In the years from 2019 to 2022, the orange-spined ezz-thetics label released twelve albums of reissued Albert Ayler recordings covering the years from 1962 to 1967. Three of the releases were double albums, and together the twelve albums had a playing time of about fifteen and three-quarters hours. In 2024 the new First Visit ezz-thetics by Hat Hut Records Ltd label was launched, distinguishable from other ezz-thetics titles by its blue spine and cover writing. One of First Visit's early albums was the 2024 double CD 1964 Recordings by Albert Ayler with Don Cherry that resembled the 2020 ezz-thetics double CD European Recordings Autumn 1964 which had the same cover photo and 2020 sleeve notes by Brian Morton. The main differences between the two was that the 2024 album altered some recording dates, added two tracks — "Ghosts" and "Children" — from Copenhagen on September 14th, 1964, and had been remastered by the label's new mastering engineer, Michael Brandli, as indicated by slight changes to track durations.
Curiously, something very similar happened to Prophecy Live, which was released on First Visit in 2025 having previously been released as Prophecy Revisited on ezz-thetics in 2020 [now out of print]. Although the two have different cover photographs, they have the same sleeve notes by Brian Olewnick, dated July 2019, and exactly the same ten tracks in the same order, as recorded live by Ayler, Gary Peacock on bass and Sunny Murray on drums, at the Cellar Café in New York City on June 14th1964. The key difference between the two albums is spelled out in capital letters on the 2024 one, "First Visit Live offers new mastering". As above, Michael Brandli is credited with mastering, as well as sound restoration. The ezz-thetics version was labelled "2020 1st Edition", the First Visit version as "2025 2nd Edition."
Although listeners should be mindful of the subtle differences between different versions of the labels' releases, there is no doubt that those twelve Ayler albums are a triumph for the labels and should be considered essential for Ayler addicts or those keen to explore his work. The sound quality of both the ezz-thetics and First Visit versions is light years ahead of the original 60's versions and later re-releases. As a result, Prophecy Live can now be listened to without the distraction of glitches in the recording quality; the three members of the trio can all be clearly heard from start to finish. Peacock and Murray are not there to keep time and occasionally solo, but to play full-bloodedly from start to finish, with Ayler all the way whether or not he is soloing flat out. Yes, essential.
Comments and Feedback:
|
![Schindler, Udo / Werner Dafeldecker / Gunnar Geisse: Travelling Sound Images - Cognitive Transfers [Trio] (Creative Sources)](https://www.teuthida.com/productImages/misc4/35767.jpg "Schindler, Udo / Werner Dafeldecker / Gunnar Geisse: Travelling Sound Images - Cognitive Transfers [Trio] (Creative Sources)")
