Albert Ayler - Bells / Prophecy Expanded Edition

[Kyo]

Haven't seen this mentioned yet. This reissue is out now, featuring a bonus disc with about 45 minutes (6 tracks) of additional performances from the Prophecy sessions.

Track Listing

Disc 1

1:1. Bells                                                   19:45

1:2. Spirits                                                 7:53

1:3. Wizard                                                8:24

1:4. Ghosts, First Variation                      11:18

1:5. Prophecy                                            7:13

1:6. Ghosts, Second Variation                   7:06

                 61:39

 

Disc 2

2:1. Spirits                                                 6:38

2:2. Saints                                                10:32

2:3. Ghosts                                              10:56

2:4. The Wizard                                        6:51

2:5. Children                                             9:05

2:6. Spirits (theme)                                   0:28     

                 44:30

1:1: Albert Ayler, tenor saxophone; Donald Ayler, trumpet; Charles Tyler, alto saxophone; Lewis Worrell, bass; Sunny Murray, drums. Recorded live at Town Hall, New York City, May 1, 1965.

 

1:2-6, 2:1-6: Albert Ayler, tenor saxophone; Gary Peacock, bass; Sunny Murray, percussion. Recorded live at Cellar Café, New York City, June 14, 1964. All compositions by Albert Ayler (Syndicore Music BMI).

 

http://espdisk.com/official/catalog/4076.html

[king ubu]

Hm, buy it a third time? #1-3 were on "Holy Ghost":

http://ayler.co.uk/html/holy_ghost.html

Edit: it's all there, sorry. No need to buy again then ...

Edited February 18, 2016 by king ubu

[John L]

The additional tracks from the Prophecy session were also released on various European bootlegs long before the Holy Ghost box.  Mine was called "Albert Smiles" and looked like this:

 

 

[JSngry]

ESP has gotten square with the Ayler estate, correct?

[mjzee]

2 hours ago, JSngry said:

ESP has gotten square with the Ayler estate, correct?

I think it was that ESP and the Ayler estate ganged up on Revenant, putting them out of business.  Fahey must have turned over in his grave.

[JSngry]

I bought the Revenant Ayler box because I got the Ayler tree and that was certainly a non-binding agreement that I gladly kept. It was wonderful, important work deserving of audience support.

But if Revenant made no deal whatsoever with the Ayler estate, then that was on them for placing idealism above reality, especially considering that part of the reality involved Bernard Stollman. Gonna sink all this money into something like this knowing that you're likely to get lawyersmacked and NOT have a Plan B? You have my theoretical sympathy, and all the reality-based attorney fees it will buy. Good luck on that one!

Another reason why consumers need to carpe diem first and worry later.

[king ubu]

Yes on all your points.

But so effin' glad to have "Holy Ghost"! I had it delivered to work (wouldn't be allowed to do so nowadays) and I still remember the excitement when I went down to the internal post office to pick up that huge box. Hat has since issued a few missing bits (that were part of the Tree but not in "Holy Ghost") on their second release covering the 1966 tour.

[l p]

12 hours ago, mjzee said:

I think it was that ESP and the Ayler estate ganged up on Revenant, putting them out of business.  

 

from my understanding, it seems to have been all esp/stollman. the Ayler estate had very little, or nothing to do with it.

i was told that what got revenant into trouble is that they included this on the holy ghost box (this is the second half of the June 14, 1964 live session, previously released by sunny murray on ALBERT SMILES WITH SUNNY). Evidently the entire session is owned by esp.

 

The Cellar Cafe, New York

June 14, 1964

 

1. Spirits [incomplete] (6:38)

2. Saints (10:32)

3. Ghosts [incomplete] (10:56)

4. The Wizard (6:51)

5. Children (9:05)

6. Spirits [theme] (0:28)

 

 

Edited February 19, 2016 by l p

[JSngry]

Which again raises the question if ESP & the Ayler estate are cool now.

[mjzee]

3 hours ago, l p said:

 

from my understanding, it seems to have been all esp/stollman. the Ayler estate had very little, or nothing to do with it.

 

We had a thread about it at the time.  I found no definitive answer; this is as close as it comes: http://www.organissimo.org/forum/index.php?/topic/1087-revenant-is-planning-big-albert-ayler-box/&do=findComment&comment=1001631

[l p]

17 hours ago, mjzee said:

 

2 hours ago, mjzee said:

We had a thread about it at the time.  I found no definitive answer; this is as close as it comes: http://www.organissimo.org/forum/index.php?/topic/1087-revenant-is-planning-big-albert-ayler-box/&do=findComment&comment=1001631

 

that glenn jones email has almost no relevant information.

looking at a couple of posts above that one:

 

http://www.organissimo.org/forum/index.php?/topic/1087-revenant-is-planning-big-albert-ayler-box/&do=findComment&comment=1001469
The Ayler 'Copenhagen Tapes' release has a note indicating:

'Licensed from the Ayler Estate, p and copyright 2002'

Had an email exchange with Jan Ström after he was ordered in 2008 to stop the publication of the CD. Jan mentioned it had been impossible to reach an agreement with the Ayler family for a renewal of the licence and added that the family was simply asking for too much money!

>>>>>>>>>>>

this is around the time that stollman was working with, and, i believe, representing the ayler estate. it would appear to me that the ayler family could be better off, now that he's not whispering in their ear. strom should try them again. they're probably throwing out less rejections these days.

 

 

Edited February 19, 2016 by l p

[JSngry]

Which still raises the question if ESP & the Ayler estate are cool now. Goes directly to the point of what extended benefit might come from purchasing the new release that is the subject of this thread.

[jazzbo]

I've ordered it because I really like the sound of the most recent ESP Disk releases.

[Late]

And now Prophecy is on HAT (in 2020). I'm not sure what the "Revisited" is supposed to mean.

 

[David Ayers]

thread on this

 

always nice to have one of our old barracks room lawyer threads revived though  

 

 

[Late]

On 12/10/2019 at 5:09 PM, Late said:

And now Prophecy is on HAT (in 2020).

 

Just got done listening to this particular reissue. Some notes/thoughts:

• The (single) disc is over 76 minutes long.

• The sound is much better than what's on the Revenant box set.

• You can hear Peacock's bass notes. On prior issues, they were fairly muddled. (It's still not up to studio-grade sound. It's a live date.)

• This reissue is in full cooperation with the Ayler estate. (Desiree Fellows)

• There's a cool inner photo of the band by Nils Edstroem. You get to see how close, physically, they played together (and how low Murray liked his drums).

• Brian Olewnick wrote the notes. They're to the point and without Art Lange-style pontification. One quote I found odd: "... Ayler venturing into the glossalaliac, supplemented by an odd moaning, presumably from Ayler himself or one of the other musicians." I always thought it was obvious that the moans were coming from Sunny Murray. (Ayler had a mouthpiece stuck in his mouth.) But maybe I've got it wrong. 

• To fit on a single disc, one alternate track was left off the program.

• I'd give this reissue a strong . Even missing the one track, I think the music is worth re-buying for the upgrade in sound. Kudos to Peter Pfister.

 

Edited March 18, 2020 by Late

[king ubu]

Thanks @Late, that's great to hear! I can get these at their distributor's (within walking distance, so if they've not totally shut down I can even ramble there safely in these weird days - but they can use some business).

The photo is on discogs by now, small alas:

[Late]

On 3/28/2020 at 8:24 AM, king ubu said:

The photo is on discogs by now, small alas ...

That photo should have been used for the cover, even though Ayler is probably too far right. That trio was very much a ... trio. 

That's very cool, by the way, that you can walk to the distribution office.

[clifford_thornton]

Yeah, man, the whole Revenant thing was such a disaster. Sad.

I think these comps that Hat are doing seem odd -- the Marion Brown makes no sense -- but at least they are probably legit (which was my original concern when the Brown was announced).

[felser]

12 minutes ago, clifford_thornton said:

Yeah, man, the whole Revenant thing was such a disaster. Sad.

Their Cecil Taylor Montmartre set wasn't so hot sonically, either, from what I remember.  But the material is so great.

[clifford_thornton]

I never heard their CD of the material; only ever had the Fontana LPs, which sound excellent (was lucky to grab those very early on). 

Revenant were an excellent label -- Rick Bishop's "Salvador Kali" is among my favorites of their releases. They were supposed to do a boxed set of all Crime material (the S.F. band) but the project fell apart once the label went under. Most of that material has been rereleased by Superior Viaduct and other independents since.

[barnaba.siegel]

Wow, i didn't realise there are HAT reissues going one. Two Ayler's and Marion Brown are definitely being ordered right now! Thanks.

[Clunky]

On 28/03/2020 at 9:19 PM, felser said:

Their Cecil Taylor Montmartre set wasn't so hot sonically, either, from what I remember.  But the material is so great.

It’s been awhile but I recall the Revenant 2CD of Taylor’s to be in mostly decent sound but with lo-fi alternative takes . My LP copy on Debut sounds vastly better though.

[jcam_44]

18 minutes ago, Clunky said:

It’s been awhile but I recall the Revenant 2CD of Taylor’s to be in mostly decent sound but with lo-fi alternative takes . My LP copy on Debut sounds vastly better though.

Agreed. I actually spun it last night. A CD I bought last May and never got around to. Sonically its acceptable but nothing noteworthy. Musically its excellent. 

[felser]

26 minutes ago, Clunky said:

It’s been awhile but I recall the Revenant 2CD of Taylor’s to be in mostly decent sound but with lo-fi alternative takes . My LP copy on Debut sounds vastly better though.

But didn't the alternates have much better sound on the "Nefertiti ...." 2 LP set that Arista/Freedom released in the 70's?