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Critical Praise for Spiritual Unity
"Spiritual Unity is the self-titled album by the
guitarist's new group, which plays nothing but Albert Ayler
music. Mr. Ribot dealt with Ayler on his solo albums Don't
Blame Me and Saints, and, with just the right
quantity of original cussedness, showed him to be a skilled
composer, not only a gnashing abstract improviser. The band,
as heard on its first album, Spiritual Unity, (Pi Recordings)
includes the trumpeter Roy Campbell Jr. and the drummer Chad
Taylor, as well as the bassist Henry Grimes, who performed with
Ayler during the 1960's. It's pretty good, although for some
questionable reason of aesthetics, Mr. Grimes sounds as if he's
playing through an electric shaver. The exception is a live
recording of the band playing ''Bells,'' with Mr. Ribot's filthiest
solo, a proper-sounding bass and a feeling of spontaneous arrangement."
- Ben Ratliff, The New York Times
"The phone rang shortly after I put on Spiritual Unity's
self-titled CD for the first time. And recognizing track two
as Albert Ayler's Spirits from the next room, I thought
for a moment there that I was hearing a tenor saxophone—it
was Marc Ribot on guitar, heavy on the tremolo. There are really
only two types of jazz guitarists anymore: the chord nerds who
drool over "Have You Met Miss Jones" and the tone scientists
like Ribot who recognize Ayler as kin to Charlie Patton and
Dock Boggs. Leaving out the saxophone works in Spiritual Unity's
favor: Ribot, trumpeter Roy Campbell, drummer Chad Taylor, and
back-from-oblivion bassist Henry Grimes are going for Ayler's
essence, not his sound, and invidious comparisons are avoided.
Turning cowboy on "Bells", Ribot sounds like he's thinking about
his darling Clementine rather than Ayler's holy ghost—a
lovely, reflective moment before the crash-bang ending. More
than just lending a touch of authenticity, Grimes's powerful
bowing keeps everyone on an even keel as they switch from Slug's-era
lurch to square dance to (I swear) polka. Taylor dances nimbly
on his cymbals, and the criminally underrated Campbell is his
usual puckish self. Spirits rejoice! Just what we needed to
complete the long overdue Albert Ayler renaissance.
- Francis Davis, The Village Voice
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