“The Centaur And The Phoenix” is an album by Yusef Lateef, recorded on October 4 and 6, 1960, at Plaza Sound Studios, New York, and originally released on Riverside Records (RLP 12-337). The Jazz Workshop Vinyl reissue as a 180-gram audiophile LP (JW-113) revives this record with remastering that highlights the instrumental textures’ richness. The lineup features Yusef Lateef (tenor saxophone, flute, oboe), Barry Harris (piano), Ernie Farrow (bass), Lex Humphries (drums), and a horn section including Richard Williams (trumpet). The album includes Lateef’s originals like Revelation and The Centaur and the Phoenix, with Eastern music influences. The music is hard bop with avant-garde and world motifs, with Lateef crafting exotic sonic landscapes. The Jazz Workshop reissue, limited to 500 copies, is prized for its detailed sound, capturing the innovative spirit. “The Centaur And The Phoenix” is a landmark record, underscoring Lateef’s vision.
Yusef Lateef (October 9, 1920 – December 23, 2013) was an American multi-instrumentalist, composer, and educator, a jazz innovator. Born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and raised in Detroit, he began on tenor saxophone before mastering flute, oboe, and other instruments, inspired by both jazz and Eastern music. In the 1950s, Lateef became a prominent figure, collaborating with Dizzy Gillespie and Charles Mingus. His style blended hard bop with world music elements, creating unique sonic landscapes. Lateef recorded numerous albums, including The Centaur And The Phoenix, and taught, inspiring musicians with his groundbreaking approach.
TRACKLIST
Side One:
1. Revelation (Barron) 5:58
2. Apathy (Lateef) 5:20
3. Ev’ry Day (I Fall In Love) (Kahal-Fain) 6:54
Side Two:
1. The Centaur And The Phoenix (Mills) 5:33
2. Iqbal (Lateef) 4:47
3. Summer Song (Mills) 5:22
4. The Philanthropist (Lateef) 3:55
Personnel:
Clark Terry, Richard Williams (trumpets), Curtis Fuller (trombone), Yusef Lateef (tenor sax, oboe, flute, argol), Tate Houston (baritone sax), Josea Taylor (basson), Joe Zawinul (piano), Ben Tucker (bass), Lex Humphries (drums).
Recorded at Plaza Sound Studios, New York, October 4 & 6, 1960
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