Albert Ayler - Live Greenwich Village to Love Cry Revisited (2024)

Track 1-5 from album Spirits Rejoice (1965)
Track 6 from album Bells (1965)

The two reissues presented herein include the last sessions that Donald would record with his brother, book-ending a turning point in Ayler’s music. The Village Theater sessions, from late 1966 and early 1967 (the latter without Donald) mark, arguably, a high point in his work to that date, where the musical ecstasy he sought was as close to realization as he ever achieved – and new avenues may have been opening up – whereas ‘Love Cry’, from the summer of 1967, indicates at least partially a pivot point, redirecting the music toward, it was hoped, a more popular reception.

Alto Saxophone – Albert Ayler (tracks: 3, 5, 11)
Cello – Joel Friedman (tracks: 3, 4)
Double Bass – Alan Silva (tracks: 3 to 12), Bill Folwell (tracks: 1 to 4), Henry Grimes (tracks: 1, 2)
Drums – Beaver Harris (tracks: 1 to 4), Milford Graves (tracks: 5 to 12)
Harpsichord – Call Cobbs (tracks: 7, 8, 10, 11)
Tenor Saxophone – Albert Ayler (tracks: 1, 2, 4, 6 to 10, 12)
Trumpet – Donald Ayler (tracks: 1 to 7, 9, 11, 12)
Violin – Michel Samson (tracks: 1, 2)
Voice – Albert Ayler (tracks: 5, 12)