News & Updates — Rashied Ali

Back when I played a drumkit, it wasn't Tony Allen who was my biggest influence. Nor was it Keith Moon, Mitch Mitchell, Art Blakey or anyone else. It was Rashied Ali! Someone once asked if a recording that was being played had Rashied on drums, and I was thrilled to tell him that it was actually me! But never in a million years could I match Ali in chops but I certainly dug his polytonal expression and unique waves of sound on the kit. Most famous for being John Coltrane's last drummer (and for the duo album they did together,...

Happy birthday shout to one of the unsung tenor men of the second wave of US free jazz, "Freedom" Frank Lowe. His lyricism was not limited to the avant-garde as he cut some great, swinging records that touched upon free, post-bop, R&B and other influences. Memphis born and reared, he took lessons from Stax Records' saxophonist Packy Axton, as well as working in the label's record shop and studio. After school he moved to San Francisco for further studies with Bert Wilson and Sonny Simmons. Some encouragement from Ornette Coleman persuaded Lowe to move to NYC in the late '60s...

A favorite of many on the instrument, the much-missed Peter Kowald was a major league improvising bassist. He was a member of Globe Unity Orchestra, Cooperative Trio, his "world music" project Global Village, London Jazz Composers Orchestra, Schlippenbach Trio and many others. A native of Germany, he started playing in 1960 and he and Peter Brotzmann hooked up for some racket shortly thereafter. They started touring in '66 with Carla Bley & Mike Mantler. He had a longtime association with Globe Unity, recording several records with them. He sometimes composed for and conducted that wild big band. Aside from his...