On Albert Ayler's 1963 debut, My Name Is Albert Ayler, the reedy slurs of his “Summertime” announced a fresh new voice on tenor, his sharp tones creating new possibilities for expressing the blues. A year later, when he cut Spiritual Unity with a grooving band, his roiling playing was more authoritative, and the melodies embedded in his long suite “Bells (Live)” show how he used motifs to anchor free-jazz flights. Even when switching to alto on “For John Coltrane”, his potency is unmistakable; after Trane's death, Ayler helped carry the torch for groundbreaking jazz exploration.