HurdAudio Rotation: Strings and Ayler

Jenny Scheinman: 12 Songs. Recorded December 13 - 14, 2004 - released in 2005. Cryptogramophone: CG125.
Jenny Scheinman: violin
Ron Miles: cornet
Doug Wieselman: clarinets
Bill Frisell: guitar
Rachelle Garniez: accordion, piano, claviola
Tim Luntzel: bass
Dan Rieser: drums
You must be living right if you can get Bill Frisell and Ron Miles to play in your band (and play your compositions). This is one hot ensemble and they breathe plenty of life and animation into these wide ranging pieces. There's some mesmerizing textures in "The Buoy Song" as Scheinman subtly weaves her violin between the light layers of Wieselman's clarinet, Frisell's guitar and Rieser's delicate touch on the cymbals.

Ludwig van Beethoven: The Complete String Quartets (volume II). Performed by The Orford String Quartet. Recorded in 1989. Delos International: D/CD 3032.
Orford String Quartet:
Andrew Dawes: violin
Kenneth Perkins: violin
Terence Helmer: viola
Denis Brott: cello
String Quartet in G Major, op. 18 no. 2
String Quartet in B-Flat Major, op. 130
These string quartets have drawn me in more than the Symphonies do. They have the same substance without the overwhelming familiarity that I strain to hear beyond with the symphonic works. And it's the late quartets in particular - like op. 130 - with their irregular number of movements and odd durations that have the strongest appeal at present.

Albert Ayler: Holy Ghost [box set] disc 1. Released in 2004. Revenant Records. Disc 1 consists of:

Herbert Katz Quintet (1962)
Herbert Katz: guitar
Albert Ayler: tenor saxophone
Teuvo Suojarvi: piano
Heikki Annala: bass
Martti Aijanen: drums
Unbelievably "straight" standards from this group (Sonny Rollins' "Sonnymoon for Two", George and Ira Gershwin's "Summertime" and Bronislau Kaper's "On Green Dolphin Street"). There's little hint of the torrential storm and tone that would make Ayler such an enduring force. This is a nice documentation - but I'm glad Ayler strayed from this territory. These are hardly memorable versions of these workhorses.

Cecil Taylor Quartet (1962)
Cecil Taylor: piano
Jimmy Lyons: alto saxophone
Albert Ayler: tenor saxophone
Sunny Murray: drums
The 21-minutes-plus of this group playing together is the major attraction to hearing this first disc. This material is irresistible, explosive and free. Here Ayler's sensibilities are given room to develop and take flight. This is an inspired combination of players.

Albert Ayler Trio (1964)
Albert Ayler: tenor saxophone
Gary Peacock: bass
Sunny Murray: drums
After the long buildup from the previous two groups we finally get to Ayler's own trio as the full sonic image of his sound and his compositions comes into focus. It's hard to imagine a better rhythm section for this kind of sound.