Brian Marsella Trio / Outspoken - The Music of the Legendary Hasaan (2018)

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.