Rashid Bakr (born Charles Downs on October 3, 1943) is an American free jazz drummer.

Career

During the 1970s, he was active in the New York City loft jazz scene, performing at venues such as Rashied Ali's "Ali's Alley" and Sam Rivers' "Studio Rivbea". He was a member of Ensemble Muntu with Jemeel Moondoc, among others. In 1976, Bakr performed in a production of Adrienne Kennedy's A Rat's Mass directed by Cecil Taylor at La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club in the East Village of Manhattan. Musicians Jimmy Lyons, Andy Bey, Karen Borca, David S. Ware, and Raphe Malik also performed in the production. Taylor's production combined the original script with a chorus of orchestrated voices used as instruments. Bakr continued to perform with Taylor into the 1980s, appearing on his albums The Eighth and Winged Serpent (Sliding Quadrants). Bakr is a member of Other Dimensions in Music with Roy Campbell, Daniel Carter, and William Parker.

Discography

As leader or co-leader

With the Flow Trio (Louis Belogenis, Joe Morris, Bakr listed as Charles Downs)

As sideman

With Billy Bang With John Bickerton With Arthur Doyle With Frode Gjerstad With Sabir Mateen With Joe McPhee With Jemeel Moondoc With Ras Moshe With Other Dimensions in Music With William Parker With Jamie Saft With Glenn Spearman With Cecil Taylor