Milford Graves

Milford Graves was among the flashiest drummers in the free mode, known for skillful inclusion of Asian and African rhythmic ingredients in his solos. He studied Indian music extensively and learned the tabla from Wasantha Singh. He recorded with a wide range of jazz and folk musicians, including Sun Ra, Albert Ayler, Anthony Braxton, Sam Amidon, and Miriam Makeba, although he rarely released albums as a leader or solo artist. Two of his titles, Babi and Meditation Among Us, appeared in 1977, and releases for John Zorn's Tzadik label arrived near the turn of the millennium. G...