Albert Ayler

1962年艾勒還是名不見經(jīng)傳的一名樂手, 盡管也有少部分聽眾通過其幾年前短暫的哥本哈根之行認識了他. 在1963年初返回美國后, 在他返鄉(xiāng)(俄亥俄州的克利夫蘭)期間, 他在紐約舉辦了一場音樂會. 然而, 即使他曾經(jīng)和塞西爾. 泰勒一同演奏過, 他的音樂天賦依然不為人知, 他的名字不曾為任何一家美國雜志所關注. 但是, 他和泰勒的樂團在新年前夕在林肯中心舉辦的音樂會是其演繹生涯中一個關鍵的轉折點.
 
by Scott Yanow
 
One of the giants of free jazz, Albert Ayler was also one of the most controversial. His huge tone and wide vibrato were difficult to ignore, and his 1966 group sounded like a runaway New Orleans brass band from 1910.
 
Unlike John Coltrane or Eric Dolphy, Albert Ayler was not a virtuoso who had come up through the bebop ranks. His first musical jobs were in R&B bands, including one led by Little Walter, although oddly enough he was nicknamed Little Bird in his early days because of a similarity in sound on alto to Charlie Parker. During his period in the army (1958-1961), he played in a service band and switched to tenor. Unable to find work in the U.S. after his discharge due to his uncompromising style, Ayler spent time in Sweden and Denmark during 1962-1963, making his first recordings (which reveal a tone with roots in Sonny Rollins) and working a bit with Cecil Taylor. Aylers prime period was during 1964-1967. In 1964, he toured Europe with a quartet that included Don Cherry and was generally quite free and emotional. The following year he had a new band with his brother Donald Ayler on trumpet and Charles Tyler on baritone, and the emphasis in his music began to change. Folk melodies (which had been utilized a bit with Cherry) had a more dominant role, as did collective improvisation, and yet, despite the use of spaced-out marches, Irish jigs, and brass band fanfares, tonally Ayler remained quite free. His ESP recordings from this era and his first couple of Impulse records find Ayler at his peak and were influential; John Coltranes post-1964 playing was definitely affected by Aylers innovations.
 
However, during his last couple of years, Albert Aylers career seemed to become a bit aimless and his final Impulse sessions, although experimental (with the use of vocals, rock guitar, and R&B-ish tunes), were at best mixed successes. A 1970 live concert that was ed features him back in top form, but in November 1970, Ayler was found drowned in New Yorks East River under mysterious circumstances.