Charles Tyler Ensemble

Background

By 1965 Tyler was added as the third horn in Albert Ayler's band. That association is documented by Bells and Spirits Rejoice. The following year, Bernard Stollman offered Tyler the opportunity to recorded his first album as leader on ESP-Disk. The band features an unusual instrumentation for its time, using cellist Joel Freedman and bassist Henry Grimes from Albert Ayler's group along with Charles Moffett on mallet instruments and a young Roland Jackson (later known as Ronald Shannon Jackson) on drums. Although primarily known as a baritone sax player, Tyler plays alto sax on four original compositions.

Reception

In his review for AllMusic, Michael G. Nastos states "With this vivacious music that stretches time parameters and harmonic envelopes, Tyler and his crew bend whatever malleable shapes they can, while burning down the traditional jazz house and still paying homage to bebop."

The JazzTimes review by Lyn Horton notes "Distinguishing Tyler, from Ayler, is the sourness of his flourishes. He avoids lengthy arpeggios, but tends towards eerie high tension phrases, vibratos and nearly fully-realized melodies."

The All About Jazz review by Raul D'Gama Rose says about the album that "Unlike many records of the mid-1960s, it burns with a quiet blue flame, eschewing the intellectual posturing that characterized much new music in the avant-garde era."

Track listing

1. "Strange Uhuru" – 10:01
2. "Lacy's Out East" – 6:38
3. "Three Spirits" – 8:07
4. "Black Mysticism" – 9:15

Personnel