Europe Jazz Media Chart - September 2020

During his relatively short life, Albert Ayler performed a number of concerts that were recorded. But not all were released while he was alive. But since he left this world in November 1970, many recordings have found their way to CDs and LPs. Not all with equally good sound quality, but much of it maintains truly approved quality. Now the record company Ezz-thetic, which is part of Hat Hut Records, has released a concert recording from Cellar Café in New York from June 14, 1964, where we meet Ayler on tenor saxophone, Gary Peacock on bass and Sunny Murray on drums. This was one of the most creative periods in Ayler's musical career. He was early to experiment with the new jazz, and together with his almost gospel-like playing style combined with the totally free impact, he created in many ways his own school, about at the same time as John Coltrane researched in the more religious way. Many says that this is the first time this music is out on record, but I do not think that is entirely true, because several of this music can also be found on his brilliant collection box "Holy Ghost: Rare & Unissued Recordings (1962-70)" at Revenant, a box that should be found in every self-respecting home. We meet an extremely creative Ayler, who during these just over 76 minutes shows the world what he could do with a tenor saxophone. And it is exciting to hear him in such a good shape, and think of all those who today are doing much of the same music, and think it is something new. And the context of this trio is brilliant. Although the sound on Peacock and Murray is not that good, we hear that what they perform is very close to what Ayler does, and that they are following Ayler all the way through the demanding improvisations. This has become an outstanding record that, even if you have the "Holy Ghost" box, should find its way into your collection, and be played on volume 11, to the delight of some neighbours, and to the great annoyance of the rest. For this is creative music that must have created a furore when it was performed at Cellar Café in 1964.

Much adored by the public as well as Parker himself and abhorred by some fans along with occasional jazz critics, this album shows that it is impossible to make everyone happy yet the Bird lives and is still very much alive even in the age of Covid-19 ...

Swedish trumpeter Anders Bergcrantz is a respected nationally and internationally trumpet player and composer with several long-standing collaborations with names like Dave Liebman, Billy Harper, Richie Beirach, Victor Lewis and Rick Margitza. Accuracy, care and a strong artistic integrity have characterised his previous recordings. This also applies to the latest album Elevate, which exposes several sides of Bergcrantz's versatile know-how from high-octane fusion, classical, folk and post-bop with a generous and inviting openness to the complex and demanding.