A direct drive, single stage, centrifugal compressor air blower assembly for increasing air pressure and air flow for industrial process air applications. The blower assembly consists of a scroll-shaped, single stage, centrifugal compressor air blower housing having an air inlet and an air outlet. The centrifugal air compressor housing contains an impeller that is mounted on an end of a drive shaft of a high speed asynchronous AC induction motor shaft. The drive shaft extends from the asynchronous AC induction motor into the centrifugal compressor blower housing. The compressor blower housing is rotatably attached to the motor housing which enables the direction of the air flow to be changed without repositioning the motor. A Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) is used to control motor RPM and hence blower output. The VFD and asynchronous AC induction motor combination provides 5 to 50 horsepower over an operating RPM range of 10,000 to 30,000 RPM.