Before Dawn: The Music of Yusef Lateef

Before Dawn: The Music of Yusef Lateef is an album by multi-instrumentalist Yusef Lateef recorded in 1957 and released on the Verve label. The album was produced from Lateef's third recording session under his leadership.

Before Dawn: The Music of Yusef Lateef
Studio album by Yusef Lateef
Released	February 1958
Recorded	April 16, 1957
Studio	WOR Recording Studios, New York City
Genre	Jazz
Label	Verve MGV-8217
Producer	Norman Granz
Yusef Lateef chronology
Jazz Mood (1957) Before Dawn: The Music of Yusef Lateef (1958) Jazz and the Sounds of Nature (1957)

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic

Allmusic review by Scott Yanow stated: "This is one of the most obscure of all Yusef Lateef recordings... the set is more bop-oriented than normal... showing how strong and original Lateef could be even playing conventional straight-ahead material. Some of the other pieces look toward the future and/or the East, and all eight selections have their memorable moments... Recommended."

Track listing

All compositions by Yusef Lateef except as indicated

1. "Passion" - 4:04
2. "Love Is Eternal" - 6:30
3. "Pike's Peak" - 5:30
4. "Open Strings" - 6:15
5. "Before Dawn" - 5:27
6. "Twenty-Five Minute Blues" - 5:27
7. "Chang, Chang, Chang" - 2:57
8. "Constellation" (Charlie Parker) - 4:47

Personnel

• Yusef Lateef - tenor saxophone, flute (track 4), arghul, percussion
• Curtis Fuller - trombone
• Hugh Lawson - piano, celesta (track 4)
• Ernie Farrow - bass, rebab
• Louis Hayes - drums