments argol and shanai.