Before Dawn: The Music of Yusef Lateef
Yusef Lateef · 1958
41 min · 8 tracks · jazz
A seamless blend of modal jazz, Eastern influences, and rich improvisation creates a transcendent listening experience.
Why this album works
This album is significant for its innovative incorporation of non-Western musical elements into jazz, which helped pave the way for future explorations in the genre. It received critical acclaim and positioned Lateef as a pioneering artist who expanded the boundaries of jazz music, influencing countless musicians to experiment with diverse sounds.
- Best for
- steady progression with resolution transcendent listening experience rich improvisation and exploration
- Context
- Released in 1958, 'Before Dawn: The Music of Yusef Lateef' was Yusef Lateef's first album for the Riverside label. At this point in his career, he had already established himself as a key figure in the jazz world but was beginning to explore new musical territories that included elements of world music and avant-garde styles.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Barbra Streisand· Bob Dylan· Ella Fitzgerald· Bing Crosby· Andy Williams· Aretha Franklin· Dave Brubeck· Tony Bennett
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
- 1 Passion 4:07
- 2 Love Is Eternal Standout 6:34
- 3 Pike's Peak 5:34
- 4 Open Strings 6:18
- 5 Before Dawn Standout 5:30
- 6 Twenty-Five Minute Blues Standout 5:31
- 7 Chang, Chang, Chang 3:01
- 8 Constellation 4:46
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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