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Recorded live at the East: A Cultural and Educational Center for People of African Descent, New Directions in Modern Music is yet another rewarding recording from the Survival archives. "As-Salaam-Alikum" begins with the quick statement of a memorable theme, which fades into a fiery Carlos Ward improvisation ranking amongst the finest moments in spiritual avant-garde playing. In fact, the album calls to mind Alice Coltrane's P'tah the El'Daoud and Franklin Kiermyer's Solomon's Daughter, with Fred Simmons' punchy, sparse chords and Tyner-inspired runs complementing the group well. All of the early Survival albums include long Ali solo sections, so be forewarned; but be aware that these musicians will be pushing the limits of jazz expression. The music is the reward. – All Music

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Avant-garde jazz drummer Rashied Ali played with John Coltrane up until his death in 1967, appearing on final recordings like The Olatunji Concert and Interstellar Space. After Coltrane's death, Ali soon formed his own quartet, with Fred Simmons on piano, Stafford James on bass violin and Carlos Ward on alto sax and flute. The quartet's first release, New Directions In Modern Music, released on Ali's own Survival Records in 1973, exploded onto the free jazz scene, influencing the likes of Don Cherry and Archie Shepp (as well as many outside the jazz idiom), becoming a kind of manifesto for avant-garde music of the period – Jazz Messengers