Chris Pasin: Ornettiquette

Included on an album dedicated to the legendary Ornette Coleman, it is "Ghosts," a composition by saxophonist Albert Ayler. Trumpeter Chris Pasin assembled an impressive collection of musicians to record Ornettiquette with Karl Berger and vocalist Ingrid Sertso, both connected to the 1960s revolution through their work with Coleman and Don Cherry. In addition, there's saxophonist Adam Siegel, drummer Harvey Sorgen, and heavyweight bassist Michael Bisio.

The Ayler connection is arrived at here from Don Cherry's tenure with Ayler's 1964 quartet recordings and European tour. Whereas so many covers of Ayler, particularly "Ghosts," get it wrong, Pasin gets it oh-so-right by tapping into the child-like innocence that is at the heart of the composition. But you be thinking: Ayler and Coleman ushered in the caustic free jazz revolution. Please don't forget both artists drew from blues and Gospel, and in Ayler's case marches and anthems.

Pasin's "Ghosts" opens with Sertso singing lyrics she penned for this recording, intoning in the spirit of Mary Maria Parks, "the night and day will pass away, but love will always stay," before the now familiar theme of "Ghosts" is delivered with the clarion call of Pasin's trumpet, soon joined by Siegel's saxophone, and the ringing notes of Berger's vibraphone. Adding Berger was a stroke of genius. He brings a sparseness, with his clean lines and melody, that anchors the music when saxophone and trumpet detonate and Sertso doesn't so much scat sing as speak in tongues. With multiple spins, the listener can focus on the pieces and parts: the aforementioned brass explorations, Sorgen's attack, and the sure hand of Bisio's bass, which contains the entire affair.

Pasin's cover is equal to recent Ayler tributes by the musicians Mars Williams and Jeff Lederer.