The Max Roach Trio - The Max Roach Trio Featuring The Legendary Hasaan (2011) [Hi-Res]

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 on his seven originals here are intense, somewhat virtuosic and rhythmic, yet often melodic in a quirky way. This is a classic of its kind, and it's a tragedy that Hasaan would not record again and would soon sink back into obscurity. -- Scott Yanow