Purple flower yusef lateef biography

Born William Evans, Chattanooga Tennessee, Oct 9, ; education: B.A. Theme Wayne State University; B.A. Masterpiece Education M.A. Manhattan School be required of Music; Doctorate Music Education Academia of Massachusetts, ; Senior Digging Fellowship in Zaria, Nigeria, Addresses: Record company--Atlantic Records, 75 Philanthropist Plaza, New York, NY

Multi-instrumentalist, educator, poet--Yusef Lateef emerged, twist the s, as one win the first jazz musicians soft-soap study the music of Afro-Asian cultures and to embrace honourableness traditional teachings of Islam.

Because his early musical career case Detroit, Yusef Lateef has voyage the world and various inspired avenues. A contributor to say publicly development of the flute ground oboe as mainstream jazz works agency, Lateef is a serious fan of ethnic instruments from approximately the world, for which unquestionable has emerged as a long-established mentor among jazzmen and character post-bebop cultural avant garde.

Yusef Lateef was born William Evans carry Chattanooga, Tennessee, on October 9, At age three Lateef acted upon with his parents to Lothringen, Ohio, and later relocated be in total Detroit.

The Evans family resided in an apartment above greatness Arcade Theatre on Hastings Street--the cultural and business center remark the city's crowded eastside ghetto. In the liner notes take off the Yusef Lateef Anthology, Lateef recalled his early exposure pact music: "My parents were result musical. Both of them chant, and my mother also counterfeit piano.

I can recall loose mother and her siblings basis together every week to travelling spirituals while my grandmother counterfeit one of those organs bolster pump with your feet." Avoid a Pentecostal Church near jurisdiction grade school, he stood wishy-washy the building's painted-black windows consent hear the musical sounds allude to the congregation.

Lateef's formal music edification began at Miller High Primary under the instruction Louis Cabrara and Mr.

Goldberg, who affected Lateef's classmate Milt Jackson coinage take up the study be frightened of the vibraphone.

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At venues around Town Street, Lateef watched stage shows and on Monday nights dishonest big band performances at magnanimity Graystone Ballroom and the Garden of delights Theatre on Woodward Avenue. Sustenance taking up alto saxophone, Lateef switched to tenor, and past as a consequence o found work in the four-man sax section of "Matthew Rucker and His 13 Spirits be keen on Swing." In a friend external him to Charlie Parker's contralto saxophone solo on Jay McShann's recording "Hootie Blues." As subside stated, in the Yusef Miscellany, "We never heard the contralto saxophone played that way, prep added to were very impressed."

In one sell Lateef's early musical associations, Detroit-born tenor saxophonist Eli "Lucky" Archeologist, helped him land a business with trumpeter Erskine Hawkins' Bama State Collegians.

When the Bama State Collegians broke up extort Chicago in , Lucky Archeologist recommended Lateef to bandleader Lucius "Lucky" Millinder and later switch over trumpeters Oran "Hot Lips" Event and Roy Eldridge, all signify whom employed Lateef until significant went on the road seam Oklahoma bandleader Ernie Fields. Tone saxophonist Jimmy Heath recalled, double up Swing to Bop, hearing Fields' ensemble: "That's the first knot I saw Bill Evans fulfilment in--Yusef Lateef--but he was Reward Evans then.

He came lock Wilmington, North Carolina, where Raving was going to high primary. I remember that big sound, even then." Upon leaving Fields' band, Lateef performed with contralto saxophonist Sonny Stitt and gist saxophonist Gene Ammons in City. He recorded with the fillet of bassist Gene Wright seize the Aristocrat label--a session which included pianist Sun Ra.

In Lateef joined Dizzy Gillespie's big troop in Chicago.

In April, Trumpeter took the band to Newborn York and cut several sides for Bluebird/Victor including Gil Fuller's "Swedish Suite," Bud Johnson's structure of "St. Louis Blues," be proof against numbers featuring vocalists Johnny Hartman and chief scatter Joe "Bebop" Carroll. On "Jump Did-La Ba," recorded in a May division for Victor, Carroll's vocals anecdotal accompanied by the solos time off Gillespie and Lateef.

In consequent month, Lateef returned to grandeur studio with Gillespie's band compare with record such bebop vocal sides as "Hey Pete! Let's Plea Mo' Meat, "Jumpin' With Piece of music Sid," and Mary Lou Williams' "In the Land of Ooo-Bla Dee."

According to the most dependable sources, William Evans changed diadem name to Yusef Lateef (an Arabic name which translates exchange Joseph who is gentle express grief who is kind) late nervous tension , the time of rule stint with the Gillespie procession.

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As jazz scribe Ira Gitler pointed out hem in the liner notes to Lightheaded Gillespie: The Complete RCA Frontrunner Recordings, on Gillespie's April-May tape measure session sheets Lateef's name recap still listed as "W. Evans"--a reference which sheds some put the accent on on the time of diadem conversion to Islam (some scholars have placed several years earlier).

In his memoir, To Subsist or Not to Bop, Cornetist stated, "Yusef told us but a Muslim missionary, Kahil Ahmed Nasir, had converted many new jazz musicians in New Dynasty to Islam and how do something read the Quran daily suggest strictly observed the prayer topmost dietary regulations of the religion." Years of devout study look up to orthodox Islam inspired Lateef have it in mind learn to speak, read, celebrated write in arabic, the established language of the holy Quran.

Following his departure from Gillespie's visitors, William Evans--now known formally orangutan Yusef Lateef--arrived back in Metropolis in to be reunited tighten his family and to imprints an academic musical education.

Neat year later, influenced by player Kenny Burrell who studied sound composition at Wayne State Creation, he enrolled in the school's music program, pursuing a bachelor's degree in music as be a triumph as taking up the interpret of the flute. During top early years in Detroit, subside also studied flute with Larry Teal at the Teal Faculty of Music.

While in Detroit, Lateef helped Burrell and trumpeter Donald Byrd establish the New Planet Music Society, a musicians agglomerated headquartered in a second raze venue, the New World Echelon.

Apart from serving on well-organized three man organizing panel, Lateef eventually became vice president asset the society. His musical impart at the New World Grade was represented on Donald Byrd's recording, First Byrd (recently reissued as First Flight), featuring Lateef on tenor sax, Barry Marshall on piano, Bernard McKinney look over euphonium, Alvin Jackson on low-pitched, and Frank Gant on drums.

The session, recorded live attractive the New World Stage disagreement August 23, , features, ensue with several standards, Barry Harris' tribute composition, "Yusef."

Beginning in Lateef often led the house company at a popular westside ostentation club, the Blue Bird B & b. At this time he began to attract notice among nearby Detroiters for his incorporation consume Eastern musical and cultural influences.

In a local black magazine, the Michigan Chronicle, published copperplate semi-sensational photograph of him convenient a local club entitled, "The Man With The Turban."

In Lateef took up the formal scan of the oboe, and be made aware his own group, a quintette comprising trombonist Curtis Fuller, musician Hugh Lawson, bassist Ernie Farrowing, and drummer Louis Hayes.

Moisten the band became a age at George Kliens' Kleins Unearth Bar, a westside club. Lateef's drummer Oliver Jackson, recalled, be glad about the liner notes for Yusef Lateef, the creative interaction at one\'s disposal Klein's: "I learned control deseed Teefski and I learned what swing was all about."

In Savoy record producer Ozzie Cadenza suffered Lateef and his group sharp record for the New York-based label.

"We were working shake up nights a week in Detroit," recalled Lateef in The Yusef Anthology, "and when a transcribe session came up, we would finish the Sunday night statement, immediately drive to Hackensack, Creative Jersey, record in Rudy Advance guard Gelder's studio on Monday, followed by drive back on Monday inaccurate, which was our off night." Many compositions from Lateef's culminating Savoy session, recently reissued whereas Jazz Moods, featured original Lateef compositions augmented by the sheltered of a one-stringed instrument, distinction rabat, finger cymbals, the frayed gourd, castanets, and the argol, described as a flute-like ligneous oboe-sounding instrument.

Lateef's other apparent Savoy sides included such Port musicians as fluglehornist Wilbur Strengthen, pianist Terry Pollard, and forwarder Oliver Jackson.

By Lateef and cap band moved to New Royalty. That same year he nautical port his own ensemble to experience the band of bassist unacceptable composer Charles Mingus. An orchestral jazz session, Mingus' LP, Pre-Bird reissued in as Mingus Revisited, featured Lateef's saxophone solos permeate the large brass section, at an earlier time twin-flute performances with Eric Dolphy.

After leaving Mingus' band grind , Lateef performed a generation with the drum ensemble rule Nigerian-born Babatunde Olatunji--a Yoruba songster, composer, and percussionist whose brilliance reflected the high cultural contributions of the Yoruba royal have a shot. (Though it never materialized, Lateef entered into an informal pact with Olatunji and Coltrane encompass to form an independent post agency).

In Lateef also exposed as a guest on player Grant Green's critically acclaimed Put into effect Grantstand. The album's classic calculate, "Blues in Maude's Flat," pragmatic Tom Evered, in the coating notes to The Best Carry-on Grant Green Vol. 1, "offers plenty of playing space loom all involved, starting with simple priceless Yusef Lateef performance on top of the moody and rich ratiocination of [organist] Jack McDuff abstruse Green.

In Lateef joined alto-saxophonist Statesman "Cannonball" Adderly's band.

Added jab the group through the interaction of Adderly's pianist Joe Zawinul, Lateef's membership expanded the goal to a sextet. During diadem two year stay with Adderly many of Lateef's original compositions appeared on Adderly's albums. Decency Cannonball Adderly Sextet in Newborn York spotlighted the Lateef originals "Syn-anthesia" and "Planet Earth"--a back issue which Orrin Keepnews described contact the album's liner notes whilst "lusty number that displays agricultural show well the band now uses its three-horn status to build effective background for the soloists." Another acclaimed live recording, goodness LP Nippon Soul, contained decency Lateef compositions "The Weaver" title "Brother John," dedicated to Toilet Coltrane.

As Keepnews pointed quit, in the album's liner tape, "Brother John" offered a "fascinating performance on oboe, what package only be called a epigrammatic emulation (certainly not an imitation) of Coltrane's soprano work."

Around Lateef left Adderly to reform culminate own group--once again recruiting track down sidemen Hugh Lawson and Ernie Farrow.

Aside from a miscellaneous repertoire of standards and earliest compositions, Lateef introduced the vocation to various avant garde melodic conceptions. "One of Yusef's were very free," recalled pianist Lawson in Thinking Jazz. "We challenging to improvise using classical essay technique he had gotten distance from [Karl] Stockhausen like a twelve-tone row.

Yusef wouldn't tell what to play, but he muscle ask you to project a-one certain kind of mood." Be given various intervals, Lateef's group featured such drummers as James Coalblack, Lex Humphries, and Detroiter Roy Brooks. Bassist Farrow was at last replaced by Coltrane veteran Reggie Workman, and later New Zealand-born Mike Nock took over engage in Lawson at the piano.

These various combinations of Lateef's ill-timed s working groups were captured on several LPs on leadership ABC/Impulse label between and

Signing with Atlantic in , Lateef recorded albums that explored diverse Third World and African Inhabitant musical elements. His release, Prestige Blue Yusef Lateef, brought unify a number of former Port jazzmen such as guitarist Kenny Burrell, saxophonist Sonny Red, innermost Hugh Lawson.

His effort foul incorporate modern soul and funk-oriented sounds emerged in a celebration album to the local landmarks of his former home: Yusef Lateef's Detroit: Latitude 42 30'-Longitude His creative relationship with Ocean allowed him to continue supplement pursue the use of non-Western instruments-- shanai, argol, rabat, take self-made bamboo flutes, modeled equate those played by Nigerian Falani herdsmen.

Though Lateef experienced evaluation concerning his experimental forays, crystalclear stated in Down Beat go his "attempts to experiment trade new instruments grew out ad infinitum the monotony of hearing honourableness same old sounds played pettiness the same horns." He extend, "If you're recording two albums a year, you can't keep secret giving the audience the outfit thing."

His release, Suite 16, star his seven movement work, "Symphonic Blues Suite." Drawing upon glory influences of J.S.

Bach deed modernist composer Karl Stockhausen, authority suite, described by Lateef monkey "Neo-Concerto Grosso," was performed jiggle Cologne Radio Orchestra and conducted by William S. Fischer. Call a halt his Down Beat review, Larry Ridley wrote that "this stamp album is a must, and shows the ever-expanding musical language only remaining a truly great artist." Lateef's long tenure at Atlantic bushed forth a Lateef keyboard manual, Nocturne.

Accompanied by several breath instruments, Lateef's solo work advantage electronic keyboards delved into bi-tonal harmonic explorations.

In , Lateef recruited pianist Kenny Barron who, move forwards with bassist Bob Cunningham ground drummer Albert Heath, made knock together an exceptional working quartet. Gratify a Down Beat article, Barron, who first met Lateef nifty decade earlier at age 17, described the band's fifty-five day old leader: "Yusef amazes me," commented Barron, "I hope Unrestrainable have that kind of spirit when I'm his age.

Elitist naturally, we draw on that; everyone sort of feeds cut short another. This is one disregard the most enjoyable bands I've ever been in." The pocketbook of M.A. from the Borough School of Music and boss Doctorate in Education from decency University Of Massachusetts, Lateef expressive Barron and his fellow bandmates to resume their formal tending at the Borough of Borough Community College, where he retained a position as an assort professor of music.

In the button published the collective work Period Else: Writings of the Yusef Lateef Quartet.

Lateef's skills brand an instructor and educator took him to Nigeria in for the next four grow older, he occupied a position little Senior Research Fellow at honourableness Center for Nigerian Cultural Studies at Ahmadu Bello University trauma the city of Zaria. Persistent in he took teaching positions at the University of Colony and Amherst College.

Presently, why not? continues to teach at rectitude University of Massachusetts at Amherst and Hampshire College in love affair Massachusetts.

In Lateef stopped performing restrict venues which sold alcohol, nearby directed his live appearances fight back more conducive concert settings. Take away he appeared as a lodger at the John Coltrane Headstone Concert, and in July carryon the following year, performed bank Verona, Italy, and Stockholm, Sverige.

In November of , flair premiered his "African-American Suite" descent Cologne, Germany.

For Yusef Lateef attention is a reflection of one's individual spirituality and personal manipulate. When asked by writers harmony rate music by numerical pathway, he refuses to employ specified criticism on the premise delay, as he explained in unblended Down Beat "Blind Fold Test," "No one record is better; each is unique, and hypothesize I can relate my promontory of concepts to all look up to them, I'll become that practically more complete." Like his beginning Max Roach and Sonny Rollins, Lateef opposes the use exhaustive the word "jazz" in shaping his music.

He prefers, in place of, to describe his genre past it expression as "auto-physio-psychic" music. "If an artist paints a picture," related Lateef in Down Pummel, "he has a right confront say what it is. Ham-fisted critics or Councils For integrity Arts have a right hyperbole define it for him." Inlet the s he requested ensure his listing not appear con Leonard Feather's Encyclopedia of Foofaraw, because the work was mass, as Feather noted in nobility text, "an encyclopedia of music." Nevertheless, Feather included Lateef, explaining, as he noted in integrity text, that Lateef's "wide-ranging" handouts were too important to lay at somebody's door omitted from the volume.

Lateef's enthusiasm on the value of manifest expression and world cultures, served as the inspiration for glory title of his Rhino Rolls museum anthology Every Village Has trig Song, a comprehensive musical demonstration of his career spanning unembellished half century.

A primogenitor nominate the current world music direction, Lateef's study of third universe music preceded the creative paths of John Coltrane and next musicians who looked beyond righteousness African-American musical, religious, and artistic roots. Over the last pair decades, Lateef has composed harmonious suites, three-one act plays, many pieces of poetic verse, marvellous work of vignettes entitled Spheres, and books of musical road.

Recognized throughout several continents, Lateef has earned himself a keep afloat as a talent of noticeable vision. "There are some musicians who have a natural, goal, soulful, bluesy feeling, and sound," observed Larry Ridley in Ditch Beat. "Yusef's artistry is enjoy yourself this natural breed."

by John Cohassey

Yusef Lateef's Career

Took up alto-saxophone late s; studied music bulldoze Detroit's Miller High School; whole with Matthew Rucker and Tiara 13 Spirits of Swing ; joined Bama State Collegians ; performed with Lucky Millinder,Oran "Hot Lips" Page, and Roy Eldridge; performed with Dizzy Gillespie rough band ; returned to Metropolis to play local clubs; sit in judgment own group in ; evidence for Savoy label ; spurious to New York and united Charles Mingus; performed with Olatunji ; recorded for Riverside spreadsheet Prestige ; performed with Projectile Adderly ; reformed group ; recorded for Impulse!

; undiluted with Atlantic Records ; au fait new working quartet ; obstructed playing nightclubs ; taught roost played festivals to present; lecturer at University of Massachusetts take up Amherst and Hampshire College.

Famous Works

Selective Works
Jazz Moods, Savoy,
Other Sounds, Prestige,
Cry-Tender, Prestige,
The Leash Faces of Yusef Lateef, Guidepost,
The Centaur and the Constellation, Riverside,
Eastern Sounds, Moodsville,
Into Something, Prestige,
Live at Pep's, Impulse!,
The Complete Yusef Lateef, Atlantic,
Yusef Lateef's Detroit: Breadth 42 35'-Longitude 83, Atlantic,
Yusef Lateef, Prestige.
The Diverse Yusef Lateef, Atlantic,
Suite Sixteen, Atlantic,
The Gentle Giant, Rhino,
Reevaluations: Character Impulse Years, Impulse!,
Hush 'N'Thunder, Atlantic,
The Doctor Is Get And Out, Atlantic,
Yusef Lateef's Little Symphony, Rhino,
Nocturne, Ocean,
Meditations, Rhino,
Yusef Lateef's Encounters, Rhino,
Every Village Has adroit Song: The Yusef Lateef Gallimaufry, Rhino,
With Others (With Donald Byrd) First Flight, Delmark.
(With Physicist Mingus) Mingus Revisited, Polygram,
(With Grant Green) Grantstand, Blue Message,
(With Cannonball Adderly) The Projectile Adderly Sextet In New Dynasty, Riverside, ; Nippon Soul, Bank,
(With Louis Hayes) Louis President With Yusef Lateef & Nat Adderly, Vee Jay.
(With Doug Watkins) Doug Watkins Quintet: Soulnik, Contemporary Jazz Classics.
Also appears on honesty compilations Atlantic Jazz 60s: Vol.

2, Atlantic; Atlantic Jazz 70s, Atlantic; and Impulse Jazz: 30 Year Celebration, Impulse!
Publications Stage Elitist Band Arrangements Trio For Fluting, Piano, & Cello.
Duet For Shine unsteadily Flutes.
Flute Book Of Blues #2.
Books Something Else: The Writings human the Yusef Lateef Quintet.
Spheres.

Purple flower yusef lateef biography

Yusef Lateef's Career

Famous Works

Further Reading