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Aa 4
Aa 4
H e was and is arguably the most enigmatic figures among the many star-
crossed avatars who from the beginning have been part of the history of
Jazz, probably the world’s most romantic music. But few consistent details have
surfaced about the life, sudden fame and equally mysterious death of saxophonist
Albert Ayler (1936-1970).
In his first book attorney Richard Koloda attempts to put Ayler’s life and work in
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Holy Ghost: The Life and Death of Free Jazz Pioneer Albert Ayler | Jazzword https://www.jazzword.com/reviews/holy-ghost-the-life-and-death-of-fre...
It was at this point that Donald Ayler joined his brother’s band. With critical and
musicians views divided as to whether the younger Ayler added a unique
dimension to the Ayler group or that Albert was merely babysitting his brother, the
first question about the saxophonist’s musical direction surfaced. Later when
tastemakers like Amiri Baraka and Frank Kofsky were insisting on the linkage
between The New Thing and Black Nationalism, the saxophonist remained mostly
apolitical, declaring that his sound was universal and not limited to one race.
Adding white string players to his band at different times, including a European
tour further reinforced this view and alienated some of his more strident followers.
Despite European and some American acclaim Ayler was still struggling to
make a living from music in 1968 and it was at this time he began simplifying his
themes. His relationship with Mary Parks began at that time as well. Described as
a rock’n’roller who was initially handling his business affairs, her hippie era songs,
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Holy Ghost: The Life and Death of Free Jazz Pioneer Albert Ayler | Jazzword https://www.jazzword.com/reviews/holy-ghost-the-life-and-death-of-fre...
poems and vocalizing soon became the main focus of Ayler’s music. He also
experimented with Jazz-Rock Fusion at the time, recording and playing with Rock
guitarist Henry Vestine and others. It was also around this time that due to his
increasingly erratic behavior and disputes with his brother that Donald Ayler was
fired from the band, a situation that would eventually cause more problems for the
saxophonist.
Despite his attempts at fusion Ayler still hadn’t made the breakthrough other
jazz musicians had, although a headlining Japanese tour was in the offing.
Eventually his demeanor changed and his daily behavior became dangerous
unpredictable according to friends. After he argued with Parks and was missing
for a few days, his corpse, with his passport still in his back pocket, was found
floating in New York’s East River. Gossip linked his death to an organized crime
vendetta or heavy drug use. However it retrospect it appears that the stresses of
the music business, his fraying relationship with Parks and pressure from his own
family, which blamed him for Donald Ayler’s problems, led him to take the ultimate
step.
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