RASHIED ALI QUINTET

Judgment Day

2006-11-13

John Coltrane’s last percussionist, legendary master jazz drummer Rashied Ali has for the past 20 years been operating like an Art Blakey figure in terms of discovering and nurturing new talent. His current working quintet is another cross-generational affair featuring veterans Greg Murphy (piano) and Joris Teepe (bass) and two of New York’s finest young musicians, Lawrence Clark on tenor sax and Jumaane Smith on trumpet. On “Judgment Day,” this tightly knit group swings in fairly conventional postbop fashion on rarely covered tunes. On the topic of covering jazz tunes, the liner notes quote Ali as saying “If they can play Beethoven, why not Coltrane?” While Coltrane is not represented here, the quotation is apt in that the music of such undeniably influential figures as Monk, Shorter and Strayhorn are played with faithfulness and fluent unpredictability. Drum Beat Magazine says, “Though this band rarely plays outside of New York City, this is one of the more potent working quintets in jazz today.” Dusted Magazine says “Rashied Ali is one of the most underrated drummers to emerge from the turbulently exploratory 1960s.” –P

More reviews tagged #Jazz

  • reviewed 03/2010

    NOAH BAERMAN, WAYNE ESCOFFERY, AMANDA MONACO, VINNIE SPERRAZZA, HENRY LUGO
    Playdate

  • reviewed 08/2016

    Metalwood
    Twenty

  • reviewed 05/2006

    Robin McKelle
    Introducing

  • reviewed 09/2009

    LAVAY SMITH & HER RED HOT SKILLET LICKERS
    MISS SMITH TO YOU

  • reviewed 05/2009

    CLUTCHY HOPKINS (Meets Lord Kenjamin)
    Music is My Medicine

  • reviewed 07/2008

    VARIOUS
    Rumble In the Great Lakes (Best of the Detroit Jazz Fest 2007)

Compiled by the WYCE Journalism Club

The opinions expressed in these reviews are those of the individual volunteers that submitted the article and do not necessarily reflect the views of WYCE or GRCMC; nor its staff, donors, or affiliates.