So this is it. The rarest LP so far in my collection, in my opinion. On the Danish Debut label. Albert Ayler’s “Spirits” is a brilliant excursion in free/avant-garde jazz that for me is so calming, soothing and meditative. The powerful tenor which explores sounds and textures in a sublime way connects with the searching trumpet cascades and the double bass and drums that lays the foundation to the whole proposition. Sonny Murray’s gentle phrasing on the drums together with the lovely ride cymbal sound is a joy to experience, it’s simply genius.
Like Ayler, what a genius. His playing is otherworldly. Noone come close in this kind of setting. He plays with a inspirational passion, sadness, fire and a warm beauty that is just magical. He played with so much soul. Truly one of a kind. His contribution to the art form cannot be understated. The album contains 4 tunes with plenty of driving energy as well as calmer, darker, shimmering and beautiful passages.
I will dive further into the world of Albert Ayler and explore plenty more. I’ve been listening to other titles by him a bit as well in the past, but this album, right now when I’ve played it “live” at home, makes me want to really give his music a lot more time and attention to explore it more in depth. So which Ayler titles am I gunning for next? Maybe “Ghosts” or “Spiritual Unity”.
Another thing that is beautiful about this album is the cover art, designed by Nina Aae. Hands down my favorite cover art in my collection.
Are you a free jazz/avant-garde fan? Favorite Albert Ayler album? Please share.
Don’t forget to watch this lovely Ayler documentary by Kasper Collin for more inspiration: https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1As411H7jg/
Cheers!