YUSEF LATEEF — The Golden Flute (1966-2004) RM | Serie LP Reproduction | APE (image+.cue), lossless

 This is one of the most obscure of all Yusef Lateef recordings, one that has even been left out of some discographies. Lateef mostly sticks to tenor (playing only flute on one song and making one appearance on the double-reed arghul) and is featured with his Detroit All-Stars, a quintet also including the up-and-coming trombonist Curtis Fuller, pianist Hugh Lawson, bassist Ernie Farrow and drummer Louis Hayes. Overall, the set is more bop-oriented than normal, with versions of "Pike's Peak" (based on "What Is This Thing Called Love"), Charlie Parker's "Constellation" and the blues "Chang, Chang, Chang" showing how strong and original Lateef could be even playing conventional straight-ahead material. Some of the other pieces look toward the future and/or the East, and all eight selections have their memorable moments, with the passionate yet thoughtful ballad "Love Is Eternal" being among the high points. Recommended. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1    Road Runner 4:44
Written-By – Lateef
2    Straighten Up And Fly Right 3:26
Written-By – Mills, Cole
3    Oasis 4:23
Written-By – Lateef
4    I Don't Stand A Ghost Of A Chance With You 4:03
Written-By – Crosby, Washington, Young
5    Exactly Like You 2:54
Written-By – McHugh/Fields
6    The Golden Flute 3:54
Written-By – Lateef
7    Rosetta 3:51
Written-By – Hines, Woode
8    Head Hunters 4:33
Written-By – Harris, Lawson
9    The Smart Set 7:31
Written-By – Brooks
Credits
Bass – Herman Wright
Drums – Roy Brooks, Jr.
Flute, Tenor Saxophone, Oboe – Yusef Lateef
Piano – Hugh Lawson

CURTIS FULLER — Images Of Curtis Fuller (1960-1991) RM | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist & Credits :

CURTIS FULLER — The Boss of the Soul-Stream Trombone (1960-1996) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

 An obscure set by trombonist Curtis Fuller that was originally put out by the Warwick label, this otherwise unremarkable set is sparked by the inclusion of the young trumpeter Freddie Hubbard (recently arrived from Indianapolis) and tenor saxophonist Yusef Lateef. With veteran bebopper Walter Bishop on piano and two players from Quincy Jones' big band (bassist Buddy Catlett and drummer Stu Martin), Fuller performs four originals and three standards (including "If I Were a Bell"). Hubbard's fiery statements often steal the show. Scott Yanow   Tracklist & Credits :

RAY BROWN — With The All-Star Big Band ft. Cannonball Adderley + Ray Brown & Milt Jackson (2012) RM | SHM-CD | Two Original Albums On One CD | FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Tracklist & Credits : 

1-9 With The All-Star Big Band
10-17 Ray Brown / Milt Jackson

RAY BROWN | MILT JACKSON — Much In Common + All-Star Big Band (1996) 2xCD | Serie Verve Take 2 | APE (image+.cue), lossless

Tracklist & Credits :

DIZZY GILLESPIE AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1947-1949 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1102 (2000) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

 Classics #1102 focuses on the explosive years of 1947-1949 when Dizzy Gillespie created some of the most innovative big band recordings, combining bebop and Afro-Cuban rhythms (courtesy of percussionist Chano Pozo). These sessions, recorded for Victor in December 1947, 1948, and early 1949, include future Dizzy standards "Manteca," "Cubana Be," and "Cubana Bop." The roster of musicians Gillespie employed played an important part in the shaping of modern jazz: Yusef Lateef, John Lewis (in one of his earliest sessions), Kenny Clarke, and Cecil Payne. With arrangements by Tadd Dameron, George Russell, Gil Fuller, Gerald Wilson, and the vocals of Johnny Hartman, Kenny "Pancho" Haygood, and Joe Carroll, volume four of Dizzy's chronological recording career is highly recommended. Al Campbell     Tracklist :

CLARK TERRY ft... YUSEF LATEEF - Color Changes (1961-2000) RM | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This is one of flügelhornist Clark Terry's finest albums. Terry had complete control over the music and, rather than have the usual jam session, he utilized an octet and arrangements by Yusef Lateef, Budd Johnson, and Al Cohn. The lineup of musicians (C.T., trombonist Jimmy Knepper, Julius Watkins on French horn, Yusef Lateef on tenor, flute, oboe, and English horn, Seldon Powell doubling on tenor and flute, pianist Tommy Flanagan, bassist Joe Benjamin, and drummer Ed Shaughnessy) lives up to its potential, and the charts make good use of the sounds of these very individual stylists. The material, which consists of originals by Terry, Duke Jordan, Lateef, and Bob Wilber, is both rare and fresh, and the interpretations always swing. Highly recommended. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1     Blue Waltz (La Valse Bleue) 6:37
Chester Conn
2     Brother Terry 3:54
Yusef Lateef
3     Flutin' and Fluglin' 6:46
Clark Terry
4     No Problem 5:49
Duke Jordan
5     La Rive Gauche 5:28
Clark Terry
6     Nahstye Blues
Clark Terry    
7     Chat Qui Peche (A Cat That Fishes) 7:32
Clark Terry
Credits :    
Bass – Joe Benjamin
Drums – Ed Shaughnessy
French Horn – Julius Watkins
Piano – Budd Johnson (tracks: 6), Tommy Flanagan
Tenor Saxophone, Flute – Seldon Powell
Tenor Saxophone, Flute, English Horn, Oboe – Yusef Lateef
Trombone – Jimmy Knepper
Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Clark Terry

CLARK TERRY - Supreme Jazz (2006) SACD | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :
1    La Rive Gauche 5'27
Written-By – Terry
2    Nashtye Blues 5'59
Written-By – Terry
3    Chat Qui Peche = A Cat That Fishes 7'33
Written-By – Terry
4    Blue Waltz = La Valse Bleue 6'37
Written-By – Wilber
5    Brother Terry 3'54
Written-By – Lateef
6    Flutin' And Flugin' 6'44
Written-By – Terry
7    No Problem 5'46
Written-By – Jordan
Credits :
Bass – Joe Benjamin
Drums – Ed Shaughnessy
French Horn – Julius Watkins
Piano – Budd Johnson (pistas: 2), Tommy Flanagan
Tenor Saxophone, Flute – Seldon Powell
Tenor Saxophone, Flute, English Horn, Oboe – Yusef Lateef
Trombone – Jimmy Knepper
Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Clark Terry

GRANT GREEN - Grantstand (1961-2003) RVG Edition / FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Grant Green's third album to be released, Grantstand teams the clear-toned guitarist with an unlikely backing group of musicians who rarely appeared with Blue Note otherwise: tenor saxophonist Yusef Lateef (who doubles on flute), organist Brother Jack McDuff, and drummer Al Harewood. Although Lateef was beginning to delve deeply into Eastern tonalities and instruments around the same time, his playing here is pretty straightforward and swinging, fitting the relaxed, bop-tinged soul-jazz that makes up most of the session. For his part, McDuff is mellower than his usual ferocious self, laying back and swinging with a blissful ease. Green contributes two bluesy originals, the nine-minute title track and the 15-minute "Blues in Maude's Flat," which are turned into loose, loping jams that rank as some of the best examples of Green's ability to work an extended groove. (The CD bonus track, "Green's Greenery," is in much the same vein, though not as long.) Elsewhere, Green leads a delicate, sensitive exploration of "My Funny Valentine" that ended up as his greatest standard performance to date, setting the stage for a great deal more work in this vein that was soon to be forthcoming (including his brilliant sessions with Sonny Clark). Still, the groove is what reigns supreme for most of the album; if you're looking for Green the soul-jazz groovemaster, Grantstand is an excellent place to find him. by Steve Huey
Tracklist  :
1    Grantstand 9:03
Written-By – Green
2    My Funny Valentine 9:06
Written-By – Rodgers-Hart
3    Blues In Maude's Flat 15:00
Written-By – Green
4    Old Folks 4:11
Written-By – Hill, Robison
5    Green's Greenery 5:10
Written-By – Grant Green
Credits :
Drums – Al Harewood
Guitar – Grant Green
Organ – Jack McDuff
Tenor Saxophone, Flute – Yusef Lateef

ART BLAKEY AND THE AFRO-DRUM ENSEMBLE – The African Beat (1962-1999) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

While not a universally praised piece of the Art Blakey discography, The African Beat is quite engaging. Yusef Lateef is the only horn player, featured on oboe, flute, tenor sax, cow horn, and thumb piano with Ahmed Abdul-Malik on bass, but trombonist Curtis Fuller is only heard playing tympani -- it was that kind of session. The drum ensemble includes Chief Bey, along with five other percussionists on conboro, log, and bata drums with penny whistles, gongs, congas, and African maracas. This is reminiscent of Lateef's more exotic sessions from the same time period, but quite unlike other Blue Note releases from the early '60s. Al Campbell

Tracklist :

1. Prayer By Solomon G. Ilori (00:52)

2. Ife L'Ayo (There Is Happiness In Love) (05:30)

3. Obirin African (Woman Of Africa) (03:41)

4. Love, The Mystery Of (09:23)

5. Ero Ti Nr'ojeje (07:33)

6. Ayiko, Ayiko (Welcome, Welcome, My Darling) (07:12)

7. Tobi Ilu (05:56)

Musicians :

Drums, Timpani, Gong, Drum [Telegraph Drum] – Art Blakey

Bass – Ahmed Abdul-Malik

Bata [Bata Drum], Congas – Robert Crowder

Congas – James Ola Folami

Congas, Drum [Telegraph Drum], Gong [Double Gong] – Chief Bey

Drum [Bambara Drum], Gong [Double Gong], Drum [Log Drum], Drum [Corboro Drum] – Montego Joe

Oboe, Flute, Tenor Saxophone, Horns [Cow Horn], Kalimba [Thumb Piano] – Yusef Lateef

Shekere [Chekere], Maracas [African Maracas], Congas – Garvin Masseaux

Timpani – Curtis Fuller

Vocals, Whistle [Penny Whistle], Talking Drum – Solomon G. Ilori

Recorded at the Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey on January 24, 1962.