Eeriness is the aura that sweeps out the speakers. A mosaic of anguish illustrated through solemn instrumentation…punctuated by sobering groans, gravely bass strums, moody keys, and grimacing whimpers. 1984 in white font appears next to Yusef Lateef at the top right corner of the album cover. A dapper black man with a bald head, stands playing a saxophone. As the moans and whimpers drift along the unpredictable notes from the piano, bass, and flute, the composition in totality gives off a vibe of agony and hopefulness. I look at the song list and see 1984 is the name of the song playing. In a way, the song’s title and composition is prophetic and in hindsight captures the pain and anguish of 1984…a period when the crack epidemic was in its infancy but later exploded and devastated the black community. The percussions throughout conveys a sense of urgency as the song progresses to the grand finale of screeching notes on the flute and animated notes on the piano. 

Imposing concurrent strokes on the piano and bass opens Try Love. Lateef smoothly enters the astral plane with melodic notes flowing from his saxophone. The notes converse with a beautiful uncertainty that the piano chords ground with precise certainty. The percussions afford a grand counterbalance that helps propel the composition to an embryotic state of buildup. My psyche lays on the relaxing waves pulsating through my ears while lingering in an aura of comfort that stems from the melody of the oboe that accentuates Try Love’s climax. My body is being serenaded with each luscious tone.

Soul Sister is appropriately titled with sassy notes that burst through from the jump. Like a gorgeous soul sister stepping fashionably late through the door – the feisty harmony of the quartet of instruments catches my attention. The sax, piano, bass, and drums are perfectly synchronized with a full embodiment of a confident attitude. The harmony sashays with elegant swagger and no shame to its game. The chords dispensing from the sax are sharper than a machete cutting through sugar cane. For a moment, I curiously wonder what my dad thought about this song with its seductive intensity.   

1984 displays diverse musical compositions that transcends above a predictable formula. Love Waltz opens with a beautiful piano solo that spans one minute. Although the bass and drums join at the one-minute mark, Love Waltz champions the power a piano has to establish a composition’s mood. Throughout, the piano speaks with an intrepid voice conveying the unpredictable voyage of love.

A perfect example is Warm Fire where the piano again establishes a cool vibe for Lateef to light a warm fire with his saxophone – where notes descend with tenderness but powerful…relaxing but compelling…fluid but nourishing. I bob my head to the cadence of the bass that fills the spare emptiness between the chords performed on the piano and saxophone. I allow my mind to wander and embrace the peace I feel in this moment.

Rolling drums reverberate against my body as I tilt and lean my upper body against the sofa’s back. The wavering of the cymbals fills the room with extravagant ambiance. The Greatest Story Ever Told gives off the vibe of a coronation anthem for a sovereign descending to their throne. I swirl and sniff the El Dorado 15-year-old rum that occupies the glass my left-hand fingers hold by the stem. I savor the opulent flavors of vanilla, chocolate, and spices, which seem to match the opulence of the regal melody flowing from the flute. The piano dictates authority while the slight beat of the drum directs the parading rhythmic feel of step…step….step. I close my eyes and my soul follows along while the shifting chords gradually slows down the tempo – SURPRISE, the flute reenters with spunk at the 2-minute mark to give a boost of energy. I open my eyes, raise my glass, and give a mental salute acknowledging the celebratory transition of the composition, which lasts 35 seconds – then immaculately flows back to the parading rhythm that ends with wavering cymbals.

After further review…

1984 was released by Impulse! in February 1965. The musicians who performed on the album were Yusef Lateef (flute, oboe, tenor saxophone), Mike Nock (piano), Reggie Workman (bass), and James Black (drums). The Greatest Story Ever Told was a composition written by Alfred Newman for a movie with the same name. The songs on 1984 were primarily composed by Lateef. Love Waltz was composed by Nock while Warm Fire was composed by the late great Duke Ellington.