Rashied Ali, 1935-2009
UPDATE 2:40 PM: The Village Voice reports that Ali succumbed after suffering a heart attack. More specifically, the New York Times cites a blocked artery, and adds that he died at New York's Bellevue Hospital.
Rashied Ali, the great free jazz drummer who was a member of John Coltrane's last band, has died, according to his website.
In addition to Coltrane, Ali had worked with Paul Bley, Pharoah Sanders, Alice Coltrane, and John Zorn. Just this weekend, Ali had performed with his By Any Means trio at the Newport Jazz Festival.
Details of Ali's death are still unclear, but will be published here as they become available.
11:03 am
Now I am even sorrier to not have accompanied a friend of mine to the Newport Jazz Festival.
RIP Rashied.
12:07 pm
Rashied was scheduled to play this past weekend at Newport, but his brother Muhammad Ali played instead. Sad news.
Been playing this today. http://www.wbgo.org/blog/?p=2043