First Time Out: Live at Slugs 1967
First Time Out: Live at Slugs 1967 is a live album by the Rashied Ali Quintet, led by drummer Ali, and featuring saxophonist Ramon Morris, trumpeter Dewey Johnson, pianist Stanley Cowell, and bassist Reggie Johnson. It was recorded during May 1967 at Slugs' Saloon in New York City, and was released in digital format and as a double-LP set in 2020 by Ali's label, Survival Records. The album was issued as part of an ongoing effort, led by Ali's widow Patricia, to catalogue the contents of the drummer's recording library. Reception In a review for Pitchfork, Andy Beta called the album "a fascinating snapshot of what turned out to be an idyllic moment in jazz history," and wrote: "If you're familiar with Ali in the context of iconoclastic giants like Coltrane or Keiji Haino, hearing him in a more relaxed and supportive role on Live at Slugs is startling. His cymbal work skitters and creates waves around the tunes, and he lays back frequently." The Free Jazz Collective'''s Martin Schray stated: "this recording gives us a great impression of what live gigs at that time sounded like... with all the turmoil and chaos from those turbulent times. It is a