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The Gentle Giant Review by Michael G. Nastos

Courtesy of AllMusic.com

Yusef Lateef's music from the early '70s commands large doses of both appeal and skepticism. At a time when funk and fusion were merging with the intensely volatile and distrustful mood of the U.S., Lateef's brand of Detroit soul garnered new fans, and turned away those who preferred his earlier hard bop jazz or world music innovations. Thus The Gentle Giant is an appropriate title, as Lateef's levitational flute looms large over the rhythm & blues beats central to the equation. Kenny Barron's Fender Rhodes electric piano is also a sign of the times, an entry point introducing him to the contemporary jazz scene, and on that point alone is historically relevant. The post-Bitches Brew, pre-Weather Report/Headhunters time period is to be considered, and how this music put Lateef in many respects to the forefront of the movement. While inconsistent and at times uneven, there's more to praise than damn in the grooves and unique musicianship he offers with this small ensemble of focused and singular-minded players. At once funky and cool, Barron's "Nubian Lady" sets the tone out of the gate, the tune totally trumping Herbie Mann's Memphis Underground/Push Push style. The similar-sounding "Jungle Plum" is more danceable, simpler, and less attractive. While "Aftican Song" is also in this vein, it is less about the continent in the title as it is reflective of the era, and a slower number. Perhaps that actual title and the sleigh bell-driven "Below Yellow Bell" could have been reversed, for it is more Afrocentric, with Lateef's wordless vocal counterpoint closer to sounds of the savanna over a baroque rhythm & blues. "Hey Jude," under-produced to the point of inaudibility at the outset (the caveat given is "do not adjust the playback level on your audio equipment, readjust your mind"), busts out on the incessantly repeated "na na" chorus with the Sweet Inspirations doing the honors. The other tracks lay low, as Lateef and Al "Tootie" Heath's flutes and Kermit Moore's cello go into late-night mode for "Lowland Lullabye," "The Poor Fisherman" explores the leader's interest in Asian sounds with call and response, and "Queen of the Night" is a two-minute shortie with Eric Gale's modulated guitar mixing up meters of 4/4 and 3/4 in a slightly macabre way. This recording was produced in the middle of Lateef's commercial crossroads phase that started with the Atlantic label issue Yusef Lateef's Detroit in 1969 and ended in 1977 with the CTI release Autophysiopsychic. Though these tracks are potent reminders of how jazz was willfully being manipulated by the record companies -- Creed Taylor in particular -- this album is clear evidence of how great a musician Yusef Lateef was, but not in the context of his best music.

DETAILS COURTESY OF DISCOGS

Yusef Lateef – The Gentle Giant

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Label:

Atlantic – SD 1602

Format:

Vinyl, LP, Album, Promo, Stereo

Country:

US

Released:

1972

Genre:

Jazz

Style:

Soul-Jazz, Jazz-Funk

Tracklist

Hide Credits A1 Nubian Lady Bass – Bob Cunningham, Sam Jones Drums – Kuumba "Tootie" Heath* Electric Bass – Bill Salter* Flute, Flute [Bamboo, Pneumatic], Oboe, Tenor Saxophone – Yusef Lateef Percussion [African Percussion] – Ladzi Cammara* Piano, Electric Piano – Kenneth Barron*, Ray Bryant Written-By – Kenneth Barron* Bass – Bob Cunningham, Sam Jones Drums – Kuumba "Tootie" Heath* Electric Bass – Bill Salter* Flute, Flute [Bamboo, Pneumatic], Oboe, Tenor Saxophone – Yusef Lateef Percussion [African Percussion] – Ladzi Cammara* Piano, Electric Piano – Kenneth Barron*, Ray Bryant Written-By – Kenneth Barron* 6:38 A2 Lowland Lullabye Arranged By – Kuumba "Tootie" Heath* Cello – Kermit Moore Flute – Kuumba "Tootie" Heath* Tenor Saxophone – Yusef Lateef Written-By – Trad.* Arranged By – Kuumba "Tootie" Heath* Cello – Kermit Moore Flute – Kuumba "Tootie" Heath* Tenor Saxophone – Yusef Lateef Written-By – Trad.* 2:12 A3 Hey Jude Backing Vocals – The Sweet Inspirations Bass – Chuck Rainey Drums – Jimmy Johnson (2) Guitar – Eric Gale Tenor Saxophone, Flute – Yusef Lateef Vibraphone, Chimes – Neal Boyer Written-By – John Lennon - Paul McCartney* Backing Vocals – The Sweet Inspirations Bass – Chuck Rainey Drums – Jimmy Johnson (2) Guitar – Eric Gale Tenor Saxophone, Flute – Yusef Lateef Vibraphone, Chimes – Neal Boyer Written-By – John Lennon - Paul McCartney* 9:10 B1 Jungle Plum Bass – Bob Cunningham, Sam Jones Drums – Kuumba "Tootie" Heath* Electric Bass – Bill Salter* Flute, Flute [Bamboo, Pneumatic], Oboe, Tenor Saxophone – Yusef Lateef Percussion [African Percussion] – Ladzi Cammara* Piano, Electric Piano – Kenneth Barron*, Ray Bryant Written-By – Kenneth Barron* Bass – Bob Cunningham, Sam Jones Drums – Kuumba "Tootie" Heath* Electric Bass – Bill Salter* Flute, Flute [Bamboo, Pneumatic], Oboe, Tenor Saxophone – Yusef Lateef Percussion [African Percussion] – Ladzi Cammara* Piano, Electric Piano – Kenneth Barron*, Ray Bryant Written-By – Kenneth Barron* 4:57 B2 The Poor Fisherman Flute – Kuumba "Tootie" Heath* Tenor Saxophone – Yusef Lateef Written-By – Yusef Lateef Flute – Kuumba "Tootie" Heath* Tenor Saxophone – Yusef Lateef Written-By – Yusef Lateef 3:39 B3 African Song Bass – Bob Cunningham, Sam Jones Drums – Kuumba "Tootie" Heath* Electric Bass – Bill Salter* Flute, Flute [Bamboo, Pneumatic], Oboe, Tenor Saxophone – Yusef Lateef Percussion [African Percussion] – Ladzi Cammara* Piano, Electric Piano – Kenneth Barron*, Ray Bryant Written-By – Kenneth Barron* Bass – Bob Cunningham, Sam Jones Drums – Kuumba "Tootie" Heath* Electric Bass – Bill Salter* Flute, Flute [Bamboo, Pneumatic], Oboe, Tenor Saxophone – Yusef Lateef Percussion [African Percussion] – Ladzi Cammara* Piano, Electric Piano – Kenneth Barron*, Ray Bryant Written-By – Kenneth Barron* 4:49 B4 Queen Of The Night Bass – Chuck Rainey Drums – Jimmy Johnson (2) Guitar – Eric Gale Tenor Saxophone, Flute – Yusef Lateef Written-By – Yusef Lateef Bass – Chuck Rainey Drums – Jimmy Johnson (2) Guitar – Eric Gale Tenor Saxophone, Flute – Yusef Lateef Written-By – Yusef Lateef 2:12 B5 Below Yellow Bell Bass – Bob Cunningham, Sam Jones Drums – Kuumba "Tootie" Heath* Electric Bass – Bill Salter* Flute, Flute [Bamboo, Pneumatic], Oboe, Tenor Saxophone – Yusef Lateef Percussion [African Percussion] – Ladzi Cammara* Piano, Electric Piano – Kenneth Barron*, Ray Bryant Written-By – Yusef Lateef Bass – Bob Cunningham, Sam Jones Drums – Kuumba "Tootie" Heath* Electric Bass – Bill Salter* Flute, Flute [Bamboo, Pneumatic], Oboe, Tenor Saxophone – Yusef Lateef Percussion [African Percussion] – Ladzi Cammara* Piano, Electric Piano – Kenneth Barron*, Ray Bryant Written-By – Yusef Lateef 5:02

Companies, etc.

• Manufactured By – Atlantic Recording Corporation
• Recorded At – Atlantic Studios
• Recorded At – Regent Sound Studios, New York City
• Remixed At – Atlantic Studios
• Remixed At – Regent Sound Studios, New York City
• Lacquer Cut At – Atlantic Studios
• Pressed By – Presswell
• Published By – Wazuri Music
• Published By – MJQ Music
• Published By – Maclen Music, Inc.
• Published By – Alnur Music
• Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Atlantic Recording Corporation

Credits

• Design [Album] – Ira Friedlander
• Engineer [Recording] – Bob Liftin (tracks: A3, B4), Lew Hahn (tracks: A1, A2, B1 to B3, B5)
• Engineer [Remix] – Bob Liftin (tracks: B5), Lew Hahn (tracks: A1 to B4)
• Lacquer Cut By – GP*
• Photography By – Giuseppe G. Pino*
• Producer – Joel Dorn

Notes

White label promo with "Sample Copy Not For Sale" printed on the labels. Cover may have a "Promotional DJ Copy" sticker with suggested cuts for air play.

Stereo pressing for general promotion including FM radio. Compare to The Gentle Giant.

℗ 1972 Atlantic Recording Corporation

Barcode and Other Identifiers

• Rights Society: BMI
• Pressing Plant ID (Suffix on label matrix): PR
• Matrix / Runout (A label matrix): ST-A-712399 PR
• Matrix / Runout (B label matrix): ST-A-712400 PR
• Matrix / Runout (A-side runout etched): ST-A-712399 A AT/GP PR
• Matrix / Runout (B-side runout etched): ST-A-712400 A AT/GP PR