Rashied Ali (Born Robert Patterson)
July 1, 1935 – August 12, 2009
Born into a musical family, jazz drummer Rashied Ali began to come into his own after moving to New York City in his late 20s. Within a short time, he was playing behind the likes of James Blood Ulmer, Pharoah Sanders, and eventually John Coltrane. He played on Coltrane’s final recordings. Ali went on to become one of world’s highest regarded avant garde jazz musicians. During the ’70s he opened a Ali’s Alley, a popular jazz club in New York while continuing to play with the likes of Don Cherry and Bill Laswell. Ali continued to play and record up until his passing on August 12, 2009. He died after a heart attack during heart surgery.
Thanks to reader James Dean for the assist