Albert Ayler – Holy Ghost: Rare & Unissued Recordings (1962–70)

“Albert Ayler was a mysterious figure. His recording career was relatively brief, beginning in 1962 and ending in 1970, with several of the entries live performances released many years after his passing. His demise itself was a bizarre circumstance. Revenant Records, by all accounts the most ambitious and thorough of all box-set minded labels, has now released a nine+ CD set of Ayler whose mystery has rubbed off a little on the project. Its coming was announced by a series of all black ads with little on them but what has become the set’s slogan: ‘Trane was the Father…Pharoah was the son…I am the Holy Ghost.’ The result? Most probably the highwater mark in the often underwhelming realm of box sets. It is as if Ayler’s body had washed up on the banks of the East River dressed in a natty Armani suit. The box itself, though black plastic, was recreated from a handcarved original. The outer obi strip doubles as track listing and is marked with the flowers that became the motif for the set (presumably from David Murray’s album Flowers for Albert ). Inside are nine discs of rare and unissued recordings made between 1962 and 1970. Also included are 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 bonus CD of two army band rehearsals from 1960 (in a mini-sleeve that recreates the original reel box); a dried flower from the box motif; and most impressively, a 208-page full-color hardcover book that acts simultaneously as a CD guide, history book, encyclopedia of the era and yearbook. …”
All About Jazz (Audio)
allmusic (Audio)
Spirits, Ghosts, Witches & Devils: The Life And Death Of Albert Ayler (Video)
W – Holy Ghost: Rare & Unissued Recordings (1962–70)
Discogs (Video)
YouTube: Holy Ghost: Rare & Unissued Recordings (1962–70) 10:19:14