Albert Ayler – Holy Ghost

Albert Ayler - Holy Ghost album cover

More images

Label:

Revenant – RVN 213

Format:

10 x CD, Compilation
Box Set

Country:

US

Released:

Genre:

Jazz, Non-Music

Style:

Free Jazz, Interview

Tracklist

1-1Herbert Katz Quintet w/ Albert Ayler–Sonnymoon For Two
Written-By – Sonny Rollins
8:29
1-2Herbert Katz Quintet w/ Albert Ayler–Summertime
6:53
1-3Herbert Katz Quintet w/ Albert Ayler–On Green Dolphin Street
Written-By – Bronislau Kaper*
3:26
1-4Borge Roger Henrichsen*–Spoken Intro0:42
1-5Cecil Taylor Quartet* w/ Albert Ayler–Four
Alto Saxophone – Jimmy Lyons (2)
Piano – Cecil Taylor
Written-By – Cecil Taylor
21:46
1-6Albert Ayler Trio–Spirits [Incomplete]6:38
1-7Albert Ayler Trio–Saints10:32
1-8Albert Ayler Trio–Ghosts [Incomplete]10:56
2-1Albert Ayler Trio–The Wizard6:51
2-2Albert Ayler Trio–Children9:05
2-3Albert Ayler Trio–Spirits [Theme]0:28
2-4Unknown Artist–Spoken Radio Introduction0:55
2-5Albert Ayler Quartet–Spirits8:43
2-6Albert Ayler Quartet–Vibrations8:23
2-7Albert Ayler Quartet–[Tune Q]8:59
2-8Albert Ayler Quartet–Mothers7:53
2-9Albert Ayler Quartet–Children8:38
2-10Albert Ayler Quartet–Spirits [Theme]1:25
2-11Burton Greene Quintet w/ Albert Ayler–[Untitled] (Collective)
Drums – Rashied Ali
Piano – Greene*
Tenor Saxophone – Frank Smith (9)
8:55
First Set
3-1Peter Bergman (2)–Spoken Introduction By Peter Bergman1:03
3-2Albert Ayler Quintet–Spirits Rejoice4:39
3-3Albert Ayler Quintet–D.C.
Written-By – Don Cherry
5:58
3-4Albert Ayler Quintet–[Untitled Minor Waltz]7:04
3-5Albert Ayler Quintet–Our Prayer
Written-By – Don Ayler*
6:33
Second Set
3-6Peter Bergman (2)–Spoken Introduction By Peter Bergman1:13
3-7Albert Ayler Quintet–[F# Tune]15:20
3-8Albert Ayler Quintet–Ghosts6:32
First Set
3-9Albert Ayler Quintet–Spirits Rejoice6:31
3-10Albert Ayler Quintet–Prophet / Ghosts / Spiritual Bells14:33
3-11Albert Ayler Quintet–Our Prayer / Spirits Rejoice
Written-By [Our Prayer] – Don Ayler*
9:43
Second Set
4-1Albert Ayler Quintet–[Untitled] / Truth Is Marching In15:43
4-2Albert Ayler Quintet–Spirits9:16
4-3Albert Ayler Quintet–Zion Hill12:40
4-4Albert Ayler Quintet–Spirits7:00
4-5Albert Ayler Quintet–Spiritual Bells3:48
4-6Albert Ayler Quintet–[F# Tune]9:18
-
5-1Ralf Schulte-Bahrenberg–Concert Announcement By Ralf Schulte-Bahrenberg1:10
5-2Albert Ayler Quintet–Ghosts / Bells11:15
5-3Albert Ayler Quintet–Truth Is Marching In7:07
5-4Albert Ayler Quintet–Omega3:48
5-5Albert Ayler Quintet–Our Prayer
Written-By – Don Ayler*
4:39
5-6Peter de Wit (3)–Spoken Introduction By Peter de Wit1:25
5-7Albert Ayler Quintet–Truth Is Marching In11:14
5-8Albert Ayler Quintet–Bells5:35
5-9Albert Ayler Quintet–Spirits Rejoice10:51
5-10Albert Ayler Quintet–"Free Spiritual Music", Part IV6:44
6-1Albert Ayler Quintet–Truth Is Marching In / Omega9:00
6-2Albert Ayler Quintet–Japan / Universal Indians
Vocals – Ayler*
Written-By [Japan] – Traditional
5:41
6-3Albert Ayler Quintet–Our Prayer
Soprano Saxophone, Alto Saxophone – Ayler*
Written-By – Don Ayler*
8:19
6-4Albert Ayler Quartet–Love Cry / Truth Is Marching In/Our Prayer
Vocals – Ayler*
Written-By [Our Prayer] – Don Ayler*
6:24
6-5Pharoah Sanders Ensemble w/ Albert Ayler–Venus / Upper And Lower Egypt
Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Unknown*
Bass – Sirone
Drums – Roger Blank
Piano – Dave Burrell
Tenor Saxophone – Sanders*
Trumpet – Chris Capers
Written-By – Pharoah Sanders
22:59
6-6Albert Ayler–[Blues]6:04
6-7Albert Ayler–[Sermon]
Soloist [Solo Recitation] – Ayler*
0:50
6-8Albert Ayler–Thank God For Women
Written-By – Albert Ayler, Mary Parks
10:16
6-9Albert Ayler–New Ghosts [Demo Fragments]
Written-By – Albert Ayler, Mary Parks
7:10
7-1Don Ayler Sextet w/ Albert Ayler–Prophet John
Alto Saxophone – Albert Ayler
Bass – Ibrahim Wahen
Drums – Muhammed Ali*
Tenor Saxophone – Sam Rivers
Written-By – Don Ayler*
10:53
7-2Don Ayler Sextet w/ Albert Ayler–Judge Ye Not
Alto Saxophone – Albert Ayler
Bass – Ibrahim Wahen
Drums – Muhammed Ali*
Tenor Saxophone – Sam Rivers
Written-By – Don Ayler*
10:16
7-3Albert Ayler Quartet–Mothers / Children8:42
7-4Albert Ayler Quartet–[Untitled, Incomplete]14:14
7-5Albert Ayler Quartet–[C Minor]5:21
7-6Albert Ayler Quartet–[F Minor / C Minor]10:36
8-1Albert Ayler–Travel And Plans1:49
8-2Albert Ayler–Holbaek0:39
8-3Albert Ayler–The New Blues1:33
8-4Albert Ayler–Christmastime Stateside1:10
8-5Albert Ayler–A Great Change1:35
8-6Albert Ayler–Traveling And Coltrane1:00
8-7Albert Ayler–Drummers And Sunny Murray1:42
8-8Albert Ayler–A Job To Do1:00
8-9Albert Ayler–Birth, Family, First Music3:04
8-10Albert Ayler–Academy, The Road, School0:57
8-11Albert Ayler–Young Professional And Army5:40
8-12Albert Ayler–Sweden4:39
8-13Albert Ayler–New York0:49
8-14Albert Ayler–19641:25
8-15Albert Ayler–Frustration, Sources3:39
8-16Albert Ayler–1966 Tour And Coltrane3:16
8-17Albert Ayler–Impulse And Mary Maria3:27
8-18Albert Ayler–The Artist's Life1:31
8-19Albert Ayler–Question: LeRoi Jones0:46
8-20Albert Ayler–Question: "For John Coltrane"1:10
8-21Albert Ayler–Question: Socio-Policial Connections3:19
8-22Albert Ayler–Question: Instrumentation, Engineering4:16
8-23Albert Ayler–Choosing The Players0:50
9-1Albert Ayler–Current Activity1:59
9-2Albert Ayler–Antibes1:06
9-3Albert Ayler–Japan/Coltrane's Funeral1:02
9-4Albert Ayler–Clubs3:39
9-5Albert Ayler–Ahead Of My Time1:42
9-6Albert Ayler–Home Lives; Brooklyn And Cleveland1:27
9-7Albert Ayler–Impulse, pt. 1: Hippies1:21
9-8Albert Ayler–"Space Music"1:07
9-9Albert Ayler–Don0:46
9-10Albert Ayler–"Thank God For Women"0:46
9-11Albert Ayler–Blues & Rhythm1:17
9-12Albert Ayler–Copying My Records2:00
9-13Albert Ayler–Impulse, pt. 2: New Grass2:18
9-14Albert Ayler–Tone And "Vibration"1:07
9-15Albert Ayler–Rollins, Coleman, And Coltrane4:08
9-16Albert Ayler–Maeght Group0:57
9-17Albert Ayler–Serenity Of Life0:36
9-18Albert Ayler–Childhood Memories, pt. 12:00
9-19Albert Ayler–[Blairman Enters]0:34
9-20Albert Ayler–Early Professional Career1:03
9-21Albert Ayler–Childhood Memories, pt. 21:09
9-22Albert Ayler–Don's Music3:47
9-23Albert Ayler–"I Love America" And Youth1:05
9-24Albert Ayler–Mary And Golf0:38
9-25Albert Ayler–Early Relationships And Mary Maria1:03
9-26Albert Ayler–Japan Work And Warm Weather4:01
9-27Albert Ayler–Play Solo0:24
9-28Albert Ayler–Naming Tunes1:22
9-29Albert Ayler–Charles Ives0:25
9-30Albert Ayler–Influences1:44
9-31Albert Ayler–Practicing1:09
9-32Albert Ayler–The Healing Force0:52
9-33Albert Ayler–Diet And America2:08
9-34Albert Ayler–Defining "Improvisation"0:45
9-35Albert Ayler–Sonny Rollins, Reactions, And Miles Davis2:43
9-36Albert Ayler–Newport '672:30
9-37Albert Ayler–New York: Keeping To Oneself [Mary Maria Joins]0:39
9-38Don* & Mocqui Cherry*–Untitled
Interviewee – Don*, Mocqui Cherry*
22:10
10-1US Army Band*–Tenderly
Tenor Saxophone [Solo@2:30;3:04] – Ayler*
Written-By – Lawrence*, Gross*
4:32
10-2US Army Band*–Leap Frog
Tenor Saxophone [All 4 Exposed Improvs.] – Ayler*
Written-By – Garland*
3:16

Companies, etc.

  • Licensed From – Albert Ayler Estate
  • Licensed From – YLE
  • Designed At – World of anArchie
  • Recorded At – Jazzhus Montmartre
  • Recorded At – Slugs' Saloon
  • Recorded At – La Cave
  • Recorded At – Berliner Philharmonie
  • Recorded At – De Doelen
  • Recorded At – Freebody Park
  • Recorded At – Renaissance Ballroom
  • Recorded At – Cellar Cafe
  • Recorded At – Town Hall, New York
  • Manufactured By – Solo Media – SO-35727
  • Manufactured By – Solo Media – SO-35979
  • Manufactured By – Solo Media – SO-35728
  • Manufactured By – Solo Media – SO-35729
  • Manufactured By – Solo Media – SO-35730
  • Manufactured By – Solo Media – SO-35759
  • Manufactured By – Solo Media – SO-35760
  • Manufactured By – Solo Media – SO-35800
  • Manufactured By – Solo Media – SO-35761
  • Manufactured By – Solo Media – SO-35731

Credits

  • Art Direction – Noel Waggener
  • Artwork [Original Carved Wooden "Spirit Box"] – Reagan Johns
  • Bass – Bill Folwell (tracks: 5-2 to 5-5, 5-7 to 6-3), Gary Peacock (tracks: 1-6 to 2-3, 2-5 to 2-10), Heikki Annala (tracks: 1-1 to 1-3), Mutawef Shaheed (tracks: 3-2 to 3-5, 3-7 to 4-6), Richard Davis (2) (tracks: 6-2, 7-1, 7-2), Steve Tintweiss (tracks: 2-11, 7-3 to 7-6)
  • Cornet – Don Cherry (tracks: 2-5 to 2-10)
  • Design [Chapter Header Silkscreen Design, Execution] – Noel Waggener, Satch Grimley
  • Design [Production Design], Layout, Creative Director [Direction] – Susan Archie
  • Drums – Allen Blairman (tracks: 7-3 to 7-6), Beaver Harris (tracks: 5-2 to 5-5, 5-7 to 5-10), Bernard Purdie (tracks: 6-6 to 6-9), Martti Äijänen (tracks: 1-1 to 1-3), Milford Graves (tracks: 6-1 to 6-4), Ronald Shannon Jackson (tracks: 3-2 to 3-5, 3-7 to 4-6), Sunny Murray (tracks: 1-5 to 2-3, 2-5 to 2-10)
  • Electric Bass – Bill Folwell (tracks: 6-6 to 6-9)
  • Guitar – Herbert Katz (tracks: 1-1, 1-2, 1-3)
  • Harpsichord [Rocksichord] – Call Cobbs (tracks: 6-6 to 6-9)
  • Interviewee – Ayler* (tracks: 8-1 to 9-37)
  • Interviewer – Birger Jørgensen (tracks: 8-1 to 8-8), Daniel Caux (tracks: 8-9 to 8-23, 9-38), Kiyoshi Koyama (tracks: 9-1 to 9-37)
  • Liner Notes [Appendix] – Ben Young (3), Carlos Kase
  • Liner Notes [Essays] – Amiri Baraka, Ben Young (3), Carl Woideck, Daniel Caux, Marc Chaloin, Val Wilmer*
  • Mastered By [Final Mastering For CD] – Ben Young (3), Joe Lizzi, Kevin Reeves
  • Photography By – Bill Smith (3), Bob van Grevenbroek*, Burton Greene, Carl Woideck, Chalmer Adams, Charles Taylor (4), Chuck Stewart, Daniel Caux, Edward Ayler, Guy Kopelowicz, Hans Harzheim, Jan Persson (4), Jean-Pierre Pellarin, Jerry Webb, Lee Santa, Nathalie Violette, Ole Brask, Paul Karting, Philippe Gras, Pieter Boersma, Ralph Sgrillo, Raymond Ross, Ton van Wageningen, Val Wilmer*
  • Piano – Call Cobbs (tracks: 6-6 to 6-9, 7-3 to 7-6), Teuvo Suojärvi (tracks: 1-1 to 1-3)
  • Research [Photograph Research, Consultation] – Cynthia Sesso
  • Supervised By [Project Supervision] – Ben Young (3)
  • Tenor Saxophone – Albert Ayler (tracks: 1-1 to 1-3, 2-11, 6-5), Ayler* (tracks: 2-5 to 2-3, 2-5 to 2-10, 3-2 to 3-5, 3-7 to 4-6, 5-2 to 5-5, 5-7 to 6-2, 6-4, 6-6 to 6-9, 7-3 to 7-6), Frank Wright (tracks: 4-1 to 4-6)
  • Transferred By [Audio Transfers], Restoration, Remastered By – Ben Young (3)
  • Trumpet – Don Ayler* (tracks: 3-2 to 3-5, 3-7 to 4-6, 5-2 to 5-5, 5-7 to 6-4, 7-1, 7-2)
  • Violin – Michel Samson (tracks: 3-2 to 3-5, 3-7 to 4-6, 5-2 to 5-5, 5-7 to 6-3)
  • Vocals – Vivian Bostic (tracks: 6-6 to 6-9)
  • Vocals, Tambourine – Mary Parks (tracks: 6-6 to 6-9, 7-3 to 7-6)

Notes

Rare and unreleased recordings from 1962-1970 in a 9CD 'Spirit Box', plus a bonus disc of Albert Ayler with a U.S. Army Band.

The boxset includes:
- a 208 page full-color hardbound book which includes new essays by Amiri Baraka, Val Wilmer & other Ayler scholars
- a picture of Ayler with saxophone from his youth
- a photostat of a handwritten note from a Copenhagen hotel
- a reprinted copy of a Slugs flyer which includes a listing for a week of Ayler's quintet
- a reprinted 1965 pamphlet by the late poet Paul Haines entitled Ayler-Peacock-Murray-You and the Night and the Music
- a reprinted newsletter from 1969 by Jihad Productions with excerpts about Ayler
- a dried flower

1-1 to 1-3: Recorded June 30, 1962 in Helsinki, Finland
1-4 to 1-5: Recorded poss. November 16, 1962 in Copenhagen, Denmark
1-6 to 2-3: Recorded June 14, 1964 at the Cellar Café, New York City
2-4 to 2-10: Recorded September 3, 1964 at Café Montmartre: Copenhagen, Denmark
2-11: Recorded February 1966 at Slug's: New York City
3-1 to 3-8: Recorded April 16, 1966 at La Cave: Cleveland
3-9 to 4-6: Recorded April 17, 1966 at La Cave: Cleveland
5-1 to 5-5: Recorded November 3, 1966 at Berlin Philharmonic: Berlin, Germany
5-6 to 5-10: Recorded November 8, 1966 at De Doelen: Rotterdam, The Netherlands
6-1 to 6-3: Recorded June 30/July 1, 1967 at Freebody Park: Newport, Rhode Island
6-4: Recorded at the funeral of John Coltrane, July 21, 1967 at St. Peter's Lutheran Church: New York City
6-5: Recorded January 21, 1968 at the Renaissance Ballroom: New York City
6-6 to 6-9: Recorded ca. late August 1968 in New York City area
7-1 to 7-2: Recorded January 11, 1969 at Town Hall: New York City
7-3 to 7-6: Recorded prob. July 28, 1970 at La Colle sur Loup: Saint-Paul-de-Vence, France
8-1 to 8-4: Ayler interview for "Afterbeat" program. Recorded early December 1964 in Copenhagen, Denmark
8-5 to 8-8: Ayler interview for "Afterbeat" program. Recorded on or around November 11, 1966 in Copenhagen, Denmark
8-9 to 8-23: Ayler interview for "France Culture". Recorded July 27, 1970 in Saint-Paul-de-Vence, France
9-1 to 9-37: Ayler interview for "Swing Journal". Recorded July 25, 1970 in Saint-Paul-de-Vence, France
9-38: Don and Mocqui Cherry interview. Recorded in Paris, 1971
10-1 to 10-2: U.S. Army 76th AG Band Rehearsal. Recorded Sept. 14, 1960

Recordings made available under license from the Albert Ayler estate and various rights holders.
Disc 1/Tracks 1-3 made available under license through special arrangement with Finnish Broadcasting Company-Yleisradio, through the good works of Matti Konttinen.

NOTE: The boxed set was released with mastering/pressing flaw on disc 6. Because of this for a limited time Revenant provided a replacement disc to those who purchased the boxed set and requested the replacement disc by mail or email. This replacement disc was mailed in a cardboard mailer with a blank card stock cover. The mastering issue appears to be a volume and minor clarity issue on some tracks, the remastering adds one second to both tracks 6-6 and 6-9.

Barcode and Other Identifiers

  • Barcode: 630814021320
  • Other (Cat# CD 10): RVN213GCD10
  • Matrix / Runout (CD 1): [20040514 106199 SO-35727 SOLO MEDIA AUSTIN-TX REVENANT/ AYLER -1 11263] x 2
  • Matrix / Runout (CD 2): [20040520 106211 SO-35979 SOLO MEDIA AUSTIN-TX REVENANT/ AYLER -2 12345] x 2
  • Matrix / Runout (CD 3): [20040514 106200 SO-35728 SOLO MEDIA AUSTIN-TX REVENANT/ AYLER -3 11262] x 2
  • Matrix / Runout (CD 4): [20040514 106201 SO-35729 SOLO MEDIA AUSTIN-TX REVENANT/ AYLER -4 11245] x 2
  • Matrix / Runout (CD 5): [20040514 106202 SO-35730 SOLO MEDIA AUSTIN-TX REVENANT/ AYLER -5 11261] x 2
  • Matrix / Runout (CD 6): [20040518 106206 SO-35759 SOLO MEDIA AUSTIN-TX REVENANT/ AYLER -6 11602] x 2
  • Matrix / Runout (CD 7): [20040518 106207 SO-35760 SOLO MEDIA AUSTIN-TX REVENANT/ AYLER -7 11304] x 2
  • Matrix / Runout (CD 8): [20040520 106212 SO-35800 SOLO MEDIA AUSTIN-TX REVENANT/ AYLER -8 12146] x 2
  • Matrix / Runout (CD 9): [20040518 106208 SO-35761 SOLO MEDIA AUSTIN-TX REVENANT/ AYLER -9 11301] x 2
  • Matrix / Runout (CD 10): [Y20040514 106203 SO-35731 SOLO MEDIA AUSTIN-TX REVENANT/ AYLER -10 11287] x 2
  • Mastering SID Code: none
  • Mould SID Code: none

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Reviews

  • heroinsaves69's avatar
    heroinsaves69
    Christ this things like a reliquary... You open it up expecting to find a finger bone from Ayler in here... My parent's ashes didn't come in a box this nice. Of course neither one of my parents could play saxophone worth a sh*t...
    • romualdo1's avatar
      romualdo1
      I bought the box in 2004 (soon after it was released) - I've just listened to disc 6 (a couple of times), the original one that came with the box (on both a dedicated CD player plus a desktop computer with a Mac external disc drive). No discernable "clicking" heard at all. Not sure what the "pressing flaw" that Revenant referred to was - the disc sounds fine - the Sanders track does sound a bit more muffled than than the rest of the material on the disc - that's all I can detect.
      • C-aug7's avatar
        C-aug7
        Edited 9 years ago
        Disc 6 is full of data errors. First I thought it's my copy... in particular the Sanders tune suffers from permanent clicking which is caused by an inaccurate copying process of a source CDR. I got to hear a second copy and it has the same problems. This is a typical phenomenon from the days when fans exchanged unofficial live music on CDRs by snail mail.
        I'll go through the whole box soon by head-phones; I'll update this comment in case I find more really problematic tracks.

        Too bad - this includes amazing documents, but those technical deffects massively spoil the fun in certain spots. Let's keep in mind that certain tracks were glitch-free at an ealier point in their line-age. Grrrr.

        edit:
        I just read in the note above about those "mastering/pressing flaws" on disc 6. If this indeed refers to "a volume and minor clarity issue" then it's not the glitches I'm talking about.

        It would be interesting to have somebody with the mentioned replacement disc report if the Sanders tune has digi-clicks or not.
        • mumjum23's avatar
          mumjum23
          Edited 10 years ago
          Edited (deleted) 22 March 2015.
          • grunon's avatar
            grunon
            Best free jazz compilation ever. A must

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