During 1967-69 avant-garde innovator
Albert Ayler
recorded a series of albums for Impulse that started on a high level and gradually declined in quality. This LP,
Ayler's
first Impulse set, was probably his best for that label. There are two selections apiece from a pair of live appearances with
Ayler
having a rare outing on alto on the emotional
"For John Coltrane"
and the more violent "Change Has Come" while backed by cellist
Joel Friedman
, both
Alan Silva
and
Bill Folwell
on basses and drummer
Beaver Harris
. The other set (with trumpeter
Donald Ayler
, violinist
Michel Sampson
,
Folwell
Henry Grimes
on basses and
Harris
) has a strong contrast between the simple childlike melodies and the intense solos. However this LP (which was augmented later on by the two-LP set
The Village Concerts
) will be difficult to find. ~ Scott Yanow