Even though I’m now 45 years old old I haven’t given up my quest of finding music that truly pushes the extreme. Every time I think I have heard it all something always shows up that completely tears my head off & humbles me. I once thought the Nihilist Spasm Band was about as far out as you could get, then of course somebody played me a copy of Harry Chapin’s “Sniper” album and it was back to the drawing board. Well my latest entry in the “Most Fucked Up Album Of All Time” stakes is this 1969 outing by Alan Silva And His Celestrial Communication Orchestra. This album really has hair on it.

Silva is best known as being Albert Ayler’s bassist and the author of the skull crushing “Skillfulness” album for ESP-Disk. He also put together this mammoth ensemble with the intention of updating John Coltrane’s “OM” and “Ascension” & Ornette Coleman’s “Free Jazz.” After hearing “Luna Surface” I would have to say he was successful. Silva is the director of a supergroup that features Archie Shepp, Anthony Braxton, Dave Burrell, Malachi Favors and other “heavy” friends. What is basically on offer here is a 30 minute non-stop free jazz cluster-bomb. It makes The Stooges “L.A. Blues” sound like Boots “Fucking” Randolph and his Yakety “Fucking” sax. 

These guys mean business, and sheer power of the playing of everyone involved is astouding. I haven’t heard this many elephant honks since my fifth grade field trip to the Stamford Zoo. Holy Toledo!
A friend of mine and I rang in the New Year with this album while watching Mariah Carey on Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rocking Eve (or whatever the fuck it’s called.) I then went out and shot 100 jumpshots on the basketball court down the street in 20 degree temperatures. This album can do crazy things to you.