Elvin Ray Jones was an American jazz drummer of the post-bop era. Most famously a member of John Coltrane's quartet, with whom he recorded from late 1960 to late 1965, Jones appeared on such albums as My Favorite Things, A Love Supreme, Ascension and Live at Birdland. After 1966, Jones led his own trio, and later larger groups under the name The Elvin Jones Jazz Machine. His brothers Hank and Thad were also celebrated jazz musicians with whom he occasionally recorded. Elvin was inducted into the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame in 1995. In his The History of Jazz, jazz historian and critic Ted Gioia calls Jones "one of the most influential drummers in the history of jazz". He was also ranked at Number 23 on Rolling Stone magazine's "100 Greatest Drummers of All Time".
Rashied Ali, born Robert Patterson was an American free jazz and avant-garde drummer who was best known for performing with John Coltrane in the last years of Coltrane's life.
Meditations is a 1966 album by John Coltrane. The album was considered the "spiritual follow-up to A Love Supreme." It features Coltrane and Pharoah Sanders as soloists, both playing tenor saxophones. This was the last Coltrane recording to feature his classic quartet lineup of himself, bassist Jimmy Garrison, drummer Elvin Jones and pianist McCoy Tyner, as both Jones and Tyner would quit the band by early 1966. Sanders, Ali, Garrison and Coltrane's wife Alice would comprise his next group.
Travels is a live double album by the Pat Metheny Group recorded in July, October, and November 1982 and released on ECM the following year. The quintet features pianist Lyle Mays and rhythm section Steve Rodby and Dan Gottlieb, with guest Nana Vasconcelos.
Stafford James is an American double-bassist and composer.
Belonging is a studio album by American jazz pianist Keith Jarrett, recorded over two days in April 1974 and released on ECM later that year—the debut of Jarrett's "European Quartet", featuring saxophonist Jan Garbarek and rhythm section Palle Danielsson and Jon Christensen. Because Jarrett's contract with ABC/Impulse! prevented him from performing with the quartet under his own name, the group became known as the "Belonging" quartet.
Moon Child is an album led by saxophonist Pharoah Sanders recorded in 1989 and released on the Dutch Timeless label.
Duo Exchange is an album by drummer Rashied Ali and saxophonist Frank Lowe. It was probably recorded in September 1972 at the studio of Marzette Watts in New York City, and was issued by Ali's Survival Records in 1973 as the label's inaugural release. In 2020, Survival Records released an expanded double-CD album titled Duo Exchange: Complete Sessions featuring incomplete and alternate takes, as well as studio discussion.
Celebration is an album by drummer Andrew Cyrille. It was recorded in February and May 1975 at Ali's Alley Studio 77 in New York City, and was released later that year by the Institute of Percussive Studies. On the album, Cyrille is joined by members of the band Māōnō: saxophonist David S. Ware, trumpeter Ted Daniel, vocalist Jeanne Lee, synthesizer player Romulus Franceschini, pianist Donald Smith, bassist Stafford James, and percussionist Alphonse Cimber. The musicians are joined by poet Elouise Loftin.
Songlines is an album by saxophonist Peter Brötzmann, bassist Fred Hopkins, and drummer Rashied Ali. It was recorded on October 30 and 31, 1991, in Berlin, and was released in 1994 by FMP.
Live at Ali's Alley is a live album by trumpeter Ahmed Abdullah, listed simply as "Abdullah" on the cover. It was recorded on April 24, 1978, at New York City's Ali's Alley, and released on vinyl in 1980 by Cadence Jazz Records as the label's inaugural release. On the album, Abdullah is joined by saxophonist Chico Freeman, hornist Vincent Chancey, cellist Muneer Abdul Fatah, bassist Jerome Hunter, and drummer Rashied Sinan.
Deals, Ideas & Ideals is an album by drummer Rashied Ali, bassist Peter Kowald, and saxophonist and bass clarinetist Assif Tsahar. It was recorded on May 23 and 24, 2000, at Survival Studio in New York City, and was released in 2001 by Hopscotch Records.
Live at Tonic is a live album by drummer Rashied Ali, saxophonist Louis Belogenis, and bassist Wilber Morris. It was recorded on January 6, 2001, at Tonic in New York City, and was released later that year by DIW Records.
Rashied Ali Quintet is an album by the free jazz ensemble of the same name, led by drummer Ali, and featuring saxophonist Bob Ralston, trumpeter Earl Cross, guitarist James Blood Ulmer, and bassist John Dana. It was recorded during 1973 at Marzette Watts's studio in New York City, and was released on vinyl that year by Ali's Survival Records. In 1999, the album was reissued on CD by Survival in conjunction with the Knit Classics label. The recording marks one of Ulmer's first recorded appearances.
Moon Flight is an album by drummer Rashied Ali on which he is featured in quartet and quintet settings. It was recorded on August 26, 1975, at Studio 77 in New York City, and was released on vinyl in 1976 by Ali's Survival Records. In 1999, it was reissued on CD by Survival in conjunction with the Knit Classics label. On the album, Ali is joined by saxophonists Marvin Blackman and James Vass, pianist Charles Eubanks, and bassist Benny Wilson.
N.Y. Ain't So Bad: Ali Plays the Blues is an album by drummer Rashied Ali that features blues singer Royal Blue. It was recorded during July and August, 1975, and was released on vinyl in 1976 by Ali's Survival Records. In 1999, it was reissued on CD by Survival in conjunction with the Knit Classics label. On the album, Ali and Blue are joined by saxophonists Marvin Blackman and James Vass, pianist Charles Eubanks, and bassist Benny Wilson.
The October Revolution is a live album that documents a concert celebrating the 30th anniversary of the 1964 music festival known as the October Revolution in Jazz. It contains two long tracks, dedicated to composer, trumpeter, and festival organizer Bill Dixon, by a quartet that features drummer Rashied Ali, pianist Borah Bergman, saxophonist Joe McPhee, and bassist Wilber Morris, plus a single short track featuring the Myra Melford Trio, led by pianist Melford, and featuring bassist Lindsey Horner and drummer Tom Rainey. The album was recorded on October 22, 1994, at the Fez Room under the Time Cafe in New York City, and was released in 1996 by Evidence Music.
Rings of Saturn is an album of duets by drummer Rashied Ali and saxophonist Louie Belogenis. It was recorded during August 1997 at Survival Studios in New York City, and was released in 1999 by Knitting Factory Records. Along with six original works, the recording includes two compositions by John Coltrane, including "Saturn," which originally appeared on Interstellar Space, an album of Coltrane/Ali duets recorded in 1967.
No One in Particular is an album by the Rashied Ali Quintet, led by drummer Ali, and featuring saxophonist Ravi Coltrane, guitarist Gene Ess, pianist Greg Murphy, and bassist Matthew Garrison. It was recorded on June 25, 1992, at The Studio, located at 102 Greene Street, New York City, and was released in 2001 by Ali's Survival Records.
Ups 'n Downs is an album by jazz pianist Bud Powell, and the last recorded album prior to his death. At the time of recording, believed to be 1964 and early 1965, Powell had returned to New York after living in Paris for several years. The album has been noted for its mysterious circumstances and misleading liner notes.
