Detroit Free Press
Unknown : 10/04/1957

The rabad, a musical instrument played thousands of years ago in the time of King David, is one of many from the Near East played by Yusef Lateef, saxophonist and flutist with his quintet at Klein’s Show Bar nightly except Tuesdays. The one-string goat skin instrument was used when Lateef recorded his latest album, Jazz Mood.

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Miami Herald
Fred Sherman : 09/22/1957

Jazz Mood by the Yusef Lateef quintet is an off-beat session. The Detroit group is selling a combination of gutty jazz with a tinkling of instruments from India. Sort of sophisticated Moondogs. The leader plays a good tenor and has a soulful trombonist in Curt Fuller. Listen to his solo on a Lateef bit called The Beginning. Some of the music recalls the Arabic wail.

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Down Beat : 11/28/1957
Ralph J. Gleason : 3.5 stars
This is a combined review with Savoy 12019, Jazz for the Thinker

This is the LP debut of a new Detroit jazzman (not so new, really, he’s a veteran of the Gillespie band and Dave Usher has been touting him for some time) and it is a debut worthy of considerable attention.

Lateef in both these LPs discloses a strong attachment to exotic devices, moods, and melodies as well as determination to use unusual (to jazz) Eurasian instruments, the chief of which here is the argol, which is described as a “flute-like wooden oboe-sounding” instrument. It makes a weird sound in any case, and is admirably suited to the Dr. Fu Manchu-style effects these LPs specialize in.

There are several strong points in favor of the two LPs. All the players have a finely stitched community spirit, emotional rapport, and understanding. Almost without exception the tracks give a feeling of warmth, a mood of relaxation, and good feeling, an uncomplicated emotional propulsion.

Lateef, as a tenor soloist, is a very good, unhurried explorer of these moods with an ability to really set up a wailing sequence, as on Yusef’s Mood. He communicates all the positive qualities mentioned above to a high degree in his solos. I find him an articulate voice from whom I hope to hear a great deal more in the future.

Fuller, who has a somewhat similar ability to wail and transmit emotion, deems to have less definition as a solo voice. Farrow, Lawson, and Hayes complement the others very well. In fact the best point about these albums is the remarkable blend between the musician and the resultant warmth.

However, the stress on exotica is a limiting factor here, as it has been with Chico Hamilton and the compositions of Buddy Collette. Jazzmen have broadened the feeling of 4/4 time so it is no longer monotonous, though still swinging, but they have not as yet done this with the various Latin types, and the usage of odd-sounding instruments (in name and in sound) is fine as part of a program but tends to overbalance here.

This group – and Lateef especially – will produce a real no-nonsense swinging LP any minute now. It should be worth waiting for.

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Liner Notes by H. Alan Stein

Perhaps one of the most provoking albums to come forth on the American jazz public is the enclosed set of 5 tracks by Yusef Lateef‘s Quintet.

Blending the voices and instrumentation of ancient and modern day India with the traditional jazz combo blend of tenor sax-trombone-piano-bass-drums, Detroit tenor star Yusef Lateef has evolved a new plane of performance. Through these renditions he aims to bring the listening audience to a higher level of morality. An intense leader and thinker, Yusef feels that all music is of value if it serves its intended purpose. In this set you will hear the rabat, a 1-stringed instrument that is plucked, tiny finger cymbals, tambourines, the scraped gourd, castanets, and the argol, a flute-like wooden oboe-sounding instrument. Blending these instruments with the more standard instruments of jazz are 4 members of this jazz “cult” led by Yusef Lateef. They are Curtis Fuller – trombone, tambourine and finger cymbals, Ernie Farrow – bass and rabat, Hugh Lawson – piano, Louis Hayes – drums, and the leader playing tenor, flute, argol, and scraper.

Opening track Metaphor is the haunting argol with its oboe-like wail as an introduction to a rhythm figure established by drums and cymbals on the 4th beat. Melodic blues is a superimposed on the pattern, developing into extended slow tempoed chorus solos by Yusef on tenor, and Fuller’s staccato trombone, followed by piano and bass. Yusef’s Mood is a wailing blues on standard instrumentation. The good humor and effervescence of the group still achieves a pure jazz sound while developing effects in their contrapuntal counter-solos and “cute” figures. Lateef romps and stomps, showing Pres and Stitt influences, the others solo and the closing choruses with piano doing a K.C. boogie figure under a trombone riff and tenor runs are a gas! Beginning is an exercise in 7/4 time with with a mournful oriental flavor. On Morning the plucked rabat maintains a rhythm bass figure throughout with tambourine aid. Blues in Space is an Arabic-tinged riff of plain blues that centers on jolting sound from all. Hear Yusef’s wild flute!