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ABOUT
about=
The prophetic free jazz saxophonist Albert Ayler, who today is seen as one of the most important innovators in jazz, was obsessed with his radical music and by the thought that people one day would understand it, as he said in his own words ?If people don't like it now, they will." In 1962 he recorded his first album in Sweden. Eight years later he was found dead in New York's East River, aged 34. This new documentary follows the trail of Albert from his native town of Cleveland by way of Sweden to New York, meeting family, friends and close colleagues. Albert himself guides us with his voice and music. Seven years in the making, the film includes newly discovered footage of Ayler and his band.
Dir Kasper Collin, Sweden, 79 mins
REVIEWS
reviews="Remarkable ...a cause for rejoicing"
RICHARD BRODY, NEW YORKER (USA)
» Read the full review
"...brings Ayler and his message of spiritual unity back to life."
AARON HILLIS, VILLAGE VOICE (USA)
» Read the full review
"...built around snippets of audio interviews with Mr. Ayler, it attempts and often achieves a fresh, playful style that?s equally informed by jazz traditions and Mr. Ayler?s urge to shatter them."
MATT ZOLLER SEITZ, NEW YORK TIMES (USA)
» Read the full review
"...the quintessential portrait of an artist who was ahead of his time -- and knew it."
MICHAEL FOX, SF WEEKLY (USA)
» Read the full review
"...an extraordinary portrait of an extraordinary musician"
SAM DAVIES, SIGHT & SOUND (UK)
"...tenor saxophonist Albert Ayler, who died at the age of 34 in 1970, often claimed that his tumultuous, spiritual form of free jazz would be understood by audiences only after he died. ... A loving and elegantly crafted documentary that charts the saxophonist's commitment to his art ? His music, which this film will make you wish to run out and hear, is the sound of a pack of lions unleashed."
SUKHDEV SANDHU, DAILY TELEGRAPH (UK)
» Read the full review
"My Name Is Albert Ayler is one of the most starkly beautiful and moving documentaries ever made about a jazz musician."
THOMAS CONRAD, JAZZ TIMES (USA)
"...a gorgeous portrait"
PHIL GALLO, VARIETY (USA)
» Read more
"Kasper Collin's haunting documentary..."
ANTHONY QUINN, THE INDEPENDENT (UK)
» Read the full review
"...puts most latter-day documentaries about cult musicians to shame."
BRUCE BENNETT, NEW YORK SUN (USA)
» Read the full review
"A spellbinding look at one of jazz' most misunderstood geniuses."
JAMES TAYLOR, ALL ABOUT JAZZ (USA)
» Read the full review
"...something of a triumph ... manages to bring its austere subject alive, turning Ayler's short, turbulent life into a compelling narrative. ... eventually turns into a discourse on freedom - freedom to move beyond segregation, convention, racial stereotyping and the marketplace. It also shows that, underneath the brash, proto-punk tone of Ayler's saxophone, there was a real heart."
JOHN LEWIS, SIGHT & SOUND (UK)
» Read more
"I was absolutely overcome with joy after watching that documentary"
GILLES PETERSON, DJ LEGEND, INTERVIEWED BY JASON SOLOMONS IN FILM WEEKLY/THE OBSERVER (UK)
"You don't have to like or even appreciate Ayler?s striking brand of music to be moved by this heartfelt tribute. ... My Name Is Albert Ayler will have a profound effect on a basic level."
ERIC MONDER, FILM JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL (US)
» Read the full review
?A startling new documentary... examining the short life of the free jazz pioneer Albert Ayler whom John Coltrane considered the only man fit to play at his funeral.?
JASON SOLOMONS, THE OBSERVER/FILM WEEKLY (UK)
"Collin?s film is a haunting mesh of old cine footage, paint-stripping live performances and interviews with surviving friends and family. A strange shot of a semi-naked Ayler, staring silently into the camera, threads through the film, as if the subject is daring you to dismiss him..."
STEWART LEE, THE SUNDAY TIMES (UK)
» Read the full article
"An excellent documentary film ... about artistic integrity in the face of poverty, and of commitment to a musical vision."
JOHN ROBINSON, THE GUARDIAN (UK)
» Read the full article
"Kasper Collin?s excellent documentary film is a tender and slightly unsettling love letter to iconic avant-garde saxophonist Albert Ayler."
KERSTAN MACKNESS, TIME OUT, CRITICS' CHOICE (UK)
» Read the full review
"Collin's moving tribute proves the power of simple storytelling and understatement while helping us hear Ayler's extraordinary music with fresh ears."
BILLY MOWBRAY, CHANNEL 4 FILM (UK)
» Read the full review
"With "My Name Is Albert Ayler," Swedish filmmaker Kasper Collin doesn't set out to solve the mysteries surrounding Ayler's life and death so much as to honor them. His well-researched documentary is an impressionistic portrait of a man whose ecstatic braying tenor sax still sounds fresh. ... when he puts headphones on former bandmates and plays the old recordings, the effect is profound. "I'd never before let loose like that," says drummer Sune Spangberg, visibly moved. "Not since either.""
SHERI LINDEN, LA TIMES (USA)
» Read the full review
"Kasper Collin?s documentary puts a human face on Ayler?s legacy, detailing his often financially precarious existence spent traveling from his hometown of Cleveland to Sweden and then New York, baffling people with atemporal bursts of sound. It also illuminates Ayler?s aesthetic of pure sense experience, which has inspired free-jazz exponents generations later. As Ayler once said, ?If people don?t like it now, they will."
TAYT HARLIN, NEW YORK MAGAZINE, CRITICS' PICK (USA)
» Read the full review
"By turns illuminating and heartbreaking ... completely alters the way you hear and feel the music"
CHRIS BOHN, THE WIRE MAGAZINE (UK)
"For this outstanding documentary tribute, director Kasper Collin talks to the musician's surviving family, collaborators, and ex-girlfriends and makes artful use of audio-only interviews with Ayler, whose gentle, seductive voice sings over archival footage. Rather than trying to imitate his subject's free music, Collin tells the blessed and benighted Ayler's tale in simple, linear, quietly profound fashion."
DYLAN HICKS, CITY PAGES (MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL, USA)
» Read the full review
"Somewhere between a cine-poem and a jazz hagiography ... Thanks largely to the wonderful use of lost footage and old audio interviews, as well as the many interviews with family and friends; My Name is Albert Ayler is a compelling and fascinating portrait of an inspired and at times troubled man. A keenly crafted and moving tribute, cogently illustrating the depth and reach of the subject-led documentary."
PHILIP MOORE, THE BRITISH DOCUMENTARY WEBSITE (UK)
» Read the full review
"Not for nothing was his best-known song titled "Ghosts." Indeed, he's a haunting presence here, through audio interviews, archival footage and liberal snippets of music that invoke his restless, disturbed spirit while avoiding the talking-heads trap of most posthumous bio-docs. While Swedish director Kasper Collin does interview many of Ayler's contemporaries, they're often shown listening to his music or voice, providing reactions that speak far more powerfully than words -- though drumming great Sunny Murray does a nice job summing up the paradox in Ayler's sound: "A happy sadness.""
TIM CAMPBELL, STAR TRIBUNE (MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL, USA)
"This feature doc is clearly a labour of love, making excellent use of archive footage, interviews with family and fellow musicians, and taped recordings of Ayler on Ayler. ... Despite the potential complexity of the subject for non-aficionados of this sound, Collin does a skilful job of telling a very clear, linear, yet engaging story and keeps his frame mercifully free of highly stylised dramatic reconstructions, which clutter up so much of today's promo-culture-influenced docs."
KULTUREFLASH (UK)
» Read the full review
"You must do what ever you can to see the documentary on experimental jazz saxophonist Albert Ayler?"
CHARLES MUDEDE, THE STRANGER (SEATTLE, USA)
» Read the full review
"Heartbreaking as it is, this film is a rarity and not to be missed."
JACK GOLD, ALL ABOUT JAZZ (USA)
"An affectionate portrait of a free thinking free player. ...a fascinating and seductive collage that'll make you want to head straight for a record shop on leaving the cinema."
JIMMY RAZOR, FILMEXPOSED MAGAZINE (UK)
» Read the full review
"Kasper Collin?s heartbreakingly sad but darkly beautiful film ?My Name Is Albert Ayler? which brilliantly captures the disturbed essence of a brilliant but troubled man."
KERSTAN MACKNESS, TIME OUT (UK)
» Read the full article
"Kasper Collin's loving documentary? A complex picture of a musician whose calm way and religious nature walked hand in hand with fire, passion and uncompromising artistic integrity."
JAN AGHED, SYDSVENSKA DAGBLADET
"?a poetic and touching, but also penetrating, portrait of an uncompromising and constantly searching artist, that from the start was clear with, that he never would be appreciated in his life time."
LARS MOVIN, JAZZ SPECIAL (DENMARK)
"The music is a searching chaos where sudden moments of beauty or pain force the listener to hold their breath. The film works the same way."
JENS PETERSON, AFTONBLADET
"Exceptional? strongest of all is the music and the pictures from John Coltrane's funeral: Albert Ayler celebrates his dead friend and helper when he himself had financial problems with some of the most painfully beautiful music he ever made."
EVA AF GEIJERSTAM, DAGENS NYHETER
"?a visual and sonic experience beyond most others."
BEST RIGHT NOW, SONIC MAGAZINE
"A film to love? It is a fantastic film with an unusually sharp thematic, but the question is if Albert Ayler ever will reach out to the big audience. He himself was convinced: ?People are going to the moon, it?s time for music to change too. Year 3000 they will understand me."
MIKAEL STRÖMBERG, AFTONBLADET
"Stunning? Probably as close to the person behind the music we ever will get."
TIMO KANGAS, LIRA MUSIKMAGASIN (SWEDEN)
"...the fantastic documentary that right now is being shown at cinemas - Kasper Collin's My name is Albert Ayler..."
LENNART PERSSON, SYDSVENSKANREVIEWS
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WHERE
where=Do you work with a film or music festival, cinema, museum or similar and would like to organize a screening? Please contact us via email. See under Contact.
A SELECTION OF UPCOMING SCREENINGS:
51ST MONTEREY JAZZ FESTIVAL
Monterey, California, USA
SEPTEMBER 21, 2008
CALGARY INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
Calgary, Canada
SEPTEMBER 19 - 28, 2008
ROKUMENTTI ROCK FILM FESTIVAL
Joensuu, Finland
NOVEMBER 14 - 16, 2008
MORE U.S. DATES WILL BE ADDED SHORTLY...
A SELECTION OF PREVIOUS SCREENINGS:
FOLLOW THE SOUND
Antwerp, Belgium
SEPTEMBER 6 - 14, 2008
KLARABIOGRAFEN, KULTURHUSET
Stockholm, Sweden
AUGUST 27, 2008
ETATS GÉNÉRAUX DU DOC
Lussas, France
AUGUST 17 - 23, 2008
CLEVELAND MUSEUM OF ART
Cleveland, Ohio, USA
JULY 18, 2008
37TH WELLINGTON FILM FESTIVAL
Wellington, New Zealand
JULY 17 - AUGUST 3, 2008
40TH AUCKLAND INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
Auckland, New Zealand
JULY 11 - 27, 2008
11TH REVELATION PERTH INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
Perth, Australia
JULY 3 - 13, 2008
NASHVILLE THEATRICAL PREMIERE RUN!
BELCOURT THEATRE
Nashville, Tennessee, USA
JUNE 24, 25 & 27 - 29, 2008
JEPSON CENTER FOR THE ARTS
Savannah, Georgia, USA
JUNE 5, 2008
SIN SAL FESTIVAL
Vigo, Spain
MAY 26, 2008
DENVER THEATRICAL PREMIERE RUN!
THE NEIGHBORHOOD FLIX CINEMA
Denver, Colorado, USA
MAY 23 - 25, 2008
FILMOTEKA DE GALICIA
La Coruña, Spain
MAY 23, 2008
ÉTONNANTS VOYAGEURS DE SAINT-MALO
Saint-Malo, France
MAY 10 - 12, 2008
BLUES IN THE BURY
Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
APRIL 27, 2008
2ND NEW YORK THEATRICAL RUN - BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND!
ANTHOLOGY FILM ARCHIVES
New York City, USA
APRIL 18 - 22, 2008
BLACKBOX
Belfast, North Ireland, UK
MARCH 25, 2008
MOCAD
Detroit, Michigan, USA
MARCH 14 & 15, 2008
SF THEATRICAL PREMIERE RUN!
RED VIC MOVIE HOUSE
San Francisco, California, USA
MARCH 9 - 11, 2008
LA THEATRICAL PREMIERE RUN!
LAEMMLE?S GRANDE 4-PLEX
Los Angeles, California, USA
OPENS ON MARCH 7, 2008
INTERNATIONAL HOUSE PHILADELPHIA
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
MARCH 6, 2008
HAMMER MUSEUM
Los Angeles, California, USA
MARCH 5, 2008
MUHKA CINEMA
Antwerpen, Belgium
FEB 1, 2 & 3, 2008
NORTHWEST FILM CENTER
Portland, Oregon, USA
JAN 22, 2008
THE ICA CINEMA, DOCUMENTARIES OF THE YEAR
London, UK
DEC 22, 27 & 29, 2007
MIT LIST VISUAL ARTS CENTER
Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
DEC 6, 2007
THE GUILD CINEMA
Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
DEC 3 - 6, 2007
WINNIPEG CINEMATHEQUE
Winnipeg, Canada
NOV 23 - 25, 2007
ALAMO DRAFTHOUSE CINEMA
Austin, Texas, USA
NOV 19, 21 & 26, 2007
CLEVELAND CINEMATHEQUE
Cleveland, Ohio, USA
NOV 17 & 18, 2007
ATHENS CINÉ ARTHAUS
Athens, Georgia, USA
NOV 15 - 17, 2007
U.S. THEATRICAL PREMIERE RUN!
ANTHOLOGY FILM ARCHIVES
New York City, USA
NOV 8 -14, 2007
34TH FLANDERS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL-GHENT
Ghent, Belgium
OCTOBER 9 ? 20, 2007
BREWERY CINEMA, BREWERY ARTS CENTRE
Kendal, UK
OCTOBER 7, 2007
CINEMATEKET TRONDHEIM
Trondheim, Norway
SEPTEMBER 25, 2007
39TH MUESTRO CINEMATOGRÁFICA DEL ATLANTICO
Cadiz, Spain
SEPTEMBER 13 - 22, 2007
STAR AND SHADOW CINEMA
Newcastle, UK
SEPTEMBER 16, 2007
THE DUKES CINEMA, LANCASTER JAZZ FESTIVAL
Lancaster, UK
SEPTEMBER 12, 2007
COLOUR OUT OF SPACE FESTIVAL
Brighton, UK
SEPTEMBER 8, 2007
MUSIXINE INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FILM CONTEST
Oulu, Finland
SEPTEMBER 5 ? 9, 2007
JAZZ EM AGOSTO
Lisbon, Portugal
August 10, 2007
56TH MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
Melbourne, Australia
JULY 25 ? AUGUST 12, 2007
COPENHAGEN JAZZ FESTIVAL
Copenhagen, Denmark
JULY 7, 2007
THE CUBE CINEMA
Bristol, UK
JUNE 22, 2007
OPENS AT THE NATIONAL MEDIA MUSEUM
Bradford, UK
APRIL 20, 2007
OPENS AT THE RITZY PICTUREHOUSE CINEMA
London, UK
APRIL 13 - 19, 2007
9TH BUENOS AIRES FESTIVAL INTERNACIONAL DE CINE INDEPENDIENTE (BAFICI)
Buenos Aires, Argentina
APRIL 3 - 15, 2007
EXTENDED RUN AT THE ICA CINEMA
London, UK
FEBRUARY 25 - MARCH 8, 2007
OPENS AT THE ICA CINEMA
London, UK
FEBRUARY 9 - 15, 2007
ROYAL FESTIVAL HALL/LONDON JAZZ FESTIVAL
London, UK
NOVEMBER 11
LIGHTHOUSE/UNSAFE FESTIVAL
Pole, UK
NOVEMBER 10
20TH LEEDS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
Leeds, UK
NOVEMBER 2 ? 12
25TH TAMPERE JAZZ HAPPENING
Tampere, Finland
NOVEMBER 2 - 5
4TH IN-EDIT FESTIVAL
Barcelona, Spain
OCTOBER 26 - NOVEMBER 2
3RD MUSIC ON FILM - FILM ON MUSIC (MOFFOM)
Prague, Czech Republic
OCTOBER 18 - 22
44TH VIENNALE - VIENNA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
Vienna, Austria
OCTOBER 13 - 25
19TH HELSINKI INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
Helsinki, Finland
SEPTEMBER 14 - 24
7TH SOUND UNSEEN FESTIVAL
Minneapolis-St.Paul, USA
AUGUST 16 ? 24
22ND BIRMINGHAM JAZZ FESTIVAL
Birmingham, UK
July 7 - 16
20TH PÄRNU INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY FILM FESTIVAL
Pärnu, Estonia
JULY 2 - 16
INTERPLAY ! BERLIN, AKADEMIE DER KÜNSTE
Berlin, Germany
JUNE 2 - 5
21ST INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY FILM FESTIVAL MUNICH
Munich, Germany
MAY 4 ? 10
BIG SMASH! FILM FESTIVAL
Vancouver, Canada
APRIL 20-25
SUBCURRENT FESTIVAL, CENTER FOR CONTEMPORARY ARTS ? CCA
Glasgow, UK
APRIL 22
ICA, SPECIAL SCREENING PRESENTED BY THE WIRE MAGAZINE
London, UK
APRIL 18
19TH SINGAPORE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
Singapore
APRIL 13 - 29
EURODOK, 5TH EUROPEAN DOCUMENTARY FESTIVAL
Oslo, Norway
MARCH 23 - 29
29TH GÖTEBORG INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
Göteborg, Sweden
JANUARY 30
3RD COPENHAGEN INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY FESTIVAL, CPH:DOX
Copenhagen, Denmark
NOVEMBER 4 -and- 5, 2005
CONTACT
contact=E-mail: contact@mynameisalbertayler.com
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CITAT
citat1=A spellbinding look at one of jazz' most misunderstood geniuses."
ALL ABOUT JAZZ (USA)CITAT
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citat2="Remarkable ...a cause for rejoicing"
THE NEW YORKERCITAT
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citat3="The quintessential portrait of an artist who was ahead of his time -- and knew it."
SF WEEKLY (USA)CITAT
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citat4="A strange shot of a semi-naked Ayler, staring silently into the camera, threads through the film, as if the subject is daring you to dismiss him..."
THE SUNDAY TIMES (UK)CITAT
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citat5="Brings Ayler and his message of spiritual unity back to life."
VILLAGE VOICE (USA)CITAT
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citat6="Puts most latter-day documentaries about cult musicians to shame"
NEW YORK SUN (USA)CITAT
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citat7="Kasper Collin?s excellent documentary film is a tender and slightly unsettling love letter to iconic avant-garde saxophonist Albert Ayler."
TIME OUT (UK)CITAT
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citat8="By turns illuminating and heartbreaking ... completely alters the way you hear and feel the music."
THE WIRE (UK)CITAT
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citat9="A film to love? It is a fantastic film with an unusually sharp thematic, but the question is if Albert Ayler ever will reach out to the big audience. He himself was convinced: ?People are going to the moon, it?s time for music to change too. Year 3000 they will understand me."
MIKAEL STRÖMBERG, AFTONBLADETCITAT
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citat10="Stunning... Probably as close to the person behind the music we ever will get."
TIMO KANGAS, LIRA MUSIKMAGASINCITAT
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citat11="You must do whatever you can to see the documentary on experimental jazz saxophonist Albert Ayler? it captures the magical, halo-like, Benjaminian aura that surrounded his being, face, music, and voice"
CHARLES MUDEDE, THE STRANGER (USA)CITAT
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//Citat 1-11 visas. Ytterligare citat är dolda på hemsidan//
CITAT
links=
» Wikipedia on Albert Ayler
» Great Albert Ayler website
» The Wire Magazine
» Gilles Peterson on the film
» Feature in The Sunday Times
» Film feature in The Guardian (1)
» Film feature in The Guardian (2)
» Film feature in Sight & Sound
» GreenCine Daily on the film, Nov 7, 2007
» GreenCine Daily on the film, Nov 12, 2007
» Film review in The Daily Telegraph
» Film review in Time Out
» Film review in The New Yorker
» Film review in The Independent
» Film review in Sight & Sound
» Film review in New York Sun
» Film review in Film Journal International
» Film review in The Village Voice
» Film review in New York Times
» Film review in New York Magazine
» Film review on Channel 4 Film
» Gawker recommends
» Flavorpill recommends
» GreenCine Daily on the film, April 15, 2006
» GreenCine Daily on the film, Feb 1, 2007
» Film review at Bloomberg News
» Film review on The British Documentary Website
» Film review in Kultureflash
» Film feature in The Daily Texan
» Film review in City Pages
» The A-list on the film
» Leeds International Film Festival
» London Jazz Festival
» Melbourne International Film Festival
» Flanders International film Festival-Ghent
» International Documentary Festival Munich
» Sound Unseen Film and Music Festival
» Special screening at ICA presented by The Wire
» Viennale - Vienna International Film Festival
» Singapore International Film Festival
» Helsinki International Film Festival
CITAT
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CITAT
news=THERE IS NOW A BLOG FOR THE FILM
News about the film will be posted there. We will post most of them here as well, but there will be some more links and info in the news on the blog.
» Link to the blog
PIECE ON AYLER FILM IN NPR?S WEEKEND EDITION
We missed to post this earlier. NPR aired a piece on Ayler and the film in their Weekend Edition on June 7. The piece, called Albert Ayler's Fiery Sax, Now on Film, was made by Howard Mandel.
» Read more
MY NAME IS ALBERT AYLER DVD TO BE RELEASED IN THE FALL
The film will be released on DVD in the fall of 2008. Release date and other info shortly.
CRITICS' PICK IN NASHVILLE, UPCOMING SCREENINGS IN PERTH, AUCKLAND, CLEVELAND
The film is for the moment having a run in Nashville at the Belcourt Theatre. It is shown Tuesday June 24 to Sunday June 29 as part of their Summer Doc Block series. In Nasville Scene?s Critics? Picks Jim Ridley calls the film a ?must-see?. See under Friday 6/27.
There will be a New Zeeland premiere at the Auckland International Film Festival and Wellington Film Festival in July. The film premiered in Australia last August at Melbourne International Film Festival and is now returning to Australia as part of the Revelation Perth International Film Festival. Both Perth and Auckland have great programmes this year.
In November last year there were premiere screenings in Albert?s hometown Cleveland. The film was then shown at the Cleveland Cinematheque. On July 18 the film is returning for a screening at the Cleveland Art Museum.
» Nashville Scene
» New Zeeland International Film Festival
» Revelation Perth International Film Festival
BACK IN NEW YORK CITY BY POPULAR DEMAND!
From Anthology Film Archives website: "Back by popular demand! Anthology heeds the call! Kasper Collin?s invaluable documentary on Albert Ayler was a major success when it had its New York theatrical premiere run here late last year. Now it?s back for five days of encore screenings."
» Anthology Film Archives
RECOMMENDED BY VIGGO MORTENSEN
Not everyone knows that the actor Viggo Mortensen also runs a publishing company called Perceval Press. The film is under We Recommend.
» Read more
VARIETY'S PHIL GALLO PRAISES MY NAME IS ALBERT AYLER
"Ayler, is revealed as an artist of the highest degree, the rare musician whose playing reflected his soul. "My Name is Albert Ayler" reveals the unique manner with which he expressed himself and the humanity that went into his improvisations. It's a gorgeous portrait"
» Read more
MY NAME IS ALBERT AYLER LISTED AS ONE OF THE BEST FILMS OF 2007 IN THE OBSERVER (UK)
The Observer's film journalist Jason Solomons writes in an article published on November 25: "You may measure your year in shopping days until Christmas or weeks until the end of term but in the film industry, it's all about awards season. And it starts now. ... I find the Oscar nominations rarely represent the best film or performances of the year - they reflect, rather, what the studio bosses want us to think are the best films of the year. Personally, I trawl through my diary and mark down anything I've enjoyed since January, whether it's a tiny foreign language release, an ICA documentary or a blockbuster. I have just done an annual stock-take, which offered up: Eastern Promises, My Name is Albert Ayler, Days of Glory (Indigenes), Blades of Glory, This Is England, Zodiac, Hairspray, Breach, The Bourne Ultimatum and Blame it on Fidel. And if that jogs a hovering pen in the direction of any of those films, then wonderful..."
» Read more
ARTICLES IN MAGNET MAGAZINE AND JAZZ TIMES
The US music magazine Magnet published an article about the film including an interview with filmmaker Kasper Collin in their Winter 2008 issue. The author John Elsasser writes about the film as "a profound and inspiring film". Jazz Times had a two page article in their December 2007 issue. The piece was written by Thomas Conrad and it also includes an interview with Kasper Collin. "This is a film that gets under your skin" Thomas writes.
DETROIT'S METRO TIMES GIVES AN A TO MY NAME IS ALBERT AYLER
And so does Movies.com. LA Weekly selected the film as the weeks GO in their review section and SF Weekly called the film "the quintessential portrait of an artist who was ahead of his time". San Francisco Bay Guardian had the film as its no 1 pick of the week.
» Metro Times
» LA Weekly
» SF Weekly
» Movies.com
MY NAME IS ALBERT AYLER OPENS IN LOS ANGELES AND MORE
The film will do a four city screening tour in early March. Starting in Los Angeles on March 5 with a special screening at the HAMMER Museum and the Billy Wilder Theater, followed by a screening at The International House in Philadelphia (March 6), the films theatrical opening at Laemmle?s Grande 4-Plex in Downtown LA (March 7-13), a run at Red Vic Movie House in San Francisco (March 9-11) and two screenings at MOCAD in Detroit (March 14&15). Director and producer Kasper Collin is scheduled to attend the screening at Hammer Museum, the opening night at Laemmle, several of the screenings at Red Vic and both screenings in Detroit. April 18 the film reopens at Anthology Film Archives in New York City. See following links for more info:
» Los Angeles, Hammer
» Los Angeles, Laemmle
» San Francisco
» Detroit
» Philadelphia
MY NAME IS ALBERT AYLER REVIEWED IN THE NATION
» Read more
MY NAME IS ALBERT AYLER IN "DOCUMENTARIES OF THE YEAR" AT LONDON'S ICA
The film will be shown as one of eight films in the series "Documentaries of the Year" at Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) in London. The film screens three times at the ICA Cinema, Dec 22 6:45pm, Dec 27 8:45pm & Dec 29 9:00pm.
» Read more
SUCCESSFUL THEATRICAL PREMIERE IN NEW YORK
We want to say thanks to all of you who came to see the film during the week at Anthology Film Archives in New York, and you were many. Several of the nights were totally sold out. Filmmaker and producer Kasper Collin stayed in New York for the entire premiere run and besides the announced Q&A at the premiere evening Nov 8 he did unannounced sessions with the audience during the week. Kasper also followed the film to Athens, Georgia for showings at the fine new arthouse cinema Ciné and to Albert?s native town Cleveland, Ohio for screenings at their legendary Cinematheque. Thanks all of you who came to the screenings and who stayed for Q&As. Special thanks to Albert's father Edward Ayler with company that attended the premiere screening in Cleveland and bass player Bill Folwell who flew in from Florida for the premiere in New York. And to all of you who emails us and asks when the film is coming back to New York we can say that the film hopefully will return to a theatre on Manhattan early next year. More news on this shortly.
» Link to an interview with Kasper Collin at WCPN made by Bobby Jackson.
FILM REVIEWS IN VILLAGE VOICE & NEW YORK SUN
New York Sun writes: "Mr. Collin's film skillfully engages the facts, personalities, and sounds of Ayler's relentlessly visionary life with such an astute combination of ardent affection and sensitive journalistic equipoise that it puts most latter-day documentaries about cult musicians to shame." And Village Voice says: "Swedish filmmaker Kasper Collin's melancholy, beautiful feature debut does more than just chronicle this undervalued musician; it brings Ayler and his message of spiritual unity back to life."
» Read more
» Read more
FILM REVIEW IN THE NEW YORKER
"Collin?s documentary portrait of the great saxophonist, who died in 1970, evinces a remarkable sympathy with its subject and his art. ... The stirring presence and fascinating anecdotes of such bandmates as the drummer Sunny Murray, the judicious, evocative use of archival footage of New York in the mid-sixties, and a generous helping of the music itself combine to offer magical moments of a madeleine-like power, summoning up a vanished world that the music both thrived on and exemplified."
» Read more
MY NAME IS ALBERT AYLER CRITICS' PICK IN NEW YORK MAGAZINE
» Read more
MY NAME IS ALBERT AYLER CRITICS' CHOICE IN TIME OUT NEW YORK, ISSUE 632, NOV 8-14, 2007
MY NAME IS ALBERT AYLER IN GREENCINE DAILY, NOV 7 & 12
» Read more
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MY NAME IS ALBERT AYLER OPENS FOR A NEW YORK CITY PREMIERE RUN ON NOVEMBER 8, 2007
My Name Is Albert Ayler will have its first New York screening when it opens for a New York City theatrical premiere run on November 8 at Anthology Film Archives. Thursday, November 8 through Wednesday, November 14 at 7:00 & 9:00. Additional screenings on Saturday and Sunday at 5:00. Anthology Film Archives, 32 Second Avenue (@ 2nd St.) NYC, (212) 505-5181, www.anthologyfilmarchives.org
DJ LEGEND GILLES PETERSON ABOUT MY NAME IS ALBERT AYLER
We missed to post this before, Gilles Peterson blogs on the film.
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MY NAME IS ALBERT AYLER WINS THE MAIN AWARD AT MUSIXINE INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FILM CONTEST
My Name Is Albert Ayler won the main award at the Musixine International Music Film Contest in Oulu, Finland. Ten new music films were selected for the competition and the Jury was led by Aida LiPera from Edinburgh International Film Festival. Jury's description of the winner film: "A sensitive approach to the subject-matter and relationships explored in the film, combined with judiciously chosen archive material and a captivating editing style, create an emotionally resonant and fascinating portrait of a gifted and innovative jazz artist. An insightful, mature and moving documentary film with a superb soundtrack which ably demonstrates the affinity between music and film."
EXCELLENT REVIEW IN SIGHT & SOUND (APRIL 2007)
"something of a triumph ... manages to bring its austere subject alive, turning Ayler's short, turbulent life into a compelling narrative. ... eventually turns into a discourse on freedom - freedom to move beyond segregation, convention, racial stereotyping and the marketplace. It also shows that, underneath the brash, proto-punk tone of Ayler's saxophone, there was a real heart."
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5 OUT OF 5 STARS TO MY NAME IS ALBERT AYLER
Friday August 10 the film had its Portugese premiere in Lisbon. The film was reviewed in the major daily newspaper Publico. Review will be posted shortly.
AUSTRALIAN PREMIERE (2)
Online film clips has been published on the website for the Melbourne International Film Festival with audience reactions after the Australian premiere screening of My Name Is Albert Ayler.
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AUSTRALIAN PREMIERE
My Name Is Albert Ayler will have its Australian premiere at the 56th Melbourne International Film Festival (July 25 - August 12, 2007).
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MY NAME IS ALBERT AYLER OPENS AT THE RITZY PICTUREHOUSE CINEMA IN LONDON, FRIDAY APRIL 13
The film will be screened daily until Thursday April 19. See link below for more info. Ritzy Picturehouse, Brixton Oval, Coldharbour Lane, London SW2 1JG. Nearest tube: Brixton (Victoria Line). Tickets: 08707 55 00 62, ritzy@picturehouses.co.uk
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MY NAME IS ALBERT AYLER OPENS AT THE NATIONAL MEDIA MUSEUM IN BRADFORD, UK, FRIDAY APRIL 20
The film will be screened daily until Sunday April 22. National Media Museum, Bradford, West Yorkshire BD11NQ. Box Office: 0870 70 10 200.
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ALL SCREENINGS SOLD OUT THE FIRST WEEK AT THE ICA CINEMA IN LONDON
The film is now booked for an extended run starting on Sunday February 25 and ending on Thursday March 8. ICA, Institute of Contemporary Arts, The Mall, London, SW1Y 5AH. Nearest tubes: Piccadilly/Charing Cross. Box Office: 020 7930 3647, www.ica.org.uk
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MY NAME IS ALBERT AYLER IS LISTED IN THE INDEPENDENT'S FIVE BEST FILMS SECTION
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MY NAME IS ALBERT AYLER IS LISTED AS A CRITICS' CHOICE IN TIME OUT'S FILM REVIEW SECTION
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ARTICLE ABOUT MY NAME IS ALBERT AYLER IN THE MARCH ISSUE OF SIGHT & SOUND
The article is written by Sam Davies. A review is coming in the next issue, out on March 13.
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FILM REVIEW ON THE BRITISH DOCUMENTARY WEBSITE
"Thanks largely to the wonderful use of lost footage and old audio interviews, as well as the many interviews with family and friends; My Name is Albert Ayler is a compelling and fascinating portrait of an inspired and at times troubled man. A keenly crafted and moving tribute, cogently illustrating the depth and reach of the subject-led documentary."
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FILM REVIEW IN TIME OUT (FEBRUARY 7-13 2007)
"Kasper Collin?s excellent, sad documentary film is is a tender and slightly unsettling love letter to iconic avant-garde saxophonist Albert Ayler." The film is marked as a critics' choice.
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FILM REVIEW IN THE DAILY TELEGRAPH (UK, FEB 9)
"A loving and elegantly crafted documentary that charts the saxophonist's commitment to his art, often in the face of dire poverty ... His music, which this film will make you wish to run out and hear, is the sound of a pack of lions unleashed."
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FILM REVIEW ON CHANNEL 4 FILM (UK, FEB 9)
"Collin's moving tribute proves the power of simple storytelling and understatement while helping us hear Ayler's extraordinary music with fresh ears."
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FILM REVIEW IN THE INDEPENDENT (UK, FEB 9)
"Kasper Collin's haunting documentary..."
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BBC LONDON, THE ROBERT ELMS SHOW, FEBRUARY 8 2007
The Observer?s film critic Jason Solomons talks about Albert Ayler and the film with Robert Elms as an introduction to an interview with the Swedish director and producer Kasper Collin.
"JS: I will tell you about a film that I think is a faboulus film.
RE: So do I.
JS: It?s on at the ICA this week only. It?s called My Name Is Albert Ayler.
RE: I think he is probably my favourite musician ever. Especially after having watched this film."
MY NAME IS ALBERT AYLER IS BEING RELEASED IN UK ON FRIDAY FEBRUARY 9, 2007
The fim opens at the ICA Cinema in London on Friday Feb 9 and screens daily until Thursday Feb 15. The first evening director Kasper Collin will introduce the film and take part in a post-screening Q & A session, hosted by The Wire's editor-in-chief Tony Herrington. Presented by ICA and The Wire magazine. ICA, Institute of Contemporary Arts, The Mall, London, SW1Y 5AH. Nearest tubes: Piccadilly/Charing Cross. Box Office: 020 7930 3647, www.ica.org.uk
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BUZZ ABOUT THE FILM FOR NEXT YEARS OSCARS
The A-list writes about My Name Is Albert Ayler: "...It's been called ?one of the most starkly beautiful and moving documentaries ever made about a jazz musician.? Look for My Name is Albert Ayler, directed by Kasper Collin, to open worldwide Feb. 9th. The Swedish film focuses on 34-year-old jazz innovator, saxophonist Albert Ayler who was found dead in 1970 in New York's East River. There's already buzz about it for next year's Oscars. See for yourself and remember The A-List told you first."
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FULL PAGE ARTICLE IN TIME OUT
Full page article in Time Out (Nov 8 - 15, 2006): "... punk-jazz icon Albert Ayler who, 36 years after his death, finds himself at the centre of this year's London Jazz Festival".
MY NAME IS ALBERT AYLER AT THE ROYAL FESTIVAL HALL
On Nov 11 2006 the film is being screened at the Royal Festival Hall as part of the London Jazz Festival. The screening will be followed by an onstage panel discussion with the legendary bass player Henry Grimes and the films director and producer Kasper Collin. The discussion will be led by journalist and broadcatser Kevin LeGendre.
THE WORLD IS READY FOR AYLER - AT LAST
Full page article on My Name Is Albert Ayler in The Sunday Times (Nov 5, 2006) by Stewart Lee: "Coltrane's heir was so ahead of his time that we've only just caught up... Collin's film is a haunting mesh of old cine footage, paint-stripping live performances and interviews with surviving friends and family. A strange shot of a semi-naked Ayler, staring silently into the camera, threads through the film, as if the subject is daring you to dismiss him..."
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MY NAME IS ALBERT AYLER AWARDED AT MOFFOM IN PRAGUE
At the MOFFOM Festival in Prague (October 18-22, 2006) My Name Is Albert Ayler won second prize in the Audience Award competition for the best new music documentary.
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ARTICLE ON MY NAME IS ALBERT AYLER IN THE GUARDIAN
The UK daily newspaper The Guardian publishes an article on My Name Is Albert Ayler (April 15, 2006) by John Robinson: "An excellent documentary film ... about artistic integrity in the face of poverty, and of commitment to a musical vision."
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THE WIRE MAGAZINE OPENS ITS LEADER WITH WRITING ON MY NAME IS ALBERT AYLER
In the April issue 2006 The Wire's editor Chris Bohn opens the magazines leader with writing about the film: "This month, Masthead goes to the movies. First up is My Name Is Albert Ayler, the UK premiere of which The Wire is co-presenting at London's ICA. ... By turns illuminating and heartbreaking, Collin?s film documents Ayler?s formative period in Sweden before he returned to the USA to fire up free jazz amid frighteningly impoverished conditions ... completely alters the way you hear and feel the music."
JAZZ TIMES PRAISES MY NAME IS ALBERT AYLER
The US magazine Jazz Times praises the new Swedish film on Albert Ayler. "My Name Is Albert Ayler is one of the most starkly beautiful and moving documentaries ever made about a jazz musician."
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shop=It'll soon be possible to preorder the DVD on the website. More news on this shortly.
We still have a few of the films original cinema poster, 70x100 cm printed on uncoated paper, from the first print in stock and if you would like to buy one please send us an email at order@mynameisalbertayler.com.
Cost with shipping is 32 Euros.CITAT
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