Albert Ayler

American black singer, composer and player of the bagpipes and alto saxophonist. He began playing the sax at age seven and played as a teen in folk and blues bands. His work didn't go over well and he moved to Sweden in 1962 to play in a band there. His first album appeared in January 1963, a classic jazz named "My Name is Albert Ayler." After moving back to N.Y., he began to record regularly and toured the Netherlands, Sweden and Denmark.

He served in the Army, 1958-1961.

Raised in a family of music; his brother played trumpet and his dad sang and played the sax and violin. Original in all his works, Ayler was driven, sincere and deeply religious. He died mysteriously, November 1970, missing for 20 days, found floating drowned in the East River.