Personnel:
Bernard McKinney (euphonium), Yusef Lateef (ts, fl, oboe),
Terry Pollard (p), William Austin (b), Frank Gant (d)
Originally on the scene as a tenor saxophonist with the
bands of Lucky Millinder, Hot Lips Page, Dizzy Gillespie and others in the late
1940s, Yusef Lateef spent most of the 1950s leading his own combo, studying at
Wayne University, and taking up flute and oboe. I started using them in
Detroit, to get rid of the monotony, said Lateef, this was one of the initial
thoughts. After all, basically, music is just sound, in my opinion, any sounds
of definite pitch.
Lateefs exploration in the areas of rhythm and intriguing
sounds was a natural blending of straightforward jazz and Eastern music. His
versatility as instrumentalist and composer is self-evident in this 1959
session produced for Savoy and originally issued in two albums, The Dreamer and
The Fabric of Jazz. On tenor, Lateef swings hard, with a surging muscular tone,
while his flute work is warm and deft, and his oboe playing consistently
interesting. Bernard McKinneys euphonium solos are marked by melodic invention,
while the rhythm section is excellent throughout, with pianist Terry Pollard
really shining in a set of fine, furious, and striking piano solos, with solid
support from William Austin and Frank Gant.
TRACKLIST:
01. The Dreamer 6:50
02. Oboe Blues 5:48
03. Cant Help Lovin That Man (Kern-Hammerstein) 8:01
04. Arjuna 7:37
05. Angel Eyes (Dennis-Brendt) 5:11
06. Moon Tree 5:46
07. Stella by Starlight (Young-Washington) 5:50
08. Half Breed 8:36
09. Poor Butterfly (Hubbell-Golden) 6:38
10. Valse Bouk 4:17
All compositions by Yusef Lateef except where indicated.
Sources:
Tracks #1-5, from the album "The Dreamer" (Savoy
MG 12139)
Tracks #6-10, from the album "The Fabric of Jazz"
(Savoy MG 12140)
Personnel:
Bernard McKinney, euphonium; Yusef Lateef, tenor sax; flute,
oboe; Terry Pollard, piano; William Austin, bass; Frank Gant, drums.
Recorded at Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, New Jersey, on
June 11, 1959
Original recordings produced by Ozzie Cadena
Recording engineer: Rudy Van Gelder
Savoy cover design: Julius Fanta
This CD release produced by Jordi Pujol
Stereo · 24-Bit Digitally Remastered