LATEEF,YUSEF
GOLDEN FLOWER: LIVE IN SWEDEN (2CD DELUXE EDITION, 1967 & 1972 RECORDINGS) - CD

UPC: 8435395504994
Label: ELEMENTAL
Format: CD
Release Date: December 5, 2025
In stock items ship within 48 hours

Golden Flower: Live in Sweden presents two breathtaking, previously unreleased performances by the great Yusef Lateef, recorded during two key creative periods in his career. These archival treasures—restored and mastered from the original Swedish Radio tapes—highlight Lateef’s fearless musical curiosity, deep spirituality, and mastery as both a composer and improviser. The 2CD Deluxe Edition brings together concerts from Stockholm (1967) and the Åhus Jazz Festival (1972), revealing the evolution of his sound across one of the most fertile decades in modern jazz.

The 1967 session, recorded at Mosebacke, Stockholm, finds Lateef joined by Lars Sjösten (piano), Palle Danielsson (bass), and Albert “Tootie” Heath (drums). Their interplay is telepathic, transforming pieces like “The Golden Flute” and “Blind Willie” into meditative yet fiery journeys filled with rhythmic grace and bluesy depth. The 1972 Åhus Jazz Festival performance expands the palette with Kenny Barron on piano and Bob Cunningham on bass. These later recordings explore modal and spiritual jazz territories, with extended performances like “Inside Atlantis” and “Yusef’s Mood” radiating both intensity and serenity.

The set includes a 28-page booklet with rare photographs, detailed liner notes by Herb Boyd and Zev Feldman, and heartfelt tributes from Jeff Coffin, Chico Freeman, and Charlie Apicella. Produced in collaboration with Elemental Music and My Only Desire Records, the release celebrates Yusef Lateef’s boundary-defying artistry and his enduring message of unity through sound.

TRACK LIST:

CD 1 – Recorded at Mosebacke, Stockholm, Sweden (September 13, 1967)

1. The Golden Flute – 6:33
2. Blind Willie – 8:02
3. One Little Indian – 3:52
4. Straighten Up and Fly Right – 7:56
5. The Poor Fisherman – 3:18

CD 2 – Recorded at Åhus Jazz Festival, Åhus, Sweden (August 1, 1972)

1. Inside Atlantis – 15:01
2. Eboness – 13:22
3. Lowland Lullaby – 4:22
4. A Flower – 5:28
5. Yusef’s Mood – 20:18

Personnel

• 1967 session (Stockholm): Yusef Lateef – tenor sax, flute; Lars Sjösten – piano; Palle Danielsson – bass; Albert “Tootie” Heath – drums
• 1972 session (Åhus Jazz Festival): Yusef Lateef – tenor sax, flute; Kenny Barron – piano; Bob Cunningham – bass; Albert “Tootie” Heath – drums
• Produced for release by Zev Feldman
• Executive Producers: Jordi Soley, Carlos Agustín Calembert
• Associate Producers: Lindsay Fitzgerald, Ayesha Lateef
• Transferred from original Swedish Radio tapes
• Audio restoration and mastering by Matthew Lutthans at The Mastering Lab
• Liner notes by Herb Boyd and Zev Feldman