My Name Is Albert Ayler (2007)

The story of his [subject Albert Ayler's] troubled life and premature death is engrossing without prior knowledge of his place in the history of experimental jazz.

Collin gives us a valuable look at the difference between the open-minded European jazz scene and an American culture that relegated artists like Ayler to second-class citizenship.

Smart and savvy doc

An affectionate and compassionate screen poem, incorporating reminiscences with Ayler's music and his musings gleaned from interviews, and also an excursion into the past to connect to a sense of the times that informed his existence.

You don't have to like or even appreciate Ayler's striking brand of music to be moved by this heartfelt tribute.