Jackie McLean - 'Bout Soul [1967/FLAC]

 'Bout Soul is an album by American saxophonist Jackie McLean recorded in 1967 and released on the Blue Note label.It features McLean in a quintet with trumpeter Woody Shaw, pianist LaMont Johnson, bassist Scotty Holt and drummer Rashied Ali. Trombonist Grachan Moncur III guests on three tracks, and Barbara Simmons recites the words on “Soul”.

Personnel

•     Jackie McLean – alto saxophone
•     Woody Shaw – trumpet (tracks 1–3, 5 & 6)
•     Grachan Moncur III – trombone (tracks 1, 2 & 5)
•     LaMont Johnson – piano
•     Scotty Holt – bass
•     Rashied Ali – drums
•     Barbara Simmons – recitation (track 1)

1.     "Soul" (Grachan Moncur III, Barbara Simmons) - 10:17
2.     "Conversion Point" (Jackie McLean) - 9:47
3.     "Big Ben's Voice" (LaMont Johnson) - 10:08
4.     "Dear Nick, Dear John" (Scotty Holt) - 4:56
5.     "Erdu" (Johnson) - 5:57
6.     "Big Ben's Voice" [Alternate take] - 9:55 Bonus track on CD reissue

Rashied Ali & Arthur Rhames - The Dynamic Duo (Remember Trane And Bird) (2 CD, 1981/FLAC)

For some, Interstellar Space was the end of John Coltrane—and for others, just the beginning. As many people dislike Rashied Ali for being Trane's last drummer as like him for that same reason. Indisputable though is that Interstellar Space began the examination of new possibilities for the duet format, apart from the typical piano/bass example. Ali continued to explore this arrangement after the death of his mentor on albums like Duo Exchange with late saxophonist Frank Lowe and in his current duo with altoist Sonny Fortune (in residency at Sweet Rhythm this month). Ayler Records, continuing a spate of exciting archival live albums, has released another chapter in Ali's saxophone duet history, this time as a double disc set with, sadly, another late player, tenor Arthur Rhames.

The performance was recorded in 1981 at the Willisau Jazz Festival. Given Rhames' relative obscurity, the first disc begins with Rashied Ali narrating liner notes over a 17-minute exposition by himself and Rhames. The rest of the set consists of material by Coltrane including "Mr. PC," "Giant Steps," "Impressions" and even a brief reading of most of A Love Supreme (all interesting choices as they all predate Ali joining Coltrane's group). The Eckstine standard "I Want to Talk About You," Miles' "Tune Up" and four pieces ostensibly improvised by Rhames and Ali are thrown in for good measure.

 
 Recorded live at Willisau Jazz Festival, Switzerland, on August 29, 1981. 

• Rashied Ali - dr, vo
• Arthur Rhames - ts, p

John Coltrane - Live in Japan 1966 (4 CD, 1991/FLAC)

 Live in Japan is a four-disc box set by American saxophonist John Coltrane and his last group, a quintet featuring Coltrane, his wife/pianist Alice, saxophonist/bass clarinetist Pharoah Sanders, bassist Jimmy Garrison and drummer Rashied Ali. The 4-CD set compiles all the music issued as three albums in the seventies by Impulse!; Concert In Japan (1973, US 2-LP), Coltrane In Japan (1973, Japan 3-LP (side six is blank), mono) and Second Night In Tokyo (1977, Japan 3-LP (side six contains an interview, mono). (Some of this material was also reissued as two 2-LP sets in 1980 by MCA under the titles Coltrane In Tokyo Vol. 1 and Coltrane In Tokyo Vol. 2) The first CD issues were by Impulse! Japan as two 2-CD sets: Live In Japan Vol. 1 (same as "Coltrane In Japan") and Live In Japan Vol. 2 (same as "Second Night In Tokyo"). The US 4-CD edition includes both of these volumes, with identical mastering from the original mono tapes. The side six interview from "Second Night In Tokyo" has never been reissued on any CD edition.