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Witches & Devils

CD-R

Remastered

Albert Ayler Format: Audio CD
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 11 ratings
$13.73
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Track Listings

1 Witches & Devils
2 Spirits
3 Saints

Product details

  • Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 5.5 x 0.25 inches; 2.5 ounces
  • Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ 1201 Music/Jazz Greats
  • Date First Available ‏ : ‎ December 17, 2006
  • Label ‏ : ‎ 1201 Music/Jazz Greats
  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00000J8A2
  • Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 11 ratings

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
11 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

g booth
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Service!
Reviewed in the United States on September 9, 2024
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Fast and Secure Shipping! CD is in Great Condition! Thanks!
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JR
5.0 out of 5 stars Great album!
Reviewed in the United States on December 13, 2018
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Beyond words.......what an eerie delight
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Jessamine
5.0 out of 5 stars Title track alone is worth the price of the album
Reviewed in the United States on January 29, 2009
"Witches and Devils" (versions of this album were also released as "Spirits") was recorded at Atlantic Studios in New York City on February 24, 1964 - about five months before "Spiritual Unity." Although Sunny Murray again creates the freeform backdrop for these pieces, the rest of band is different, with Henry Grimes playing bass on three of the four pieces and Earle Henderson playing bass on two of the pieces. The title track is the highlight of the set for me, probably because it somewhat different stylistically from the other tracks. It is a dark, slower paced piece full of mournful solos by Albert, featuring two basses that provide beautiful interaction with Murray's subtle and immensely imaginative drumming, and some equally mournful and heart-wrenching trumpet work by Norman Howard. The musicians, and particularly the bassists and Murray employ plenty of space throughout, and this serves to enhance the dark feel of the piece. The song was apparently written by Norman Howard, likely explaining its stylistic differences with the rest of the album. His trumpet playing is the perfect compliment to Albert's playing on this piece, with his exaggerated Ayler-like vibrato enhancing the atmosphere of impending doom. The stereo mix also adds to the enjoyment, with Sunny Murray and two bassists near center and Albert and Norman speaking from the left and right respectively. The track is truly worth of the price of the album.

The rest of the album is fantastic, and it is clear that this album represents the time when things really came together for Albert, primarily because he finally found truly competent and equally visionary supporting musicians. The final three tracks rely more on the march-like themes that Albert would continue to use as springboards for free improvisation for the next few years. There is plenty of space and jagged upper-register reaching solos, and the solo on "Holy, Holy" (although this melody is recorded on "Spiritual Unity" as "The Wizard") ranks among the most moving that I have heard. The album is recorded in great sound quality and is essential.
3 people found this helpful
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Michael Stack
3.0 out of 5 stars Ayler's vision finally beings to come forth.
Reviewed in the United States on September 13, 2005
In 1964, Albert Ayler returned to the United States after some time in the Scandanavian countries and found himself in a recording studio in New York City. Ayler recorded two albums that day, "Goin' Home" and "Spirits" (sometimes released as "Witches and Devils")-- the former all traditionals and spirituals, the latter all originals. Both have their merits, and make for interesting listens together. They both benefit from actually having a band that is sympathetic to Ayler's vision. And certainly, these two albums set the stage for the rest of his career.

"Witches & Devils" as its referred to on this release, is really something altogether shocking. Ayler, performing exclusively on tenor, is accompanied by trumpeter Norman Howard, bassists Henry Grimes and Earl Henderson, and drummer Sunny Murray. The quartet performs by and large in the forms that Ayler would embrace for the next several years-- spiritual/march infused theme statements composed by Ayler with free associative backgrounds and strong melody statements. Improv is powerful and at times seemingly chaotic. Ayler for his part has embraced his sound fully, with a wide vibrato and aggressive approach, playing in his horn's upper register. Howard emulates this, playing with an equally wide vibrato. The rhythm section (only the cut "Witches and Devils" features both bassists, Henderson plays "Holy Holy" and Grimes "Spirits" and "Saints") is all over the place-- Murray frames everything in his inimitable fashion, playing even further away from a timekeeping role than he did with Cecil Taylor, and both Grimes and Henderson are exploratory underneath the horns.

The pieces cover a lot of moods-- "Witches and Devils" is morose, almos funereal, with an extended and unnervingly patient improv led largely by Howard. This spills into the galloping "Spirits", where the horns furiously push out notes in a frantic improv glued together by Sunny Murray's magnificent drumming. Oddly enough, Henderson seems more or less at a loss for what to do with so little space to fill until his own frantic solo comes forth. "Holy Holy" continues this thread, with Ayler stating the theme and consuming about half the piece with his solo. Curiously, at the end of his solo (around the five minute mark), Ayler states part of the theme to his composition "Ghosts" and Howard takes over the soloing voice. The record pretty much fizzles out curiously enough on "Saints", where it seems as if Howard really has no idea how he should be responding to Ayler's playing. Even his own solo seems tentative and incomplete.

Still, three of four tracks are quite good, and while the recording isn't essential in Ayler's catalog, it certainly is a good one.
5 people found this helpful
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Brad Richman
5.0 out of 5 stars The Start of Something Great
Reviewed in the United States on March 4, 2001
After a mediocre debut recording, Albert Ayler's sophomore effort "Witches & Devils" finds the iconoclastic tenor saxophonist truly hitting his stride and forging his signature avant-garde meets gospel style. Joining Ayler on this February 24, 1964 session are trumpeter Norman Howard, bassists Henry Grimes and Earle Henderson, and drummer Sunny Murray. The four tunes featured here would all become Ayler staples, and in some cases, variations on these themes would become the building blocks for other Ayler compositions. In three short months, Ayler would blow the roof off the house that jazz built with the classic "Spiritual Unity," but "Witches & Devils" is where the seeds of the new jazz revolution were planted.
14 people found this helpful
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Heitham 'le meilleur' Black
5.0 out of 5 stars Class
Reviewed in the United States on September 8, 2005
This is pure class, Ayler was a true tortured innovator. His music should not be allowed to die: this conjures up the magic of spirituality with the hungry tone of a true artist.
3 people found this helpful
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lolo
5.0 out of 5 stars Free Jazz at its best
Reviewed in the United States on February 5, 2002
My favorite Ayler's album. So inspired ! And never "heavy" as in so many poor free jazz recording.
4 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
falso
5.0 out of 5 stars Aylerのアルバム自体が希少になってしまっている。
Reviewed in Japan on May 4, 2004
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1964年2月24日にNewYorkのアトランテック・スタジオで録音されたものです。
内容はSpiritsと言うアルバムと同じです。
曲順は違いますがSpiritsのリマスター盤だと思って良いでしょう。
メンバーはAyler(ts),Howard(t),Grimes,Henderson(b),Murrary(ds)となっています。
元々Ｒ＆Ｂ系のバックをやっていた彼はヨーロッパで何かを感じてしまったのでしょうか？
死ぬ直前に全てのジャンルを呑み込む様な音楽まで行ってしまいますが、
この頃はまだJAZZを超えた場所でJAZZを表現しようとしているようです。
唯一無二の音楽の世界は、聴く側をも選んでしまうようです。
「私の音楽に初めて耳をかたむけたのは子供達だった」と言う言葉が、
彼の求めていたものを表している様に感じます。
普通のJAZZファンの方は別に手を出さなくても良い演奏家の一人でしょう。
ただし一度とり憑かれたら二度と抜けられない事も事実です。
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