The digitally encoded pudding contains the ultimate proof

John Coltrane Interstellar Space (Impulse, 1991)
Rashied Ali and Louie Belogenis (Knitting Factory Records, 1999)
Reviewed by Micah Holmquist
October 9, 1999

Jazz duos are hardly rare. Yet the combination of drums and a saxophone still seems a bit odd. Drummer Rashied Ali has been involved in two recordings of such a combination. One was with the legendary John Coltrane. That date was recorded just months before Coltrane’s untimely death in 1967, although it was not released until 1974. The other is a 1997 date with Louie Belogenis.

Ali first began working with Coltrane in November of 1965. Prior to that he had played with a large number of respected artists. This included bop setting with people such as Lee Morgan and Jimmy Smith as well as some more avant-garde work. It was with Coltrane, however, that Ali rose to prominence. Coltrane was at the time stretching the boundaries of jazz. The saxophonist refused to be constrained by the chords or the norms of harmony. For his part, Ali broke out of the timekeeping role that had long been assigned to drummers. Ali interacted with the music in harmonic, tonal, as well as rhythmic ways.

Coltrane recording dates from this period usually featured full instrumentation. An exception to this happened on February 22, 1967. That day Ali and Coltrane recorded a series of drums and saxophone duets. The result of that session would not see the light of day until several years after Coltrane’s death but not because of quality. Since the initial release in 1974 under the title Interstellar Space, these recordings have become a valuable part of the Coltrane discography. Lewis Porter says in his 1998 biography of the saxophonist (John Coltrane: His Life and Music, University of Michigan Press) that "these duets are an ideal starting place for the listener to understand Coltrane’s last music- it’s so easy to hear what he’s doing."

The formula of Interstellar Space is simple enough. All of the songs begin with a statement of a theme. The two players then extend on this motif before returning and restating at the end. Some have relatively peaceful undertones but, as should be expected with late Coltrane, a violent quality is dominant. At this point Coltrane could bring out great emotions from listeners but rarely in a comforting manner. Throwing your mind into this music is likely to be an exhausting experience yet with one with great rewards. It is worth noting that although Coltrane’s playing to rise to the top that Ali’s performance in not just complementary to the saxophonist’s work.

Ali and Coltrane recorded five different tunes at the original session. The duo did two versions of a titled called "Jupiter" so there were six recordings in all. The 1974 release only included 4 cuts but reissue currently in print on cd features all six. They are all worth listening to.

Ali would record a similar set of duets in August of 1997. This time it would be Louie Belogenis on the sax. Belogenis is probably best known for being a student of John Zorn. He is best known, however, for his role in the jazz group Prima Materia. Ali is also involved the group as our several other musicians. Prima Materia is not a "tribute band" in the traditional sense yet the group has consistently paid homage in its recordings to luminaries such Albert Ayler and Coltrane. The group has done this not by recreating the past but through reexploring that old terrain.

A similar quality pervades Rings of Saturn -the title under which these August 1997 sessions were released by Knitting Factory Records this past June. Belogenis mentions the connection to Interstellar Space in the brief linear notes and the duo does cover two Coltrane tunes on this disc. The first of that pair is the version of "Saturn" which first appeared on Interstellar Space. This cover clocks in and over and 11 and a half minutes and every bit of it is enjoyable. Ali's drumming sounds out of character but reminds the listener of Elvin Jones -not a bad thing at all. Belogenis, for his part, comps the full feel of the Coltrane style. He knows when to stay disciplined and mysterious as well as when to put everything into the cry of agony. The other Coltrane cover, a tune called "Seraphic Light" is equally good. Ali fills his more traditional role while Belogenis lets go completely of the baggage of imitation. Ali fills his more traditional role while Belogenis finds his own path. Listeners will hear both Coltrane's attempts to go beyond bop and the multi-cultural influences that individuals like Zorn have utilized.

By giving those tracks their due praise, I risk calling Rings of Saturn a Coltrane tribute. This would be a mistake since the bulk of the release charts its own course. Ali and Belogenis produce a wide variety of music that is unique and rewarding on its own terms. The tune called "Takedatwitcha" uses various free jazz motifs to convey a blow out that oddly seems similar to more traditional jazz settings. Probably the disc's best cut is "Zorn's Thorn," a mournful tribute to the previously mentioned Zorn.

Rings of Saturn is nowhere near as interesting as Interstellar Space. This is true both in terms of historical value and quality of music. Yet it does provide a valuable glimpse into the work of Ali that adds to the appreciation of the Coltrane recording. It is also enjoyable in its own right for anybody that loves improvised music. Both are highly recommended and worth listening to.

Return to Digital Pudding
Return to The International Home of Micah T. Holmquist