Receive Weekly Email and Text Message Updates:
Sign up for latest info on concerts, dining, promotions and more!
Go!

Top

music

Stories

 
Text Size: A A A

Leaving Out the Saxophone, a Tone Scientist Resurrects Albert Ayler's Spirit

The phone rang shortly after I put on Spiritual Unity's self-titled CD for the first time. And recognizing track two as Albert Ayler's "Spirits" from the next room, I thought for a moment there that I was hearing a tenor saxophone—it was Marc Ribot on guitar, heavy on the tremolo. There are really only two types of jazz guitarists anymore: the chord nerds who drool over "Have You Met Miss Jones" and the tone scientists like Ribot who recognize Ayler as kin to Charlie Patton and Dock Boggs. Leaving out the saxophone works in Spiritual Unity's favor: Ribot, trumpeter Roy Campbell, drummer Chad Taylor, and back-from-oblivion bassist Henry Grimes are going for Ayler's essence, not his sound, and invidious comparisons are avoided. Turning cowboy on "Bells," Ribot sounds like he's thinking about his darling Clementine rather than Ayler's holy ghost—a lovely, reflective moment before the crash-bang ending. More than just lending a touch of authenticity, Grimes's powerful bowing keeps everyone on an even keel as they switch from Slug's-era lurch to square dance to (I swear) polka. Taylor dances nimbly on his cymbals, and the criminally underrated Campbell is his usual puckish self. Spirits rejoice! Just what we needed to complete the long overdue Albert Ayler renaissance.

Details

Spiritual Unity
Pi

Related Content

More About


Spiritual Unity play Tonic June 21.

 

more by Francis Davis

Write Your Comment

*indicates required fields. Please enable browser cookies before filling out this form. All reader comments are subject to our Terms of Use. By clicking Add Comment, you acknowledge that you have reviewed and agree to these Terms.

Comments may take a few minutes to process and appear on the site. Please do not click the "Add Comment" button again while your comment is being added.

  • *
  • *
  • *
  • *

    (The four characters are not case sensitive):

Music Recommendations

User content provided by LikeMe.net + Village Voice

Webster Hall

New York, NY

Spotted Pig

New York, NY

Corner Bistro

New York, NY

Schiller's Liquor Bar

New York, NY

Gramercy Tavern

New York, NY

Pacha

New York, NY
Give your recommendations on LikeMe.net >>

Most …

Village Voice on Digg