My Name is Albert Ayler
Tonight you must do what ever you can to see the documentary on experimental jazz saxophonist Albert Ayler, which screens at Northwest Film Forum at 9 pm. The last third of Ayler’s short life (he died at 34) was committed to the mad dream of creating a whole new musical language out of the blues and soul of jazz. He never achieved the super fame of John Coltrane (who was his ally) or the stable, academic recognition of Cecil Taylor (another ally), but he did release several wonderful (in both sense of that word) records on major jazz labels. The documentary does not get too deep into the life of Ayler, but it does capture the magical, halo-like, Benjaminian aura that surrounded his being, face, music, and voice. The director of the documentary, Kasper Collin, will be in attendance tonight only. (The movie screens through this Sunday.)