Live In Europe

RASHIED ALI QUINTET: Live in Europe
Survival, 2009

POSTBOP – Powerful quintet led by the fierce drummer who graced Coltrane’s last recordings, playing edgy, aggressive jazz in a post-Trane vein (two of the tunes were penned by James Blood Ulmer, a longtime associate of Ali’s). If the tracks are too long, by all means play excerpts: this is potent music even if you’ve heard its kind before.

* * * * | Fo’s Picks: All

1. 0:36 – spoken intro (in Finnish?)

2. 25:58 – serious theme… agitated drum solo, furious sax over careening rhythm for 5 mins; inquisitive trumpet argues with piano for 6; piano noodles and embroiders, bass murmurs and frets.

3. 11:42 – brooding ballad: philosophical sax, trumpet & piano solos get deep

4. 29:06 – uptempo hardbop theme (for Joe Henderson), breakneck rhythm section never lets up: trumpet takes it farther out, sax adds a searching tone, then begins proclaiming; piano tumbles and rolls; bass finally brings it down for a quiet solo, then drums take it home.

[ Fo ] 06/29/09