Albert Ayler – something different!!!! vol 2.

Oct.19, 2012

Albert Ayler – Something Different!!!!, Bird Notes 2 A/ 2C, 33 1/3 rpm, (SWE) 1962

Extremely rare test pressing max 10 copies

home made cover, in 2 copies… made by Bengt Nordtsröm´s friend and collegue Harald Hult in the 90´s.

This is the one. This is the one!

This is the mythical vol 2 of Ayler´s legendary Something Different!!!! Recording produced by Bengt Nordström. The version with 4 track.

So here is the facts: There is the first version 2A/2B that has 3 tracks. This version has, 2A / 2C, is as the the official re-issue by Japanese DIW, 4 tracks, adding Moanin to the palette!

Both versions of vol 2 on Bird Notes are extremely extremely rare…. And if you have us guessing: the first version might exist in around 10 copies and the 2A / 2C in less then that.

But , since Bengt Nordström passed away in 2000, we will never know for sure.

We just know that this is one of the most collectible records ever in the history of free jazz and creative music!

Music is of course absolutely out of control GREAT!!!!

We think the reason why Bengt didn’t include those pieces on vol 1 might just be the fact that some jerk is whistling (!) along with the trio on these tracks…

In a way disturbing… on the other hand…. Quite beautiful!!! And Ayler is in mean form here… he is biting hard… and struggling… and creating one of the most amazing pieces of music ever.

Some “experts” always claim that the bass and drum was not up to his level and that this music is just a paranthesis in the ayler discography.

We don’t agree.

Torbjörn Hultkrantz and Sune Spångberg is backing up, commenting and struggling with Ayler in a most creative way. We LOVE this. The research…. The struggle… the interaction.

We can hear the music about to come!!!

And isn’t that the most interesting periods in music anyway ? before the new music is defined…. When the research is still happening?

This is exactly right before the term “free jazz” was defined by Ayler himself and his collegues Cecil Taylor, Ornette Coleman, Archie Shepp, Bill Dixon and others.

It is “jazz” but free… the way the musicians move around the themes and the harmonies… is free… in a way not heard before or after this session, that was recorded by Bengt Nordström himself at the the Academy of Arts ( Mejan) or (?) the main hall of the royal academy of music. This has yet to be confirmed , where it actually was recorded.

…and …There has been some disputes about if there is a vol 3 or not?

According to Bengt himself, when he was asked years ago: there is no vol 3.

And according to DC, that has in the DC archives the complete metal masters of Bird Notes: there is no vol 3.

This is what we found on the excellent uk – based website about ayler:

http://www.ayler.co.uk/html/first_recordings.html

There is some dispute over whether there is a third volume of The First Recordings. The Jeff Schwartz biography lists 4 more titles – 2 alternate takes of ”Softly As In A Morning Sunrise”, ”Lover Man” and ”Everything Happens To Me” – and credits ”Raben 1989” for the discographical information. The Mike Hames 1983 discography does not mention a third volume. According to Jan Strom of Ayler Records in Sweden, Bengt Nordström (the producer of the session) told him that everything that was recorded had been issued on Volumes 1 and 2. This was confirmed by Mats Gustafsson who emailed me in 2012 with the following:
”I was also talking with Bengt about a vol 3.and my understanding of that talk was:
vol. 1 is as is.
vol. 2 is the 3 pieces version (minus moanin).
vol. 3 is vol 2 + moanin (the four track version).”
Mats also said that the original versions of Volume 2 and 3 only existed as test pressings, between 5 and 10 of each. Also there might once have been a Japanese offer, which packaged all three volumes together.

Ayler lived for one year in Sweden, 1962, and this is quite an interesting story in itself.

Part of this story can be watched in Kasper Collin´s film ” My name is Albert Ayler”

http://www.mynameisalbertayler.com/

But the complete story is yet to be written.

The best historical overview on Ayler is for sure in the amazing amazing box set , that Revenant Records did put together some years ago. This is the only book , in english, devoted to Albert Ayler! This is a disgrace , that there are not more books/ biographies on Albert Ayler.

http://revenantrecords.com/musics/products/albert-ayler-holy-ghost/

This is the BOX of the centuary!!!! Including the FANTASTIC meeting of Albert Ayler and Cecil Taylor in a TV – studio in copenhagen!!! This is also recorded in 1962… and the music is nothing else then a SENFUCKINSATION! Music that is created before it was possible… less then a month after the swedish recordings made by Bent Nordström.