ALBERT AYLER
Revelations: The Complete ORTF 1970 Fondation Maeght Recordings
Elemental
The last years of beyond-free saxophonist and composer Albert Ayler were more troubled than previous seasons. While his music jittered through a restless, self-restrictive vibe, his mental health suffered a sharp decline until his suicide (unless you believe the Mob got to him, as goes the legend) in November 1970.
That there was such darkness haloing Ayler is one reason these long-lost tapes from four months earlier are so crucial to the saxophonist’s canon. Welcoming the unmoored freedom and light of the avant-garde back into his soul, even for a few shows, was like finding the Holy Spirit, then blasting into Heaven.
Ayler’s appearances at France’s Fondation Maeght on July 25 and 27, 1970 have previously been excerpted on albums with poor production values. Recently discovered and released in their entirety for the first time, these recordings put the saxophonist’s penultimate concert performances in historical perspective while proving how mystical and spontaneous Ayler’s endgame truly was.
Pianist Call Cobbs (not at the first show), bassist Steve Tintweiss, drummer Allen Blairman, soprano saxist/vocalist Mary Maria, and a singing, tenor- and soprano-playing Ayler start with the redemptive blues of “Music Is the Healing Force of the Universe” and move swiftly, playfully, into the humorously honking free soul of “Birth of Mirth.”
Often derided for not being as tight as previous Ayler ensembles (and for Maria’s Yoko Ono-like influence over the saxophonist), the group is charming, challenging, and filled with energy here. Maria’s winnowing vocals are at their warmest when Ayler’s passionate blowing goes full-tilt scorched earth. While “Heart Love” is raw and churchy, with Ayler finding the grit in gospel’s grace and repetition, each of the seven numbered “Revelations” is a different shade of ceremony, from snake charm to exorcism to confessional and congregational.
While the CD package is intriguing, the limited-edition five-LP Record Store Day release is worth every penny for such an aptly titled collection. Amazing and rare, top to bottom, Albert Ayler’s Revelations is a must for fans of the free.
—A.D. AMOROSI
MICHAEL WEISS
Persistence
Cellar Live
It’s entirely appropriate that one of Michael Weiss’ signature compositions is titled “Apres Vous,” as the pianist has mostly made a name for himself as a sideman with many jazz luminaries. He’s backed Art Farmer, George Coleman, Benny Golson, Junior Cook, and Slide
