His Truth is Marching on

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 and Henry Grimes on basses and Harris) has a strong contrast between the simple childlike melodies and the intense solos.

Settling officially into the Gospel Truth label, Reverend Maceo Woods and his Christian Tabernacle Concert Choir performed their first proprietary release on the label, “God Save Your People,” in 1972. The album’s opening selection picks up where Woods and the group’s previous LP left off, evangelizing to wayward souls with the cadence of “The Magnificient Sanctuary Band (Marching for the Man).” The group’s frequent male soloist Melvin Smothers sings an enthusiastic lead, encouraging all who can hear to drop everything and make a joyful noise about God’s grace. But the gleeful vocal is nearly overshadowed by the military-inspired taps of percussionist Billy Carson.

Now comes a remarkable set, sure to be cherished by Ochs fans and followers, Phil Ochs, The Best Of the Rest: Rare and Unreleased Recordings, which comes out on CD on May 22nd. It consists of many demos he made for Warner-Chappell music which have not been heard by the public ever, some of songs that he recorded on his albums, but also many of songs never recorded and unknown.