Muhammad Ali (born Raymond Patterson, December 23, 1936) is an American

free jazz Free jazz is an experimental approach to jazz improvisation that developed in the late 1950s and early 1960s when musicians attempted to change or break down jazz conventions, such as regular tempos, tones, and chord changes. Musicians during ...

drummer.

Early life

Ali was born and raised in Philadelphia where he, along with his father and brothers, converted to Islam. His older brother,

Rashied Ali Rashied Ali, born Robert Patterson (July 1, 1933 – August 12, 2009) was an American free jazz and avant-garde drummer best known for playing with John Coltrane in the last years of Coltrane's life. Biography Early life Patterson was born and ...

, was also a drummer.

Career

He recorded with

Albert Ayler Albert Ayler (; July 13, 1936 – November 25, 1970) was an American avant-garde jazz saxophonist, singer and composer. After early experience playing R&B and bebop, Ayler began recording music during the free jazz era of the 1960s. Howev ...

in 1969 on the sessions released as '' Music Is the Healing Force of the Universe'' and '' The Last Album''. Like many Jazz musicians of the 60's, he moved to Europe in 1969 along with Frank Wright,

Noah Howard Noah Howard (April 6, 1943 – September 3, 2010) was an American free jazz alto saxophonist. Biography Born in New Orleans, Howard played music from childhood in his church. He first learned trumpet and later switched to alto, tenor and sopran ...

, and

Bobby Few Bobby Few (October 21, 1935 – January 6, 2021) was an American jazz pianist and vocalist. Early life Few was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and grew up in the Fairfax neighborhood of the city's East Side. Upon his mother's encouragement, he stud ...

. ''

The Jazz Discography ''The Jazz Discography'' is a print, CD-ROM, and online discography and sessionography of all categories of recorded jazz — and directly relevant precursors of recorded jazz from 1896. The publisher, Lord Music Reference Inc., a British Columbia ...

'' states that Ali participated in 26 recording sessions from 1967 to 1983. In October 2006, Ali participated in a concert to celebrate

John Coltrane John William Coltrane (September 23, 1926 – July 17, 1967) was an American jazz saxophonist The saxophone (often referred to colloquially as the sax) is a type of single-reed woodwind instrument with a conical body, usually made of br ...

's 80th birthday in his hometown of Philadelphia. Also featured were his brother, pianist

Dave Burrell Herman Davis "Dave" Burrell (born September 10, 1940) is an American jazz pianist. He has played with many jazz musicians including Archie Shepp, Pharoah Sanders, Marion Brown and David Murray. Biography Born in Middletown, Ohio, United Sta ...

, and bassist

Reggie Workman Reginald "Reggie" Workman (born June 26, 1937 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an American avant-garde jazz and hard bop double bassist, recognized for his work with both John Coltrane and Art Blakey. Career Early in his career, Workman wo ...

. He also played with alto saxophonist

in the summer of 2008. In 2010, he recorded '' Planetary Unknown'' in a quartet led by

David S. Ware David Spencer Ware (November 7, 1949 – October 18, 2012) was an American jazz saxophone, saxophonist, composer, and bandleader. Biography Ware was born in Plainfield, New Jersey, and grew up in Scotch Plains, New Jersey. While in high sc ...

, Ali's first recording in nearly thirty years.

Discography

As sideman

With

Idris Ackamoor Idris Ackamoor (born Bruce Baker, January 9, 1951) is an American multi-instrumentalist, composer, actor, tap dancer, producer, administrator, and director. He is also artistic director of the jazz ensemble The Pyramids. The Pyramids He founded th ...

, Rashied Al Akbar, and

Earl Cross Earl Cross (December 8, 1933 – 1987) was a free jazz trumpeter best known for his association with saxophonists Noah Howard and Charles Tyler and percussionist Juma Sultan, as well as with the 1970s loft jazz scene in New York City. Career Cros ...

*''

Ascent of the Nether Creatures ''Ascent of the Nether Creatures'' is a live album by bassist Rashied Al Akbar, drummer Muhammad Ali, trumpeter Earl Cross, and saxophonist Idris Ackamoor. It was recorded on July 12, 1980, in the Netherlands, and was released on LP in limited qua ...

'' (NoBusiness, 2014) recorded in 1980 With

*'' Music Is the Healing Force of the Universe'' (Impulse!, 1969) *'' The Last Album'' (Impulse!, 1971) *'' Holy Ghost: Rare & Unissued Recordings (1962–70)'' (Revenant, 2004) With

Hans Dulfer Hans Dulfer (born 28 May 1940) is a Dutch jazz musician who plays tenor saxophone. Life and music Hans Dulfer was born on 28 May 1940 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. He began at age 17 and has been referred to as "Big boy" because of his album of ...

*''El saxofón'' (Catfish, 1971) With

*''More or Less Few'' (Center of the World, 1973) *''Rhapsody in Few'' (Black Lion, 1983) With

*''

The Black Ark The Black Ark was the recording studio of reggae and dub producer Lee "Scratch" Perry, built in 1973 and located behind his family's home in the Washington Gardens neighborhood of Kingston, Jamaica. Despite the rudimentary set-up and dated e ...

'' (Freedom, 1971) *''Space Dimension'' (America, 1971) *''Live in Europe Vol. 1'' (Sun, 1975) With Steve Lacy *''Associates'' (Musica Jazz, 1996) With

Michel Pilz Michel Pilz (born October 28, 1945, Bad Neustadt) is a German jazz clarinetist. Pilz was a student in clarinet at the Luxembourg Conservatory in the mid-1960s, then joined Manfred Schoof's ensemble in 1968, an association he would maintain int ...

*''Jamabiko'' (M.P., 1984) With Saheb Sarbib *''Live In Europe Vol 1'' (Sasa, 1976) *''Live In Europe Vol 2'' (Marge, 1976) With

Archie Shepp Archie Shepp (born May 24, 1937) is an American jazz saxophonist, educator and playwright who since the 1960s has played a central part in the development of avant-garde jazz. Biography Early life Shepp was born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, but ...

*'' Pitchin Can'' (America, 1970) *'' Coral Rock'' (America, 1973) *''Live At The Festival'' (Enja, 1975) (one track) *'' Doodlin''' (Inner City, 1976) With

Alan Shorter Alan Shorter (May 29, 1932 – April 5, 1988) was a free jazz trumpet and flugelhorn player, and the older brother of composer and saxophone player Wayne Shorter. Biography Shorter was born in the Ironbound District in Newark, New Jersey. He st ...

* ''

Orgasm Orgasm (from Greek , ; "excitement, swelling") or sexual climax is the sudden discharge of accumulated sexual excitement during the sexual response cycle, resulting in rhythmic, involuntary muscular contractions in the pelvic region charac ...

'' (Verve, 1969) With

Alan Silva Alan Silva (born Alan Lee da Silva; January 22, 1939 in Bermuda) is an American free jazz double bassist and keyboard player. Biography Silva was born a British subject to an Azorean/Portuguese mother, Irene da Silva, and a black Bermudian fat ...

*''The Shout - Portrait for a Small Woman'' (Sun Records, 1979) With

*'' Planetary Unknown'' (AUM Fidelity, 2011) * '' Live at Jazzfestival Saalfelden 2011'' (AUM Fidelity, 2012) With Frank Wright *''

Your Prayer ''Your Prayer'' is the second album by saxophonist Frank Wright. It was recorded in May 1967 in New York City and was released by ESP-Disk later that year. On the album, Wright is joined by saxophonist Arthur Jones, trumpeter Jacques Coursil, ba ...

'' (ESP-Disk, 1967) *''

One for John ''One for John'' is an album by saxophonist Frank Wright (jazz musician), Frank Wright. Dedicated to Wright's mentor, John Coltrane, it was recorded at Studio Saravah in Paris on December 5, 1969, and was released in 1970 by BYG Records as part of ...

'' (BYG, 1970) *''

Church Number Nine ''Church Number Nine'' is an album by saxophonist Frank Wright. It was recorded in Paris on March 7, 1970, and was released in 1971 by Odeon Records in Japan. On the album, Wright is joined by saxophonist Noah Howard, pianist Bobby Few, and drumme ...

'' (Odeon, 1971) *'' Center of the World'' (Center of the World, 1972) *'' Last Polka in Nancy?'' (Center of the World, 1973) *''Adieu, Little Man'' (Center of the World, 1974) *''For Example - Workshop Freie Musik 1969 - 1978'' (FMP, 1978) (one track) *''

The Complete ESP-Disk Recordings ''The Complete ESP-Disk Recordings'' is a two-CD compilation album by saxophonist Frank Wright. Issued by ESP-Disk in 2005, it contains two studio albums released by the label during the 1960s: ''Frank Wright Trio'', recorded in 1965 and issued i ...

'' (ESP-Disk, 2005) *''

Unity Unity may refer to: Buildings * Unity Building, Oregon, Illinois, US; a historic building * Unity Building (Chicago), Illinois, US; a skyscraper * Unity Buildings, Liverpool, UK; two buildings in England * Unity Chapel, Wyoming, Wisconsin, US; a h ...

'' (ESP-Disk, 2006) With Bobby Zankel * ''Celebrating William Parker @ 65'' (Not Two, 2017)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ali, Muhammad 1936 births Living people African-American drummers African-American Muslims Converts to Islam American jazz drummers Free jazz drummers 20th-century American drummers American male drummers 20th-century American male musicians American male jazz musicians 20th-century African-American musicians 21st-century African-American people