ArtistInfo

Mars Williams
Mars Williams Presents: An Ayler Xmas Volume 2

Album US 2018 on Soul What Records label
Jazz and Children's Music (Free Jazz, Religious)

www.marswilliams.com A product of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians who studied with AACM founders Anthony Braxton and Roscoe Mitchell, saxophonist Mars Williams is most famous as a member of The Psychedelic Furs but has proven his jazz bona fides with Peter Brötzmann and Ken Vandermark and while guiding Liquid Soul and Hal Russell's NRG Ensemble, to name just a few. His rock CV is also varied, including many years in Akron New Wave band The Waitresses and work with Billy Idol, Ministry, Massacre, and many more. He also leads the Albert Ayler tribute band Witches & Devils, and out of their holiday concerts grew a unique tradition. One look at this album's track titles and you'll understand the concept here. One listen and you'll hear that, as odd as that concept may seem, it's brilliantly effective, with the disparate melodies working together in their common projection of joy and celebration. And it's worth noting that Williams's worlds collide on track 3 here, featuring The Waitresses' biggest hit, "Christmas Wrapping." Williams played on their original recording. After enjoying An Ayler Xmas vol. 1 last year, ESP invited him to make vol. 2 a co-release of Williams's Soul What Records and ESP-Disk', the top Ayler label.

Musicians

	Mars Williams sax, *1955 US arranged by, toy, toy instruments, saxophone, saxes, album by
	Hermann Stangassinger eb, b, bass
	Kent Kessler b, cb, *1957 US bass
	Brian Sandstrom tr, bass, guitar, trumpet
	Fredrick Lonberg-Holm vc, cello
	Josh Berman cor, *1972 US cornet
	Ddkern dr, perc, AT drums, percussion
	Steve Hunt dr, vib, perc, drums, percussion
	Christof Kurzmann voc, *1963 AT vocals, electronics, lloopp
	Witches & Devils , ensemble
	Jim Baker p, syn, piano, viola, synth, arp synth
	Jeb Bishop tb, *1962 US trombone
	Thomas Berghammer tr, *1965 AT trumpet
	Albert Ayler ts, 1936-1970 US written by, all tracks contain music written by
	Chris Butler g, *1949 US written by, contains music written by
	Katherine K. Davis p, dr, 1892-1980 US written by, contains music written by

Producers

Composers

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