Don Ayler Septet - 1981 - In Florence 1981

Don Ayler Septet

1981

In Florence 1981

In Florence 1981 - Vol. 1

101. The Bebop Tune 15:44

102. The African Song 16:00

Whatever happened to Donald Ayler? That's a question usually answered with more than a bit of sadness, a mourning for a life that could've been instead of the life that was. He was the brother of the legendary Albert Ayler, and played on many of his brother's best albums, but as he continued playing up to the late sixties, his mental illness grew until it was undeniable. One of the legends about Albert says that his suicide was as a "sacrifice" for Don, but that seems a bit far fetched. He did blame himself and the band's schedule for a lot of Don's problems. Albert's death also hit Don very hard, to the point where he went into a number of behavioral health institutions for several years and eventually, in 2007, died in one. But there was a moment of comeback, or at least the hope of one, and a concert was recorded in Florence, Italy that was released in three parts on the Frame label. It went nowhere, of course, and Ayler disappeared into his unfortunate mental health issues, but for this night on what must have been a tour, Ayler was back on.

All three records contain his compositions, and this one has two good ones, especially on the modal feel of the side one opener "The Bebop Song". It has more of a Coltrane-era, modal feel to me than legit be-bop, but it's a great theme with some excellent performances throughout. Ayler's band truly gets to shine, with both Doblekar and Mustafa taking things farther out than the music suggests. The bit of fire is welcome, and though the band stays in the zone more or less, the horns are always ready to kick it out of the lines. When Ayler finally comes in, taking his solo after Mustafa has blown out his bass clarinet, he sounds confident, assured, and in full control of his instrument. Many writing about this record have already pointed out that Ayler seems to cede control of most of the songs to the many instruments around him, but while he's on, he sounds tonally rich, and like the other horns, isn't afraid to take it out a bit, though he generally stays in fairly safe zones.

"African Song" has an interesting and highly catchy theme, something true for nearly all of the tracks across the three volumes, and suggests that a studio album featuring shortened versions of these tracks might've been a good idea, but that was not to be. Which is fine, really, given the quality of what's here. This time, Ayler takes the first solo and again shows off his distinct sound, pushing the septet to follow. With two sidelength songs now with many solos, it can get a bit tiring at times, though the individual musicians are always up for the job, and this one lets the reeds take it on together a bit again, so nothing's off. Overall, this first part of the series shows a hot band taking a shot at solid improvisation over spiritual/modal forms. That would continue on to the next two records.

In Florence 1981 - Vol. 2

201. Coltrane's Blues 16:13

202. The Indian Song 17:40

The second volume of the three volume set recorded live in Florence on July 18, 1981, doubles down on the idea that Don Ayler's new direction was spiritual, would contain a lot of modal themes, and would in particular emulate the late John Coltrane, at whose funeral Ayler once played. The tracks are very close to actual Coltrane tunes, with "Coltrane's Blues" just a few notes away from being Coltrane's "Blues for You" and at other times sounds like a soothing echo of "Spiritual". That's the point, though, that this is a tribute, and everyone on this band is feeling it. Ayler, in particular, has a lovely opening solo to the track, tonally warm and consistently brilliant. The Trane of this era rarely played with trumpets, and never with guitars, but when Abdul Rahim Mustafa's bass clarinet suddenly jumps ahead, it's hard not to hear the ghosts of Trane and Eric Dolphy; this is exactly the kind of music they did in their relatively brief time together. Coltrane never had a guitarist, though, and pianist Tony Smith doesn't sound a thing like McCoy Tyner, but the bass player manages an arco solo very close to a Jimmy Garrison one, so everyone's in on this together.

Really, the music's a good fit for Ayler. Outside of some out there moments on "Bebop Song" off the first record, the albums are all about redefining Don Ayler as the new torch carrier for Coltrane's music. Think about it, though, what would be the point of picking up his brother Albert's music style? First of all, Don already proved himself very capable of playing that music and being in that band, so why not something old but new? There's also the climate of the time, which saw free jazz musicians losing their New York lofts and what few gigs they could muster, not to mention the almost complete lack of releases on labels that weren't small print, private press labels. Frame tried its hand with a few releases, but these three volumes and a terrific Noah Howard album are about all they got out there. At least with this music, Ayler stood a chance, and based on his name, likely could've turned this into a modestly successful career had his mental illness not gotten in the way.

One thing to say for "Volume 2" is that it's really into the blues. The title of "Indian Song" made me think, of course, of "My Favorite Things", so I prepared for that. Nope. This is actually another blues number. (quick aside, the "Songs" on these albums don't always have much to do with what they're named after). This is another good blues, but its principle problem is that it sounds too much like "Coltrane's Blues" and lacks some of its energy. Again, all the soloists are well represented, but it can make it seem like a whole album of the same song; thankfully, it's a good one.

In Florence 1981 - Vol. 3

301. The Eastern Song 17:16

302. Peace 4:40

303. Speech By Mr. Ayler 2:38

304. The Japanese Song 18:02

On the start of the second side to the third volume of records released documenting the entirety of the concert in Florence on July 18, 1981, Ayler sums up his views on peace. It follows, at the end of side one, the short song (well, for these albums) "Peace", which is a creation similar to John Coltrane's "Psalms". It's lovely, and his words give us a look into his mind and his hope for the world. From any other player, this would be run of the mill, but Ayler suffered for over a decade in behavioral health hospitals, to which he would return soon after. It's a summation that seems the start of something but instead is the end of something. After "The Japanese Song" closes out the record, that would be the end of Don Ayler's career. The solid, and at times dissonant, trumpet work that begins the track points to a solid future for the artist, right before the other artists come in on a strong modal, soul infused jazz track that takes the show, and the album, out. The drums are especially on for this track, and there's more Eric Dolphy-isms from reed player Abdul Rahim Mustafa. This is one of the most out moments, though a bigger one comes on the first track, "The Eastern Song", where Frank Doblekar seers like Giuseppi Logan or Arthur Doyle on an otherwise solid modal track.

That song, in fact, is the only one that seems true to its name of the "songs" spread across three albums. It's not super forward, but there's an eastern feel in the back of the track, and the terrific theme hits it throughout. Everyone seems on here, and as the song builds and more soloists come and go, it's hard not to see it as the high point of the three records (which should, absolutely, all be heard at once. That's very possible if you do a quick search. The albums are crazy expensive). There's a lot of push in this band, and that's reflected back on "the Japanese Song" (which doesn't sound anything like a Japanese song at all). Everyone's on, and again, it seems like the start of something, not the end. Ayler's trumpet is so solid throughout, and perhaps at its best on the opening to "The Eastern Song", though there's a great solo spot in the middle of "The Japanese Song" as well. Hearing it, I can't help but feel sad for what is missed over the next twenty-six years of his life. No, he wasn't going to revolutionize anything, but didn't he already help do that on his brother Albert's records in the mid to late sixties? What more did he have to prove? Couldn't he have had something more normal and lived gig to gig, enjoying this fine modal music he was composing all the way? The answer is already known, so here's to this three record series that captures one night when it was all going differently. Well worth the time to hear and to celebrate, one more time, the long lost brother of Albert, friend and devotee of Trane, and all around solid trumpet player. There would never be a return to here.

Live Recording at Theatre Andromeda, Florence, July 18, 1981. Printed inner sleeve with interview in English. Group is credited on rear sleeve as Don Ayler Septet

Don Ayler - trumpet

Abdul Rahim Mustafa - reeds

Frank Doblekar - tenor sax

Anthony “Tony” Smith - piano

John Davis - guitar (On Ka'a Davis)

Richard “Radu” Williams - bass

Jerry Griffin - percussion

Don Ayler's discography as leader (rather than sideman in his brother's bands) is limited to two revelatory tracks from a 1969 New York concert, included in Revenant's Holy Ghost box set, an unreleased session for Amiri Baraka's Jihad label, and the following triple LP set, recorded live at a concert in Florence, Italy in 1981.

“It is not at all strange to see in Jazz lesser known musicians who, even if they have a decisive voice in groups or schools of great importance, find their own road continuously blocked by the all-pervading influence of top-class musicians and therefore they are inclined to take the expressive idea and the same artistry, transforming both into their own individual voice.

The case of Don Ayler, a musician from Cleveland, is a typical example. Don was born Oct. 5, 1942, brother and faithful partner of the famous Albert, with whom he collaborated from March '65 to February '68.

His formative years were conditioned and in a certain sense dominated by Albert, so that he even changed his first instrument, alto sax, into cornet, and finally trumpet. But the influence went beyond the choice of the instrument; the innovative power and strong expressive voice of Albert completely transformed the psychic and emotive personality of Don.

When Albert died under mysterious circumstances Don was silent for many years, and only very recently his painful and emotional voice is heard again. This voice gives sound to the authentic and original music of Don Ayler, lyrical and with the full authority of a jazz tradition, firmly anchored in the styles of a Roy Eldridge or a Frankie Newton, wedging itself into the bop and post-bop era of a Dizzie Gillespie or a Clifford Brown. In Don we can always feel the presence of the old traditions; whereas Albert expresses himself in an angry shout, Don turns towards a subtle, melancholy gasp, often motivated more by feeling than by formal technique. The drama lived by Don in his music no longer has the tragic connotation of the free jazz of the sixties. His approach is a more personal emotion whose dramatic results come from bad experiences in life, without probing for the cosmic and omnipresent expansion that sought expression in his brother's music.

Don Ayler expresses in a smaller and more personal world his painful and suffering notes, insinuating with deep feeling the soundtrack of the problems of life, which are the problems of a man segregated in a ghetto where he represents the loser and not the winner. Hence also the need for a solid anchorage to the common origins and backgrounds, the primary need to find oneself back in history, even in a ghetto, and not an outcast even there. Accepting this reality costs pain and suffering, but substitutes the desperate cry of free jazz with a feeling of hope, however weak.

The music presented here was recorded in Florence, Italy, on July 18, 1981. We find Don Ayler active after a prolonged period of silence because of personal problems, a silence that lasted for twelve years, interrupted only by sporadic appearances in the Cleveland area . It should be noted that up to now no record has ever been published under his name; This record is therefore the discographic debut of a famous and well-trained musician, who however lost contact with the recent and not so recent jazz expressions. The free flow of Don Ayler and his six musicians who surround him in this performance in Florence is like a veil covering the genuine and substantial black expression found in that great melting pot that is to-day Great Black Music. It's hard to label music, but the musicians themselves give the answers on this record: an emotive and emotional climax, where they enter into polemics with those musical forms that are too lucidly cerebral, forms that are victims of their own cold and suicidal introversion .

Brother Albert followed a vastly different musical path, and vastly different are also the most recent jazz-expressions, but of Don Ayler we can state without fear of contradiction that he is the echo of a sound that never existed, a sound risen from deep oblivion…