Interesting Article on Yusef Lateef

[Guy Berger]

link

[JSngry]

More than interesting in fact!

Much thanks for posting this.

[BeBop]

Nice article.

Edited March 19, 2006 by BeBop

[Lazaro Vega]

Typo alert: Lucky Millinder

Has anyone heard Lateef's double CD from last year?

The most recent music from Lateef that I've heard is that Go:Organic Orchestra music on Rudolph's Meta Records. That's an incredible melange.

By the way, how do you pronounce Assif's last name?

Thanks for posting the article.

Edited March 18, 2006 by Lazaro Vega

[brownie]

Damn good job from Assif Tsahar! Many thanks for posting this, Guy!

The Lateef album with the Belmondo Brothers is excellent by the way!

[7/4]

Typo alert: Lucky Millinder

Has anyone heard Lateef's double CD from last year?

The most recent music from Lateef that I've heard is that Go:Organic Orchestra music on Rudolph's Meta Records. That's an incredible melange.

By the way, how do you pronounce Assif's last name?

Thanks for posting the article.

I think the first a is silent.

[Larry Kart]

Typo alert II: Don Byas, not Don Bayes.

Also, I've read in a number of places (including Feather-Gitler) that Lateef changed his name to Lateef from William Evans. Did he change it before that from William Emanuel Huddleston to William Evans?

[White Lightning]

Has anyone heard Lateef's double CD from last year?

The most recent music from Lateef that I've heard is that Go:Organic Orchestra music on Rudolph's Meta Records. That's an incredible melange.

I interviewed Yusef Lateef yesterday. It was also a video interview. He told me some great stories on mingus, Roland Kirk and Dolphy. I'll post a link to the short vid when it'll be on line. I also him play last night with the Belmondo Bros. It wasn't a perfect gig, but I loved it, warts and all.

Lateef's recent Album "Influence" is actually under the French Belmondo Bros. name. It's a double CD. The first CD is more third streamy penned by Lionel Belmondo. The 2nd CD is more Jazzy and it includes some of Lateef's music, including remakes of some of Lateef's Jazz Moods (Savoy) tunes.

Lateef's chops are not what they used to be, but hey - the man is almost 86. But when he speaks thru his axes he's really saying something. Lateef's flute work is great. His sound is still golden. The flute is now Lateef's main Axe. Lateef's chops on the tenor is not that strong, but he still can tell a great story on it. The one thing that is was sad to listen to is his Oboe work. Not good at all.

All in all - I would recommend to give "Influence" a spin, even several spins. You'll like it I believe.

[White Lightning]

By the way, how do you pronounce Assif's last name?

Tza- Char (a guttural "Ch" as in Chutzpa or Chanukah)

[White Lightning]

Typo alert II: Don Byas, not Don Bayes.

Also, I've read in a number of places (including Feather-Gitler) that Lateef changed his name to Lateef from William Evans. Did he change it before that from William Emanuel Huddleston to William Evans?

Bill Evans was the name he adopted for the Jazz life.

[Stereojack]

Fascinating article - a good read. Thanks for posting it.

[gdogus]

Off topic and forgive the grumbling, but I still can't believe that Chattanooga, Tennessee, birthplace of Bessie Smith, Jimmy Blanton, and Yusef Lateef, doesn't have a single dedicated jazz club.

But here I sit.

[Lazaro Vega]

Thanks for the help on the pronouncer, but with "Tza" do you pronounce the "T." Thinking of Tchacai or Tchaikovsky where you don't...So, tee-zah, or Tah-zah...? sorry to be so thick....

[JSngry]

Off topic and forgive the grumbling, but I still can't believe that Chattanooga, Tennessee, birthplace of Bessie Smith, Jimmy Blanton, and Yusef Lateef, doesn't have a single dedicated jazz club.

Do they at least still have a choo-choo?

[White Lightning]

Thanks for the help on the pronouncer, but with "Tza" do you pronounce the "T." Thinking of Tchacai or Tchaikovsky where you don't...So, tee-zah, or Tah-zah...? sorry to be so thick....

"Tz" or "Ts" as in tsetse fly or as in Zorn's "Tzadik" label.

[AllenLowe]

nice article - and I never knew that Charlie Rose had played with Monk - he should have stayed with music, as he's a lousy interviewer -

Edited March 20, 2006 by AllenLowe

[Christiern]

Off topic and forgive the grumbling, but I still can't believe that Chattanooga, Tennessee, birthplace of Bessie Smith, Jimmy Blanton, and Yusef Lateef, doesn't have a single dedicated jazz club.

But here I sit.

You might not want to visit the Waiters & Waitresses Club on 9th Street. Years ago, as the jukebox had patrons percolating to the sound of Aretha, I and some friends had a memorable experience there, but we were courting disaster.

[White Lightning]

Here's a short clip of my interview with Yusef Lateef. You can read the full interview after polishing your Hebrew skills here

besides what's on the video clip, We talked about His days in Detroit, the Muslim riots after those Danish Caricatures, the genius of Eric Dolphy, the Israeli-Palestinian struggle, His future plans, YAL, the making of Bamboo flutes in 2 hours and the absolutely essential fact that despite what's written in his bio, it was Roy Brooks rather than Lateef that played the Shofar!

Lateef is an incredible man, I feel very fortunate to have spent time with him and listen to his stories and wisdom

[Chuck Nessa]

Many thanks for the lovely clip.

[Guy Berger]

Here's a short clip of my interview with Yusef Lateef. You can read the full interview after polishing your Hebrew skills here

It's a real pity that the interview isn't in English, because I thought it was even more interesting than Tsahar's! Thanks, Barak.

I thought it was really interesting that he was concerned about Jews taking offense at the playing of the shofar.

Guy

[Stereojack]

Thanks for the clip. Really nice!

[Joe G]

Yes - thank you!

[ValerieB]

wonderful article on an amazing man. just wish there weren't so many misspellings of musicians' names.

[brownie]

Monsieur Clementin, I have not heard much very recent Tsahar. I'm still digging the Hopscotch 'Live at the Fundaction Juan Miro' with Sonny Murray and Peter Kowald. Very impressed with that one! Also with a couple of Ayler albums - both with Hamid Drake - 'Sould Bodies, vol. 1' and 'Live at Glenn Miller Café'.

There's food for the brain there!

On a side note, I have been advised by friends to avoid Assif's mother who is based in Paris nowadays. I have stuck to the advice so far. But maybe I'm missing something there!

Back to Yusef now!