Albert Ayler

Albert Ayler (July 13, 1936 - November 1970) was a jazz saxophonist.

Born in Cleveland, Ohio Ayler began playing saxophone in R&B bands in the 1950s, including a stint with harmonica player Little Walter. He performed and reportedly recorded with iconoclast Cecil Taylor, but the long-rumored tapes of their meetings have yet to surface.

Ayler began recording in 1962 and was known for his hard-edged style which blended fiery free jazz improvisation with folk, gospel and traditional marching band music to create a potent, tuneful and often noisy mix. Ayler's saxophone playing relied heavily on honks, squeals, forced overtones and effects used by R&B saxophonists such as Louis Jordan, often exaggerated and emphasized.

Some critics accused Ayler of using such effects to compensate for lack of technique, but most accounts of Ayler's early years describe him as a capable musician, and his few conventionally "pretty" recordings bear this out.

He began touring Europe in 1964 with musicians like trumpeter Don Cherry, double bassist Gary Peacock and drummer Sunny Murray.

Ayler was not seen after November 5, 1970, and he was found dead in New York City's East River on November 25. The circumstances of his death remain a mystery, but Ayler's brother Don has argued that Ayler--suffering from an unnamed mental illness--committed suicide.