Charles Tyler Ensemble

1966 studio album by Charles Tyler

Charles Tyler Ensemble

Studio album by

Charles Tyler

Released| 1966
Recorded| February 4, 1966
New York City, U.S.
Genre| Jazz
Length| 34:01
Label| ESP-Disk
Charles Tyler chronology
|  | Charles Tyler Ensemble
(1966)  | Eastern Man Alone
(1967)

|
|

Charles Tyler Ensemble is the debut album by American jazz saxophonist Charles Tyler, which was recorded in 1966 in New York City and released on ESP-Disk.[1]

## Background[edit]

By 1965, Tyler was added as the third horn in Albert Ayler's band. That association is documented by Bells and Spirits Rejoice. The following year, Bernard Stollman offered Tyler the opportunity to record his first album as leader on ESP-Disk. The band features an unusual instrumentation for its time, using cellist Joel Freedman and bassist Henry Grimes from Albert Ayler's group along with Charles Moffett on mallet instruments and a young Ronald Jackson (later known as Ronald Shannon Jackson) on drums. Although primarily known as a baritone saxophone player, Tyler plays alto saxophone on four original compositions.[2]

## Reception[edit]

Professional ratingsReview scores

Source| Rating
AllMusic| [3]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings| [4]

In his review for AllMusic, Michael G. Nastos wrote "With this vivacious music that stretches time parameters and harmonic envelopes, Tyler and his crew bend whatever malleable shapes they can, while burning down the traditional jazz house and still paying homage to bebop."[3]

The JazzTimes review by Lyn Horton notes "Distinguishing Tyler, from Ayler, is the sourness of his flourishes. He avoids lengthy arpeggios, but tends towards eerie high tension phrases, vibratos and nearly fully-realized melodies."[5]

The All About Jazz review by Raul D'Gama Rose says that "Unlike many records of the mid-1960s, it burns with a quiet blue flame, eschewing the intellectual posturing that characterized much new music in the avant-garde era."[6]

## Track listing[edit]

All compositions by Charles Tyler

1. "Strange Uhuru" – 10:01
2. "Lacy's Out East" – 6:38
3. "Three Spirits" – 8:07
4. "Black Mysticism" – 9:15

## Personnel[edit]

* Joel Freedman – cello
* Henry Grimes – bass
* Ronald Jackson – drums
* Charles Moffett – orchestra vibes
* Charles Tyler – alto sax

## References[edit]

1. ^ an esp-disk' discography at Wesleyan University
2. ^ Charles Tyler Ensemble at ESP-Disk
3. ^ a b Nastos, Michael G.. Charles Tyler – Charles Tyler Ensemble: Review at AllMusic. Retrieved March 22, 2014.
4. ^ Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2008). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings (9th ed.). Penguin. p. 1425\. ISBN 978-0-141-03401-0.
5. ^ Charles Tyler Ensemble review by Lyn Horton at JazzTimes
6. ^ Charles Tyler Ensemble review by Raul D'Gama Rose at All About Jazz