GreenwichVillage

Released as Albert Ayler In Greenwich Village on Impulse (US) A(S)9155, 2546352 (CD), MACD-39123, (Italy) IMP431, (Japan) IMP88064, YP8548, Jasmine (UK) JASM70. 2012 vinyl reissue by De Agostini Publishing (Italy) in the ‘Jazz 33 giri’ series (also in Japan, No. 42). 2016 vinyl reissue by Impulse (Back to Black series) 06007.5363040. Cassette version on Impulse 39123. June 2023 vinyl reissue on Superior Viaduct (US) SV136. In 2024 Hat Hut Records released In Greenwich Village to Love Cry Revisited Hat Hut (Switzerland) ezz-thetics 1171.




	[LP cover of Impulse IA-9336/2. Click image for large version.]




	[Cassette cover of GRT 5027. Click image for large version.]

THE VILLAGE CONCERTS

Tracks

1. Light In Darkness (10:56)

2. Heavenly Home (8:50)

3. Spiritual Rebirth (4:10)

4. Infinite Spirit (6:33)

5. Omega Is The Alpha (10:30)

6. Spirits Rejoice (16:19)

7. Divine Peacemaker (12:28)

8. Angels (9:45)

(All compositions by Albert Ayler)

Personnel

Tracks 1 to 5:

Albert Ayler (tenor saxophone)

Donald Ayler (trumpet)

Michel Sampson (violin)

Joel Freedman (cello)

Bill Folwell (bass)

Alan Silva (bass)

Beaver Harris (drums)

Tracks 6 and 7:

Albert Ayler (tenor saxophone)

Donald Ayler (trumpet)

Michel Sampson (violin)

Bill Folwell (bass)

Henry Grimes (bass)

Beaver Harris (drums)

Track 8:

Albert Ayler (tenor saxophone)

Call Cobbs (piano)

Recording Details

Tracks 1 to 5

February 25, 1967

The Village Theatre, New York

Tracks 6 to 8:

December 18, 1966

The Village Vanguard, New York

Release Details

Released as The Dedication Series/Vol. VII: The Village Concerts on Impulse (US) IA9336/2, MCA2-4129. Also released on 8 track cartridge and cassette (Impulse IA 9336H GRT 5027).




		[CD cover of Impulse IMP22732. Click image for large version.]

		LIVE IN GREENWICH VILLAGE: THE COMPLETE IMPULSE RECORDINGS Tracks The 12 tracks on the 2 albums above were reissued in 1998 as this double CD in 1998 in the following order: 2. Truth Is Marching In 3. Our Prayer 4. Spirits Rejoice 5. Divine Peacemaker 6. Angels 7. For John Coltrane 8. Change Has Come 9. Light In Darkness 10. Heavenly Home 11. Spiritual Rebirth 12. Infinite Spirit 13. Omega Is The Alpha There are 2 additional tracks: 1. Holy Ghost (7:41) 14. Universal Thoughts (8:22) (Both compositions by Albert Ayler) Personnel Personnel details for the 12 original tracks are the same. Track 1: Albert Ayler (tenor saxophone) Donald Ayler (trumpet) Joel Freedman (cello) Lewis Worrell (bass) Sunny Murray (drums) Track 14: Albert Ayler (tenor saxophone) Donald Ayler (trumpet) George Stell (trombone) Michel Sampson (violin) Joel Freedman (cello) Bill Folwell (bass) Alan Silva (bass) Beaver Harris (drums) Recording Details Track 1: March 28, 1965 The Village Gate, New York Tracks 2 to 6: December 18, 1966 The Village Vanguard, New York Tracks 7 to 14: February 25, 1967 The Village Theatre, New York Release Details Released as Live In Greenwich Village: The Complete Impulse Recordings on Impulse (US) IMPD 2-273. Track 1, ‘Holy Ghost’ is the earliest of Ayler’s ‘Greenwich Village’ recordings and was originally issued on Impulse (US) A(S)-90, HMV (UK) CLP1932, Pathe (France) 2C.154-92336, as The New Wave in Jazz This was a recording of a concert organised by Amiri Baraka (Leroi Jones) at the Village Gate under the title, ‘New Black Music’.



		The original LP release of The New Wave in Jazz contained the following selections from the concert: ‘Nature Boy’ by John Coltrane, ‘Holy Ghost’ by Albert Ayler, ‘Blue Free’ by Grachan Moncur, ‘Hambone’ by Archie Shepp and ‘Brilliant Corners’ by Charles Tolliver.



		For the 1994 CD version (GRP 11372, Impulse GRP11372) the Ayler track was omitted and two new tracks were added: ‘Plight’ by Charles Tolliver and ‘The Intellect’ by Grachan Moncur. Ayler’s ‘Holy Ghost’ was also released on the compilations, Impulse AS-9257-2 as Re-evaluation: The Impulse Years, AS-1024 as La Saga Heroique d'Albert Ayler, ASD9228 as Energy Essentials, before being reissued on Live In Greenwich Village: The Complete Impulse Recordings. (Two titles were recorded at the Village Gate session of 28th March 1965. The other title was ‘Saints’ (Impulse matrix number: 90446). Considering the great job that Michael Cuscuna did with Live In Greenwich Village: The Complete Impulse Recordings it seems that ‘Saints’ is no longer in the Impulse vaults and can definitely be regarded as lost.) From the sleevenotes “Change Has Come implies, says Ayler, that ‘ in my music, I’m trying to look far ahead. Like Coltrane, I’m playing about the beauty that is to come after all the tensions and anxieties. This is about post-war cries; I mean the cries of love that are already in the young and that will emerge as people seeking freedom come to spiritual freedom.’ I remembered Albert saying in that earlier Down Beat interview: ‘We are the music we play. And our commitment is to peace, to understanding of life. And we keep trying to purify our music, to purify ourselves so that we can move ourselves - and those who hear us - to higher levels of peace and understanding. In a way, we’re trying to do for now what people like Louis Armstrong did at the beginning. Their music was a rejoicing. It was a rejoicing about beauty that was going to happen.’” Nat Hentoff (from the sleevenotes of Albert Ayler In Greenwich Village)



	(Album covers) (Reviews of The New Wave In Jazz) (The first release of the track, ‘Holy Ghost’) (Reviews of In Greenwich Village) (Reviews of The Village Concerts) (Reviews of Live In Greenwich Village: The Complete Impulse Recordings) (Offsite review of Live In Greenwich Village: The Complete Impulse Recordings.) (Review of the Village Theatre concert) * Next: Love Cry

Home Biography Discography The Music Archives Links What’s New Site Search