Is Cry! – Tender a good place to start with Yusef Lateef?

Yes, Cry! – Tender is recommended as a starting point for new Yusef Lateef listeners. A seamless blend of modal jazz and Eastern influences, creating an ethereal soundscape marked by rich textures and heartfelt melodies. Released in 1960, Cry! – Tender was Yusef Lateef's fifth album and followed his notable work on the groundbreaking album Eastern Sounds. By this time, Lateef was solidifying his reputation as a versatile musician blending jazz with world music elements, showcasing his distinctive approach to improvisation and composition.

Who is Cry! – Tender for?

Cry! – Tender works well if you're into steady pacing with emotional depth, heartfelt improvisation for reflection and rich textures for attentive listening.

How many songs are on Cry! – Tender?

Cry! – Tender has 8 tracks, running approximately 37 minutes.

Cry! – Tender

Yusef Lateef · 1960

37 min · 8 tracks · jazz

A seamless blend of modal jazz and Eastern influences, creating an ethereal soundscape marked by rich textures and heartfelt melodies.

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Top tracks — play these first

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Cry! — Tender — The title track captures the album's emotional core, featuring a poignant melody that intertwines jazz improvisation with a deeply expressive quality that speaks to listeners' feelings.
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Sea Breeze Start here — This opening track sets the tone with its airy, flowing rhythms and intricate harmonies, exemplifying Lateef's ability to evoke landscapes through sound.
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Yesterdays — Lateef's interpretation of this classic standard reimagines it with a fresh perspective, showcasing his skill in blending traditional jazz with innovative arrangements that breathe new life into familiar tunes.

Elevation

Our rating, out of 100 — and why.

AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.

Instrumental

64 /100

Treeline

Higher than 79% of albums we've rated

The album blends modal jazz with Eastern influences, showcasing rich textures and seamless transitions.

What we noticed

The album features a consistent use of modal scales, creating a fluid and expansive sound throughout its eight tracks.
Each track maintains a relaxed tempo, with several pieces transitioning seamlessly into one another without noticeable breaks.

Composition 25% of the score: 8/10
Craft 20% of the score: 7/10
Durability 25% of the score: 6/10
Distinctiveness 18% of the score: 7/10
Sequencing 12% of the score: 8/10

Influence 6/10

Significant within its genre. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.

Is this for you?

Good fit if you like

steady pacing with emotional depth
heartfelt improvisation for reflection
rich textures for attentive listening
balanced progression with climactic moments

Maybe skip if you

seeking instant gratification
prefer fast-paced experiences

Where this album fits

In the catalog: Breakthrough — This album helped solidify Lateef's reputation with its innovative fusion of jazz and global sounds.
Themes: Eastern soundscapes· poignant melodies· airy rhythms
Career context: Released in 1960, Cry! – Tender was Yusef Lateef's fifth album and followed his notable work on the groundbreaking album Eastern Sounds. By this time, Lateef was solidifying his reputation as a versatile musician blending jazz with world music elements, showcasing his distinctive approach to improvisation and composition.
Stylistic neighbors: Pharoah Sanders· Alice Coltrane· Don Cherry