Waves from Albert Ayler

Chicago's John Corbett and the Atavistic label have done a great service to free jazz fans in reissuing this sole album by Sweden's influential Mount Everest Trio as part of the Unheard Music Series. Waves From Albert Ayler gives good indication by its title of this absolutely invigorating outing by alto and tenor player Gilbert Holmström, bassist Kjell Jansson, and drummer Conny Sjökvist. Without a doubt, this album wails from the first seconds of Ayler's "Spirits," which opens the album. But this is not wholly an energy record; there are beautiful down times as well, including the deep ballad "Bananas Oas" and their swinging rendition of Ornette Coleman's "Ramblin'," which features some great highlights of Jansson. After starting the album by covering Ayler and Coleman (two American musicians who certainly had a great influence upon them), the Mount Everest Trio kicks into the first original of the session, "Orinoco." This piece has a driving urgency that pushes the musicians, who work it into a sweat, and eventually an earthquake whose full-blown force continues to peak right up to the unfortunate fade-out that will leave the listener yearning to hear what was cut so long ago. The trio also whips the energy up into a frenzy during "No Hip S**t," a decidedly un-prettified tough take. Yet following this is another nice wind-down, the more sparse and careful "Elf." The original issue of Waves From Albert Ayler closed two tracks later with a cover of Gary Bartz's "People's Dance," but this CD reissue also includes three bonus tracks that were recorded in 1977 right before the group dissolved. A big "thank you" goes out to the adventurous and experimental Swedish saxophonist Mats Gustafsson for bringing to light one of the albums — and saxophonists — that had a strong influence on him.