Albert Ayler: 36 Years Ago Today

[ep1str0phy]

Albert Ayler's body was found on November 25, 1970--he had disappeared weeks earlier, spouting messianic rhetoric (detailed in the old WIRE piece and summarized in the infamous but still valuable Schwartz biography). Whatever the circumstances surrounding his death--and they're still a point of controversy--he was a light upon the music, and surely one of the great revolutionaries in modern improv.

Spinning Bells right now...

[paul secor]

A sad day in musical history

[Late]

Fuck. I wasn't even five months old.

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

i dont think this quallifies as west coast jazz

[brownie]

Don't think there is controversy anymore. Ayler committed suicide.

A very sad end! He was a Giant!

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

JUST LIENSTED 2 THAT BOOTLEG TAPE ON THE BOX SET OF THE COLTRANE FUNERAL. IT FREAKED ME THE FUCK OUT. was that the music that was going on when people were walking by coltranes casket saying goodbye to coltrane. i need to go bury this cd now deep in the dark far corner of my closet

[Simon Weil]

He was so committed to this messianic view that, if he'd survived, his music would have had to have changed. From a music which saw the New World as imminent and Truth to be spoken now to something more restrained with the New World still to come. It would, I guess, have become less raw. Perhaps more drawing on available structures. You could argue that his "RnB" records were a bridge to that, though somewhat unsatisfactory in themselves.

I don't know, he sounds so lonely on those late French live records - it's just, maybe, he needed someone he believed in ito tell him it was worth going on. This is why, amongst many other things, Coltrane's death was such a tragedy. He was such an inspirational figure - a personal friend to Ayler.

But now all we have is the music. And the music these guys made, by Ayler throughout his career - and by Coltrane from Ascension on, still hasn't been absorbed properly by Jazz.

So perhaps its time is still to come.

Simon Weil

Edited November 26, 2006 by Simon Weil

[JSngry]

i need to go bury this cd now deep in the dark far corner of my closet

That won't do any good.

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

i still need to more about him--- whats the whole father, son/holyghost deal? i think i --might--be ready to listen to the rest of the box set, but im still not sure i understand enough about it

[ep1str0phy]

The debate over Ayler's technical and philosophical influence can go on for days and days (I for one believe that, if no one has emerged who has fully integrated Ayler's style into his/her own, then we've at least had scores of musicians who've come about just as influenced by Ayler as anyone else... Ayler's de-idiomizing, personalist philosophy carried over into dozens of "energy" players who may not have assumed so optimistic a perspective on self-liberating musical innovation). What's clear, though, is that, difficult as it is to understand Ayler, there are scores of folks who are unwilling to so much as take the plunge (which is why I admire the effort, chewy).

On the death thing--Mary Parks more or less confirmed it as a suicide, but (from what I can gather) a number of guys still think it wasn't. Speculation is idle, and it's a sad loss (although, perhaps, a self-conscious one on Ayler's messanic part), but I feel as if this is one of those mysteries that the community will never come to agreement on.

Edited November 26, 2006 by ep1str0phy

[JSngry]

On the death thing--Mary Parks more or less confirmed it as a suicide, but (from what I can gather) a number of guys still think it wasn't. Speculation is idle, and it's a sad loss (although, perhaps, a self-conscious one on Ayler's messanic part), but I feel as if this is one of those mysteries that the community will never come to agreement on.

Much the same can be said about the stories about Gigi Gryce's alleged mob-threat induced paranoia & withdrawal from the professional music scene, stories for which Mike Fitgerald & Noal Cohn were completely unable to find any corroborating evidence.

Although I subscribe to the theory that just because you're paranoid doen't mean that they're not out to get you, and although I fully understand the numerous individual & institutional hostilities present in this world towards the spiritual essence and power of this music, I also know that sometimes cats get a little/lot wacky about it too.

[Simon Weil]

For me, the thing about Ayler is he's basically throwing away western forms in the quest for the animating Spirit of the Universe (The Holy Ghost in his terms) - as something emotionally immediate. What you get out of that is either:

1) Terrible chaos

or

2) Emotionally corruscating music

Personally I think (2) - He gets as close to seeing God/what really makes us tick as is possible.

Simon Weil

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

it sounds to me like its serious music? am i not supposed 2 have fun whilst listening?

[ep1str0phy]

Even Ayler's "Holy Ghost" had a sense of humor...

[Simon Weil]

it sounds to me like its serious music? am i not supposed 2 have fun whilst listening?

Well, it's a mixture of fun and "Serious as Your Life". Some of the fun comes in the off the wall ensemble playing - which is just full of the chaotic joy of life. He also has a way with themes which has a charm all of its own. He was very concerned to give people something they could tap into with these. Plus you get the preachy tone of his sax, which is an endearing mother all on its own.

Oh, I mean, you are supposed to have fun.

Simon Weil

[JSngry]

it sounds to me like its serious music? am i not supposed 2 have fun whilst listening?

Serious music is fun!

It's the stupid shit that's a drag.

[clifford_thornton]

Not much to add here... chewy, if you're into big-toned tenors, then there is nothing to worry about here. If nothing else, enjoy Albert's sound, especially on the early small-group sides.

It almost seems inevitable that Albert's life/art took the path they did. Hard to imagine it being any other way.