Reaching For The Stars
Omnivore, 2023
9/10
Listen to Reaching For The Stars
A jazz pianist and composer who lived a short but exceptional life, Hasaan Ibn Ali’s work while he was alive was often shelved and never official released. Now, it seems plenty of his compositions are finally available, and these 11 previously unissued tracks continue to illustrate his innovative jazz style.
The thick bass plucking of “Almost Like Me” opens the listen with dense keys in the raw climate, and “Dinka Street” follows with rumbling keys amid some chunky bass acrobatics.
Closer to the middle, the melodic backdrop of “Viceroy” emits swift and pounding piano gestures, while “Stella By Starlight” carries a dreamy demeanor that uses gorgeous singing for the emotive album highlight.
Near the end, “After You’ve Gone (Long Version)” showcases incredibly attentive playing that few others could replicate, and “The End Of A Love Affair” exits with Ali’s inestimable techique that radiates creativity, firmness and a willingness to go against the grain.
Joining Ali on these recordings are Henry Grimes, Kalil Madi and Muriel Gilliam, and the collection was restored and mastered by the Grammy® award-winning engineer Michael Graves. An artist whose intense and quick formula inspired legions of other players, Ali’s vision defied convention then and now, which is a big part of his impact.
Travels well with: Hal Galper- Ivory Forest Redux; Dave Stryker- Groove Street