Unlimited Streaming
Listen to this album in high quality now on our apps
Start my trial period and start listening to this albumEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
SubscribeEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
Digital Download
Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs.
Music Is the Healing Force of the Universe is a powerful and often ignored recording from the Albert Ayler catalog. It is a prophetic statement dealing with guilt, confusion, sorrow, and hopes of redemption. A powerful rhythm section of Bobby Few on piano, Stafford James and James Folwell on bass, (Folwell on electric fender bass), and Muhammad Ali on drums manage to take a backseat to the prominent vocals of Ayler's business associate and girlfriend Mary Parks, listed on the record as Mary Maria. Her emotional vocals are featured on "Music Is the Healing Force of the Universe," "Man Is Like a Tree," and "Island Harvest." Throughout these tracks Maria sounds as if she is pleading and reasoning not just universally, but directly with Ayler, trying to convince him of the positive aspects of life and her evangelistic shouts of "be healed" on the title track can prove uncomfortable. "Masonic Inborn" is an instrumental track finding Ayler not only overdubbing cacophonous bagpipe solos but also playing ocarina. "Oh Love Is Life" is Ayler's sole vocal performance on the album, his words and vocal delivery are truly frightening. This is a dreamlike plea to the sources haunting his soul to succumb to universal love. Following the intensity of the previous five tracks, the album closes with the hazy gutbucket blues of "Drudgery" reminiscent of the New Grass sessions, adding guitarist Henry Vestine of the blues rock band Canned Heat. Ayler's musical curtain was eerily closing the same way it started -- playing the blues of his high school summer vacations as a member of Little Walter's band. Music Is the Healing Force of the Universe, along with tracks that were released posthumously on the Last Album, were recorded at the same session. While not easy listening, they complete an important portrait of a man facing a life and death inner struggle beyond the boundaries of jazz. The inevitable outcome culminated on November 25, 1970, when Ayler's drowned body was found floating in New York's East River.
© Al Campbell /TiVo
You are currently listening to samples.
Listen to over 100 million songs with an unlimited streaming plan.
Listen to this playlist and more than 100 million songs with our unlimited streaming plans.
From CA$ 10.83/month
Bobby Few, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Albert Ayler, MainArtist - Henry Vestine, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - ED MICHEL, Producer - Mary Parks, ComposerLyricist - Muhammad Ali, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Stafford James, Double Bass, AssociatedPerformer - Bill Folwell, Double Bass, AssociatedPerformer - Mary Maria, Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1969 Verve Label Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Bobby Few, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Albert Ayler, MainArtist - Henry Vestine, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - ED MICHEL, Producer - Mary Parks, ComposerLyricist - Muhammad Ali, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Stafford James, Double Bass, AssociatedPerformer - Bill Folwell, Double Bass, AssociatedPerformer - Mary Maria, Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1969 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Bobby Few, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Albert Ayler, MainArtist - Henry Vestine, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - ED MICHEL, Producer - Mary Parks, ComposerLyricist - Muhammad Ali, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Stafford James, Double Bass, AssociatedPerformer - Bill Folwell, Double Bass, AssociatedPerformer - Mary Maria, Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1969 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Bobby Few, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Albert Ayler, MainArtist - Henry Vestine, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - ED MICHEL, Producer - Mary Parks, ComposerLyricist - Muhammad Ali, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Stafford James, Double Bass, AssociatedPerformer - Bill Folwell, Double Bass, AssociatedPerformer - Mary Maria, Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1969 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Bobby Few, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Albert Ayler, MainArtist - Henry Vestine, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - ED MICHEL, Producer - Mary Parks, ComposerLyricist - Muhammad Ali, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Stafford James, Double Bass, AssociatedPerformer - Bill Folwell, Double Bass, AssociatedPerformer - Mary Maria, Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1969 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Bobby Few, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Albert Ayler, MainArtist - Henry Vestine, Piano, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - ED MICHEL, Producer - Mary Parks, ComposerLyricist - William Folwell, ComposerLyricist - Muhammad Ali, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Stafford James, Double Bass, AssociatedPerformer - Bill Folwell, Double Bass, AssociatedPerformer - Mary Maria, Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1969 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Album review
Music Is the Healing Force of the Universe is a powerful and often ignored recording from the Albert Ayler catalog. It is a prophetic statement dealing with guilt, confusion, sorrow, and hopes of redemption. A powerful rhythm section of Bobby Few on piano, Stafford James and James Folwell on bass, (Folwell on electric fender bass), and Muhammad Ali on drums manage to take a backseat to the prominent vocals of Ayler's business associate and girlfriend Mary Parks, listed on the record as Mary Maria. Her emotional vocals are featured on "Music Is the Healing Force of the Universe," "Man Is Like a Tree," and "Island Harvest." Throughout these tracks Maria sounds as if she is pleading and reasoning not just universally, but directly with Ayler, trying to convince him of the positive aspects of life and her evangelistic shouts of "be healed" on the title track can prove uncomfortable. "Masonic Inborn" is an instrumental track finding Ayler not only overdubbing cacophonous bagpipe solos but also playing ocarina. "Oh Love Is Life" is Ayler's sole vocal performance on the album, his words and vocal delivery are truly frightening. This is a dreamlike plea to the sources haunting his soul to succumb to universal love. Following the intensity of the previous five tracks, the album closes with the hazy gutbucket blues of "Drudgery" reminiscent of the New Grass sessions, adding guitarist Henry Vestine of the blues rock band Canned Heat. Ayler's musical curtain was eerily closing the same way it started -- playing the blues of his high school summer vacations as a member of Little Walter's band. Music Is the Healing Force of the Universe, along with tracks that were released posthumously on the Last Album, were recorded at the same session. While not easy listening, they complete an important portrait of a man facing a life and death inner struggle beyond the boundaries of jazz. The inevitable outcome culminated on November 25, 1970, when Ayler's drowned body was found floating in New York's East River.
© Al Campbell /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 6 track(s)
- Total length: 00:42:31
- Main artists: Albert Ayler
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Impulse!
- Genre: Jazz
© 1969 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc. ℗ 1969 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Why buy on Qobuz...
-
Stream or download your music
Buy an album or an individual track. Or listen to our entire catalogue with our high-quality unlimited streaming subscriptions.
-
Zero DRM
The downloaded files belong to you, without any usage limit. You can download them as many times as you like.
-
Choose the format best suited for you
Download your purchases in a wide variety of formats (FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF...) depending on your needs.
-
Listen to your purchases on our apps
Download the Qobuz apps for smartphones, tablets and computers, and listen to your purchases wherever you go.