Healing force music of the past decade

It is the time of year for "best of" lists and, not surprisingly, this year these lists are often attempting to identify the best albums of the past decade. Although many folks pan the usefulness of these lists, I do like to see what albums other folks have really enjoyed, and they serve as a great starting point for discussion and exploration. So, here is my attempt at listing the albums of the past decade that I have found particularly inspiring. This is not meant to really be a "best of" or anything so grandiose, as I am certainly not qualified (or presumptuous) enough. It is just a bunch of albums released during this past decade that were more than merely enjoyable for me. Healing force music....inspiring with high emotional impact. These albums, like all good albums for me, have become intertwined with this time in my life, and will likely forever evoke certain memories and feelings...

My only other criteria for inclusion was:

1) Limiting the list to music that was created during the past decade.

4) In keeping with the spirit of this blog the music falls somewhere within or along the periphery of this thing that some folks call "jazz."

Some healing force music of the 2000's

Scrapbook. 2003. William Parker Violin Trio - William Parker, Billy Bang, and Hamid Drake. Folksy melodies that at least for me evoke the spirit of Ayler. Truly beautiful and uplifting music. I am surprised that more people don't talk about this one, and I have yet to see it on anyone's "best of" list. I've certainly played this one more than any other release of the past decade.

Beyond Quantum. 2008. Anthony Braxton, Milford Graves, and William Parker. Vibrant, sophiscated, and virtuoso - yet highly emotional. Stunning free jazz that demonstrates how relevant this sort of music is today. The disc has made it into the player almost weekly since I picked it up.

The All-Star Game. 2001. Marshall Allen, Hamid Drake, Kidd Jordan, Wiliam Parker, and Alan Silva. Searing free jazz. I enjoy anything with William Parker and Hamid Drake together, but this one has been particularly inspiring for me. Not for the timid, there isn't a lot to hold on to during this ride. Great for long runs.

Born Broke. 2007. Peter Brotzmann and Peter Uuskyla. Peter Brotzmann can be a bit hit or miss for me, but this duo release contains some breathtaking music. Passionate and full of an array of emotions, this is another one that commonly found its way into my ipod for long runs. A two-disc set, I have yet to run long enough to listen to the entire thing during one run...but perhaps in 2010.

And now... 2004. Revolutionary Arts Ensemble - Leroy Jenkins, Sirone, and Jerome Cooper. I've just discovered the Revolutionary Ensemble this past year, and I'm still digesting their 1970s output. Telepathic, emotive, and uplifting stuff. This one has closed out 2009 for me...

Spirits. 2000. Pharoah Sanders, Adam Rudolph, and Hamid Drake. Actually recorded in summer of 1998, this meditative live date was released in 2000. Both hair-raising and serenely beautiful, Pharoah improvises over a wonderful percussive backdrop. For anyone familiar with Pharoah's early work, this one is definitely worth repeated listens.

On a different day, I'd probably include a few more, and there is plenty of music from this past decade that I have yet to hear. I'd love to hear any recommendations....

Bring on 2010.....back to the Ayler exploration shortly...

Love Cry

Back in 2004, I really discovered jazz. Sure, I'd owned "Kind of Blue" and "Giant Steps" for some time and found them to be generally enjoyable. But I wasn't yet moved to seek this sort of music out, still finding more inspiration in other forms. Living in Madison, Wisconsin at the time my girlfriend (now my wife) clued me in to the beauty of the public library and the immense collection of music that they loaned out. I was blown away by the collection of music in the Madison system and used it as an opportunity to explore a range of music that I would not have heard otherwise. My girlfriend also gave me a book at about this time, called  "100 jazz musicians" or something like that. Jazz musicians were listed in alphabetical order, and each was given a one or two page spread. As luck would have it, Albert Ayler was included in the book and was on one of the first few pages that I opened to. I read his bio, was intrigued by his tragic story, and made a mental note to see what the library had of his.

The library only had one Ayler album, and it was "Live in Greenwich Village." I checked it out. What came out of the speakers later that night was like nothing I had ever heard. However, the discs were badly beaten up (the problem with the public library) and the first disc skipped frequently and stopped playing about half way through. The second disc was unplayable.

Albert Ayler, Love Cry

1968, Impulse Records (CD 1991)

Albert Ayler: alto, tenor, vocals

Don Ayler: trumpet

Call Cobbs: harpsichord

Alan Silva: bass

Milford Graves: drums

The next day I went to the CD store to see if they had the album. They didn't. However, they did have one Ayler album - "Love Cry" for $9.99. The album is melodic, rhythmic, chaotic, loose, shocking, emotional, and inspiring. The sound is strange, particularly the tracks where Cal Cobbs plays harpsicord. The harpsichord lends an antique and disjointed sort of feel, like the music is somehow dated and old, yet everything else, particularly Albert's sax and his brother Don's trumpet, screams that this is something new - especially during the second half of the album. The album begins with the title track, which harkens to reveille, and it is followed by a series of loose marchs that speed up and slow down at whim, and provide a springboard for very short improvisations. The first six tracks were all recorded at a session in August of 1967, and they all have a very similar feel. I find myself joyfully humming along during the these tracks.

However, the second half of the album is where the real magic happens. These tracks (which include several alternate takes not on the original LP) were all recorded in February of 1968, and feature more extended improvisation and emotion, and Albert's sax is his ragged best - screaming, crying, and and splashing sounds like paint on a canvas. Donald's trumpet is repetitive and hypnotic.

Alan Silva on bass and Milford Graves on drums propel these schizophrenic and swirling marches along, and during the second half of the album provide the Ayler brothers with a template for unbridled improvisation. This is a unique and beautiful album, under-appreciated by many, including some Ayler fans. However, I find it impossible not to get swept up in these marching medleys and melodies - grinning, screaming and crying all the way.

Buy it at amazon