This first recording of the
Die Like a Dog Quartet is fittingly subtitled
Fragments of Music, Life and Death of Albert Ayler. In the liner notes (in both German and English),
Peter Broetzmann writes of his passionate empathy for a musician whom he considers a kindred spirit;
Broetzmann feels a link with
Ayler since each were doing a similar thing "at the same point in time" although neither musician had heard the other. And so, lightly scattered throughout this first meeting of the
Die Like a Dog Quartet are fragments of quotes from
Ayler's
Bells,
"Ghosts," "Prophet," and more. In August 1993
Broetzmann was joined for a live concert in Berlin by legendary free jazz trumpeter
Toshinori Kondo (who also occasionally utilizes electronics effects) and the wondrous rhythm section (although they are no straight time-keepers) of bassist
William Parker and percussionist
Hamid Drake. And so here, on one recording, you get four musicians who, whenever they're playing, play with every ounce of their attention, passion, and ability. Add to this each musician's great ability on his respective instrument and you get music that is alternately moving, invigorating, and astonishing. The dynamics range from rattles, long, low breaths, and short staccato blurts to the kind of exploding intensity and energy that is usually associated with
Broetzmann. There are also two takes (one, just over a minute long) on the standard
"Saint James Infirmary" that come at the beginning and end of the three-part
"No. 2." ~ Joslyn Layne
![Golden Number [Verve By Request Series]](http://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/0602458948196_p0_v1_s90x140.jpg "Golden Number [Verve By Request Series]")
