ALBERT AYLER: BELLS * 180 GRAM ONE-SIDED TRANSLUCENT VINYL * #120/1000 ESP Product Description

LP Condition

NM: BEAUTIFUL translucent vinyl with red print - 180 gram  

Cover Condition

NM-: light wear, strong  

Artists

Albert Ayler, Donald Ayler, Charles Tyler, Lewis Worrell & Sonny Murray

Notes

Low number - #120 of only 1000 pressed!  Beautiful 2009 reissue of this classic 1965 Town Hall concert!  Free Jazz

AllMusic 4.0:   Albert Ayler's short but definitive album, Bells, has been issued again in 2009 via its original format. As initially released, it is a one-sided, collectors item vinyl platter limited to 1,000 copies, this time in a translucent plastic disc featuring a red ink facsimile of the black-and-white cover, with the yin/yang reversed title and cursive ESP logo surrounded by personnel and the label's then W. 55th St., New York City address. Covering about 20 minutes of music from the legendary Town Hall/N.Y.C. concert on May Day of 1965, it is not surprising to hear the angst and anguish in their music, considering it was made about five weeks after Black nationalist leader Malcolm X was assassinated. Ayler and his quintet blow their own horns in alert of the "new thing" in jazz coming on strong, with no apologies as to its fierce intent or audacious stance. Brother/trumpeter Donald Ayler and alto saxophonist Charles Tyler join with the tenor saxophonist in a united front of sound and steel forged reserve in making free jazz a reality. The back cover has a reprint of Dan Morgenstern's Down Beat Magazine review of the performance, which is insightful, fair, accurate, and to the point, a good read for anyone who might dismiss Ayler's concept as something other than serious. The first of the two spontaneous compositions contains an outburst by the whole ensemble, followed by trumpet and tenor sax solos that bend notes and shapes in the extreme abstract. A free bop-based mid-section shows recording flaws, as drummer Sunny Murray and bassist Lewis Worrell are barely audible. Tyler's alto is drenched in the loud and abrasive tone the Ayler's dictated, but shows he has his own voice. The overtone-soaked music is tempered by a low-level bass solo from Worrell, with Murray's spare, splashy cymbal inserts, ending with a bouncy but eventual whirling dervish coda. The second, much longer improvisation, is based on Ayler's "Holy Ghost" theme, as a soulful, singing, vibrato-driven Ayler ignites Worrell via Murray's signature triple and quadruple flam accents. There's a clarion march theme repeated before and after congealed chaos, followed by deconstructed but distinct melodies, albeit brave and uncompromising. When all three of these horn players blow hard and strong together, it brings to mind Amiri Baraka's comment about "a terrible wholeness," as this purposefully saturated music stands alone as the most singularly unique early creative statement in modern music. As Albert Ayler recorded several definitive recordings before or after this one, and due to the very short length of Bells, it cannot be considered a magnum opus. But it does contain music played by his most powerful unit, a small window into the mind and heart of the most iconic maverick in the free jazz movement, and a magnet for discussion that lingers on well past his death.

!! Buy more than one LP !!

Only 25 cents for each additional LP  (USA Delivery)*

FineGroove provides fast & professional record mailing

USPS Media Mail Base Charge of $4 includes all new shipping material

*eBay Note: "To reduce unpaid items, eligible fixed price and auction-style listings purchased with Buy It Now will remain for sale unless the buyer pays right away. That means buyers must first add items to their eBay Shopping Cart to purchase multiple items with a single payment."

 

These are actual scans of the LP for sale.

The scanner tends to over-emphasize ring wear and cover blemishes that are unobtrusive in plain sight.

ignore tansparent sleeve markings shown in the scan - LP is NM!

RECORD GRADING

Finegroove loves all music and we have thousands of LPs of all genres. Keep your eyes on us - please subscribe to our store newsletter. We use eBay's standardized grading scale.  We primarily sight-grade LPs, but we play-grade LPs when we can. Our primary playback system uses a sensitive moving coil cartridge (Clearaudio Stradivari V2) with vacuum tube based amplification (Audio Research). As many of you know, the type of cartridge, turntable setup, preamplification, etc. can produce a significantly different listening experience, particularly on less than Near Mint LPs. A old classic LP in VG+ condition can sound fantastic with a Moving Magnet cartridge and warm tube amplification, but can be annoying with a sensitive MC cartridge and digital solid state amplification. We try to grade and price records with these thoughts in mind and we welcome your feedback on our grading, particularly if you are dissatisfied with the LP.

MINT: LP is sealed or like-new; Cover is sealed or like-new

NEAR MINT: LP is visually clean and will play without background sound.  Cover is clean & tight.

EXCELLENT: LP may have light sleeve scuffs or marks that have little to no effect on playback; Cover may have slight wear but is still very nice.

VERY GOOD PLUS: LP will have superficial lines or sleeve scuffs and the LP may have a little background noise noticeable during quiet sections; Cover may have ring wear and tiny corner dings. VG+ is our grade for a VINYL & MUSIC LOVER ... some great deals here!

VERY GOOD: LP may have light scratches & scuffs and will play with occasional background noise; Covers may have ring wear, small tears and dinged corners - still a great LP and a great deal!

GOOD: LP will play without skipping but has background noise; Cover may have split seams, water and other physical damage - for rare LPs and retro vinyl lovers.

POOR:  A nice Frisbee relacement!  Possibly a tray for appetizers!  With modification, a Throwing Star to protect home & hearth - our most versatile grade!!

RETURN POLICY

Your enjoyment of sound is our top priority! Special and unusual requests enthusiastically solicited! Check our feedback and buy with confidence. All items are guaranteed to be as described. Returns for cash or credit must be approved first by Finegroove music, but anything within reason will be accepted as a return. We will also refund shipping costs if the dispute is deemed to be our fault. Thank you for your business!

SHIPPING & COMBINED SHIPPING

Finegroove ships all over the world and will consolidate purchases made within a five day period into a single box upon request. For domestic U.S. orders each additional LP is only 25 cents via media mail. Priority mail and tracking services can be added per your request. Combined shipping for international orders is $16 for the first LP and $5 per extra LP up to a four lb (1.8 kg) package; a package above this weight requires Priority shipping service. Please ask for a combined international shipping quote.

 

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