Hasaan Ibn Ali

During his lifetime, pianist and composer Hasaan Ibn Ali (1931-1980) was a jazz enigma. The Philly musician practiced with John Coltrane during the early '50s and is credited as the primary influence on the saxophonist's "sheets of sound" harmonic approach first articulated on Giant Steps - a sound that exploded across his Impulse! work. Metaphysics: The Lost Atlantic Album is a genuine jazz holy grail, one of only two albums to feature the pianist's compositions and unique playing style. The first, The Max Roach Trio Featuring the Legendary Hasaan, was credited to Roach because it was the only way to get Atlantic's Nesuhi Ertegun to sign the pianist. Pleased, the label commissioned an album from Ibn Ali. Using bassist Art Davis, drummer Kalil Madi, and saxophonist Odean Pope, Ibn Ali completed the session…

21 previously unissued solo tracks recorded between 1962–1965.

The Max Roach Trio - Featuring The Legandary Hasaan (1966) {Atlantic}
EAC rip (secure mode) | IMG, FLAC+CUE+LOG -> 229 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 97 Mb
Full Artwork @ 400 dpi (png) -> 113 Mb
© 1992 Atlantic | 7 82273-2
Jazz / Hard Bop / Post Bop

Pianist Hasaan Ibn Ali only made one recording in his life, this trio set with drummer Max Roach and bassist Art Davis. A very advanced player whose style fell somewhere between Thelonious Monk and Cecil Taylor (with hints of Herbie Nichols), Hasaan actually had a rather original sound. His performances of his seven originals on this set (a straight CD reissue of a long out-of-print LP) are intense, somewhat virtuosic and rhythmic, yet often melodic in a quirky way. This is a classic of its kind and it is fortunate that it was made, but it is a tragedy that Hasaan would not record again and that he would soon sink back into obscurity.

Max Roach - The Max Roach Trio featuring the legendary Hasaan (1965) {2012 Japan Jazz Best Collection 1000 Series WPCR-27088}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 246 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 98 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (jpg) -> 37 Mb | 5% repair rar | 24-bit remaster
© 1965, 2012 Atlantic / Warner Japan / Rhino | WPCR-27088 | Jazz Best Collection 1000 Series
Jazz / Bebop / Avant-Garde Jazz

Features 24 bit digital remastering. Comes with a description. Hasaan was an absolutely unbelievable piano player and composer. If you like Monk, if you know of Herbie Nichols, Hasaan was like Monk plus Nichols to the tenth power. He was a legend who made only one record!!! One of the great tragedies in record history. This is really a Hasaan record, his music and leadership. Max Roach lent his name to it to help it get out in the market. I met Roach in the 70's and asked him about Hasaan…he was immediately overwhelmed, and told me that Hasaan was in poor health. This is a unique recording in every sense.

Brian Marsella Trio - Outspoken: The Music of the Legendary Hasaan (2018) {Tzadik TZ 4026}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 379 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 145 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (png) -> 40 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2018 Tzadik | TZ 4026 | Tzadik Spectrum Series
Jazz / Bop / Hard Bop / Jazz PIano Trio

This remarkable project features three Philadelphia musicians paying tribute to one of Philly’s most enigmatic and important musical visionaries—the Legendary Hasaan. Hasaan Ibn Ali was born in 1931 and made only one commercial release in his lifetime which has of course become a cult classic. Combining the craggly dissonances of Monk with the spidery lines of Elmo Hope,and the muscular intensity of Cecil Taylor, his music and theories were a huge influence on Coltrane, McCoy Tyner and countless others. Here Brian Marsella, Christian McBride and Anwar Marshall interpret the quirky compositions of this obscure musical master with a deep respect and a fresh imaginative voice. Included are an unrecorded Hasaan original and a tribute piece by Brian Marsella.