The Yusef here is Yusef Lateef – and reedman
Bennie Maupin teams with
Adam Rudolph in a set of richly organic numbers that we're guessing Lateef would have really appreciated! There's less "symphonic" and more "tone poem" on the record than the title might imply – as the setting is very intimate, with just a variety of reeds from
Maupin, used in sonic territory created by
Rudolph – a mix of percussion, electronics, and plenty of effects – but all used gently, and without any sort of bombast – so that the music progresses with a careful unfolding that lets all the best elements find a way to resonate together! The album features one long track, divided into five movements – and
Maupin is at his most experimental here, while
Rudolph really seems to respectfully address the legendary legacy of his collaborator.