Luqman Ali -- new update, has left the planet

[Rooster_Ties]

UPDATE, Luqman Ali is not at all doing well, health-wise -- but has NOT left the planet just yet. See several posts below this for an update.

NEW UPDATE, Luqman Ali passed away on Sunday, per the following...

this morning, from the band's pr manager:

"Elson Nascimento, Band Manager for the Sun Ra Arkestra, has communicated the sad news that Luquman Ali, longtime drummer for the Sun Ra Arkestra, left the planet on Sunday, August 19. The Arkestra thanks those who have sent notes and emails with their concern about Luquman Ali. There is no more information available at the moment."

SOURCE

Original post that started this thread follows...

=============================

Just saw this on the Steve Hoffman forum, HERE. I should say "reportedly", as I'm not sure I've heard any other confirmation, though I have no reason to believe it's not true. From that thread...

Luqman Ali, drummer for the Sun Ra Arkestra has left the planet. His best work can be heard on such Sun Ra LPs as Lanquidity, as well as the landmark Quartet recordings on Horo, "New Steps" and "Other Voices, Other Blues." He was a wonderful, warm, spirited man, and an amazing percussionist. My heart is heavy sharing this news.

I'll have to spin "Lanquidity" and "Other Voices..." soon.

Especially "Other Voices..." - which is one hell of an amazing date. -- Rooster T.

http://www.elrarecords.com/luqman.html (bio)

Luqman Ali: artistic bio by Dave Hotep

arrival: November 16, 1939

Starksville, Miss. [60 miles NNE of Philadelphia; a minute east of M.S.U.]

Luqman Ali is a paradigm -- an historic archetype -- the quintessential traveling musician: born in one place at one moment, but, from the start of his professional career, finding home to be at many places over many years, all over the globe; trained from youth in the Black music of Gospel, the Blues, early Rhythm & Blues, and Jazz, during the legendary classic eras of the 1950s and 60s; skills sharpened by the hard work of years traveling through the smokey forgotten clubs, bars, and restaurants of the chitlin circuits, and in the concert halls of eminent spectacle, alongside the most famous of performing stars. Coincidence is non-existent; the time and place of his arrival here is fundamental to his path, his notable associations, and his struggle for balance between music, family, and religious responsibility.

Born as Edward Skinner, from a large family of aunts and uncles and cousins; he was raised by his mother's parents, in a church oriented family that included several church ministry musicians.

First musical performing experience was at 7 yrs old, as a vocalist with a spiritual quartet that performed locally in the style of the Soul Stirrers.

At 9 yrs. old he was moved to Memphis Tenn. with his grandparents, who had been given a house by one of his uncles. [That uncle was 'colored people rich' -- owning a few stores and other real estate that was at the core of Black economic life in that section of the city. In the country life of Miss. the family owned 77 acres of land, fruit trees, fishin holes, horses and other animals; in Tenn. city life, all he got was a front yard.]

By 7th grade he aspired to play saxophone in the school band, but couldn't immediately afford the instrument. Fortunately, he was able to buy a used drum book, sticks and practice pad from a classmate who had decided that she didn't like playing the drums. By the following school year he made the band. In Jr. High and at Douglas High School he played 2 yrs of junior band and 4 yrs of senior band, with both the marching and concert ensembles. It was during this time that he spent most of his free time fanatically woodshedding.

During 9 & 10th grade, he and other classmates [including Jimmy Reed (tpt), Alan Jones (p), George Hudson (tpt)] formed an ensemble that played a weekly gig at Mitchell's Hotel -- in the same room that almost set B.B.King 's Lucille on fire. [in fact, B.B. sat in with the band on occasion, before he became nationally notable.] Through 10/11th grade the combo would become the house rhythm section for visiting professional musicians.

During this time he was greatly influenced by a drummer named William C Tyres, who held the 1st drum chair at his school, and whose style reminds him now of Jo Jones and Gene Krupa. He remarks that Joe Dukes (another local drummer who would later become associated with Jack McDuff and M.L.K. Jr. saxophonist Ben Branch) "was the greatest drummer I ever heard". He also admired and learned from the works of Max Roach, Clifford Brown, Art Blakey, and James Moody.

After graduation, the band was able to get some road work, augmented with Danny Carmichael (a former Little Richard "house rockin’ sax player). During these travels, they became road buddies with the Five Royals. Through this association they were able to forge a relationship with Universal Attractions. U.A. was the largest entertainment agency representing Black music at that time, and booked the most successful R&B bands of the day, including James Brown, The Midnighters, Jackie Wilson, Same Cooke, and others. So, in the late 1950s, he began traveling and performing in the road bands of these artists. Although he was now performing in the pinnacle of the R&B circuit, he was a known 'jazz head', and was left somewhat dissatisfied with the music of that artistic scene.

By 1959 he was in Los Angeles, California, playing in the Brass Rail Burlesque Club's house band -- a 7-nights-a-week gig that lasted over a year. This grueling gig provided background music for (and between) exotic dancers and comedians such as Redd Foxx, Sloppy Daniels, and LaWanda Page. It was during this time that he first came into contact with the Nation Of Islam, which would later transform his spiritual philosophy. What helped transform his mind from settling in California was one of its' earthquakes.

In 1960/61 he was on the move again; found himself in Chicago. Here, George Hudson, his best friend from gradeschool, had been settled for nearly a year, engrossed in music school. George had also recently begun working with Sun Ra and his Arkestra. This is how Edward Skinner was first introduced to Sun Ra. He was intrigued by both Ra and the sound of his band, and immediately started sitting in with them during their tenure at the Wonder Inn, where Sun Ra was rehearsing and performing 5 days a week. Not so different from the strenuous work he had just left in California -- they would both rehearse and perform Sunday thru Thursday; Jack Dejohnette's band played the Friday/Saturday slot.

Not one to settle in one place for long, he soon found himself back "home" in Memphis, Tenn. He was living and performing at the Trumpet Inn, with a house band that included a young, unknown Isaac Hayes.

By 1964 he had become fully immersed in the doctrines of the Nation Of Islam, and was transformed from Edward Skinner to Luqman Ali. He was brought to Springfield, Ill. as a part of the core cadre tasked to build the first NOI Temple established in that city. This was literally a brick-by-brick endeavor that not only required him to construct the building and build the congregation, but also engage in coalmining to augment the building fund. By this time he was a man called to religious duty, with a wife and children soon to be. Music became a past-life ambition that was forgotten for almost 15 years.

In 1976, he and his family spent half a year in North Africa, intending to emigrate there, but unfortunate circumstances forced them to return to the U.S. A new phase of musical energy and education was soon sparked for him. In 1977 he was living in New York City and performing again -- making gigs and recordings with Sun Ra. He also began private studies with a NYC drum teacher whom he had found via Downbeat magazine.

In the mid 1980s, after moving again to Ill., he enrolled full-time in the music program at Southern University at Evansville where he took the required classes in multi-instrumental performance and music theory. There, many of his "teachers" acknowledged him as an already accomplished and notable musician -- by now securely associated with the recordings of Sun Ra.

In the late 1980s, he moved to a private residence in Philadelphia, Pa. He was again functioning as a member of Sun Ra's Arkestra. For a few years he briefly returned to Islamic practice as a member of NOI – until 1995, when he became a permanent resident at the House of Ra. Presently, from there, he continues to rehearse, record, and tour as a member of the Sun Ra Arkestra under the direction of Marshall Allen.

It is no mere coincidence that Luqman Ali has had much of his adult life tied to the orbits of Elijah Muhammad and Sun Ra. For him there is much similarity in the revolutionary cosmological philosophy of these two spirits who were, at a common moment, both religious and artistic oracles in the city parks of Chicago, and represented ascendancy in Black thought that was at the vanguard of the growing struggles for democratic rights and Afrocentric self-sufficiency. Both spirits residing at the focal point of a community that was at the threshold of an artistic explosion that might have rivaled NYC's more famous Harlem Renaissance. No: this is not coincidence; this is myth-science.

Edited August 22, 2007 by Rooster_Ties

[Chalupa]

Wow. This is horrible news. There's hardly anyone left in the Arkestra.

[Eloe Omoe]

Just saw this on the Steve Hoffman forum, HERE. I should say "reportedly", as I'm not sure I've heard any other confirmation, though I have no reason to believe it's not true. From that thread...

... but in the same thread, the author posts a denial:

"in a twist of fate, befitting the Sun Ra Universe, I have just been told tha Luqman in fact, DID NOT DIE last night. Please forgive me for posting inaccurate information. My caveat it is that both the news of his death AND the news that he in fact did not die came from the Sun Ra organization itself. PLEASE inform any people or boards that you may have cross posted this on. That said, if you are the praying type, please keep Luqman in your thoughts, as all is clearly not well for him at this time.

Gorts, please feel free to delete this thread before this goes any further.

My deep sadness, has now turned to utter disbelief and bewilderment. what a crazy life this is!!!"

[AndrewHill]

Glad to hear that someone is still alive. Bad day for deaths today

[JSngry]

Glad to hear that someone is still alive. Bad day for deaths today

Hey - we're alive.

Don't ever forget that.

[Guest Bill Barton]

My thoughts are with him for a full recovery.

[Rooster_Ties]

Luqman passed away on Sunday...

this morning, from the band's pr manager:

"Elson Nascimento, Band Manager for the Sun Ra Arkestra, has communicated the sad news that Luquman Ali, longtime drummer for the Sun Ra Arkestra, left the planet on Sunday, August 19. The Arkestra thanks those who have sent notes and emails with their concern about Luquman Ali. There is no more information available at the moment."

Thanks for the good vibrations Luqman.

SOURCE

[clifford_thornton]

Ouch.

RIP.

[Chalupa]

Thanks for the update.

[mikeweil]

Sad news - I only know him from those Horo LPs, but what I heard I liked a lot!

[Chalupa]

http://www.philly.com/dailynews/obituaries..._loved_him.html

Luqman Ali - 'all the cats loved him'

By JOHN F. MORRISON

morrisj@phillynews.com 215-854-5573

A CRITIC once wrote that Luqman Ali was "an historic archetype, the quintessential traveling musician, born in one place at one moment, but . . . finding home to be at many places over many years, all over the globe."

His skills, the critic wrote, were "sharpened by the hard work of years traveling through the smokey forgotten clubs, bars and restaurants of the chitlin circuit, and in the concert halls of eminent spectacle, alongside the most famous of performing stars."

That profile, written by guitarist David Hotep, succinctly sums up the life and career of a man whose percussion skills graced many a musical aggregation over the years, around the country and around the world, most notably with the Sun Ra Arkestra, based in Germantown.

Luqman Ali, who had been performing since the age of 7, when he began singing spirituals in his native Mississippi; who took up the drums in high school; and who was devoted to his family and his Islamic faith, died Aug. 19. He was 67 and lived in Germantown.

"He was a beautiful cat," said Danny Thompson, who plays baritone sax and flute in the Arkestra. "He could really push a band. It's one thing to be a drummer, but to push 15 or 16 guys, that's a whole other deal."

He said Luqman could play many styles of drumming - New Orleans, Chicago, Memphis - because he had lived and played in those cities.

"This is a big loss," Danny said. "All the cats loved him."

The Arkestra played at Luqman's funeral service at the Ellis Funeral Home, 529 Rising Sun Ave., on Monday, and at Mount Moriah Cemetery in Southwest Philadelphia, where he was buried.

"We wanted to give him a real New Orleans send off," Danny said.

Luqman idolized Max Roach, who died Aug. 15. Danny said that Luqman became ill about three weeks ago and that he decided not to tell him about it. "I didn't want to upset him," he said.

Luqman was still driving the Arkestra, now run by alto saxophonist Marshall Allen, as late as the middle of last month, when it played at the Clef Club in Philadelphia and the West Oak Lane Dance Festival.

He had met Sun Ra, born Herman Poole Blount, in Chicago in the 1960s. Sun Ra, who died in 1993, moved his base to Germantown in the late '60s. The band was famous for its offbeat and experimental music, but also played traditional jazz.

Luqman was born Edward Skinner in Starksville, Miss., and was raised by his grandparents. When he was 9, the family moved to Memphis, where he went to school.

By seventh grade, he aspired to play saxophone in the school band, but he couldn't afford the instrument. But he was able to buy a drum book, sticks and practice pad from a classmate.

In the ninth and 10th grades, he and other students formed an ensemble that played at a local hotel. Guitarist BB King would sit in with the group in the days before he became famous.

After high school, Luqman began playing in road bands, mostly R&B, with the likes of James Brown, the Midnighters, Jackie Wilson, Sam Cooke and others.

Back home in Memphis, he was playing at the Trumpet Inn with a young Isaac Hayes.

It was in 1964 that Luqman came upon the teachings of Islam. He was transformed from Edward Skinner to Luqman Ali, and was sent with a cadre of believers to build a Nation of Islam temple in Springfield, Ill., requiring him to work in brick and mortar.

His work with the Nation of Islam occupied him for the next 15 years. He and his family moved to North Africa, where they remained for several months.

When he returned, he got back into music. He moved to New York City and began performing and making records with Sun Ra.

In the late '80s, he moved to Germantown, where he remained, performing and recording with Sun Ra.

He is survived by three sons, Cedric, Khalif and Zahido; a daughter, Fatima; a brother, James Skinner, and seven grandchildren. *

[Guest Bill Barton]

RIP...

Peace, Love & Rhythm to his family, friends and colleagues.