Jazz saxophonist Yusef Lateef’s elusive 1983 album Hikima: Creativity reissued for the first time

Recorded, cut and pressed locally while he was living in Nigeria.

Spiritual jazz legend Yusef Lateef’s Hikima: Creativity is being reissued on vinyl for the first time, this June via Key System Recordings.

Read more: The essential guide to Yusef Lateef in 10 records

Created during Lateef’s tenure as a Senior Research Fellow at Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria, Northern Nigeria, the album received a small private pressing through the Centre For Nigerian Cultural Studies.

While many of Lateef’s albums recorded in the US drew on influences from West Africa and the Middle East, Hikima: Creativity featured Lateef leading a group of nine local musicians on traditional instruments, drums and vocals.

Listen to opening track ‘High Life’:

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Hikima: Creativity has been remastered from the original tapes by Jessica Thompson, with replica artwork of the original cover.

Check out the cover art and tracklist below, ahead of its 7th June release.

Tracklist

Side A

1. High Life
2. The Mood
3. C.N.C.S.

Side B

1. North Africa
2. Koroso
3. Blues Revisited
4. Mud Theater