Yusef Lateef

One of Yusef Lateef’s best albums from one of the finest periods of his esteemed career, the 1964 LP Live at Pep’s showcases the reedman backed by trumpeter Richard Williams, pianist Mike Nock, bassist Ernie Farrow, and drummer James Black. Taped at a live performance at Pep’s Lounge in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the album was so successful that a full second LP was culled from the same sets. The program alternates between hard bop originals and covers of jazz classics such as Leonard Feather’s “Twelve Tone Blues” and an unorthodox version of Ma Rainey’s “See See Rider”. On “Sister Mamie”, “Number 7”, and “The Magnolia Triangle”, Lateef moves away from strict jazz, although he retains his improvisational flair. Live at Pep’s received the maximum five-star rating on AllMusic, with critic Ron Wynn stating that: “This was a pivotal date in Lateef’s career, and those unaware of it will get a treat with this disc”