Jazz Improv NY Review

By Matt Marshall - Jazz Improv NY

May 2009

Bookended by two of guitarist James Blood Ulmer’s tunes (sandwiching Lawrence Clark’s “Lourana”), legendary postbop/free drummer Rashied Ali’s Live in Europe is, to a certain extent, an exercise in structure. “Theme for Captain Black,” which opens the record, reprises Ali’s work with Ulmer on 1973’s Rashied Ali Quintet and is the freest of the three tracks. Trumpeter Josh Evans blows fire and pianist Greg Murphy turns in a spiraling solo that recalls Cecil Taylor in spots. Still, “Captain Black,” like the two other tunes, follows mostly serial soloing over group improvisation, starting with a crashing, multi-dimensional statement from Ali, who is likewise last in the spotlight on the closer “Thing for Joe.” “Lourana” extends a postbop bridge to the hardbop of “Joe,” a much-extended take on a tune featured on Ali’s 2006 effort Judgment Day Vol. 2.