Charles Downs Quartet

Amazingly, this is Charles Downs's first album as sole leader, recorded shortly after he turned 81. Starting in the 1970s, he performed as Rashid Bakr, a name he chose out of admiration for drummer Rashid Ali; this is how he was known while performing in various Cecil Taylor ensembles, with Jemeel Moondoc's Ensemble Muntu, and as a member of Other Dimensions in Music, to name just a few. He reverted to his birth name in the 21st century. Featuring Hery Paz (saxophone), Jamie Saft (piano), and Jo…