John COLTRANE & Alice COLTRANE - Cosmic Music 1966

John COLTRANE & Alice COLTRANE - Cosmic Music 1966

Jazz

This album features two tracks by the John Coltrane group, i.e. tracks # 1 & 3. This recording is especially interesting because it features the first recordings of the new John Coltrane group after the departure of McCoy Tyner and Elvin Jones. And from the first note, you hear the difference. This is not meant to degrade the truly great work of McCoy Tyner and Elvin Jones, but Coltrane's music on this record sounds as if it has been freed, in some way. I really love the preceding studio recording, "Meditations", but this record sounds much freer in some ways, and that is because McCoy Tyner and Elvin Jones had different musical conceptions, which were incompatilble with the direction Coltrane was going to take. And this recording is the perfect example. "Manifestation" features a freely pulsating rhythm which provides the two tenors with a ground from where to start their flight. And what a flight it is! Alice Coltrane's piano solo is really capturing, also proving that she is more suitable for this kind of music than her predecessor. Then, the two tenors pick up again, this time both at the same time. Pharoh Sanders can also be heard on piccolo on this tune, which adds an interesting note. Track #3, "Reverend King", is a real gem: it features John Coltrane on bass clarinet. While he may not have mastered this instrument as perfectly as all kinds of saxophones, it is most fascinating to hear him play it. The song starts with an incantation by Coltrane and Sanders, then the theme is played by Coltrane on bass clarinet, and then he pauses, giving room to excellent solos by the other players, only to return towards the end of the piece, playing one of his most intense performances ever. The piece closes with the repating of the theme and the incantation from the beginning. Those two pieces of music are only 22 minutes long, combined.The other two tracks were recorded by Alice Coltrane in 1968, after the death of her husband. It features Pharoah Sanders, and I also like these two tracks.There are said to be more pieces from these sessions, still unreleased and, unfortunately, buried somewhere in some archive, so that they haven't been found yet. One can only hope that they will see the light of day sometime, so that these stunning sessions can be released in their entirety.
**
Jimmy Garrison- Bass
Ben Riley (tracks: A2, B2) , Rashied Ali (tracks: A1, B1)- Drums, Percussion
Pharoah Sanders- Flute, Saxophone, Vocals
Ray Appleton (tracks: A1, B1)- Percussion
Alice Coltrane- Piano  
John Coltrane (tracks: A1, B1)- Saxophone, Clarinet, Vocals
**
A1. Manifestation 11:37
A2. Lord Help Me To Be 7:29
B1. Reverend King 11:00
B2. The Sun 4:02
(Tracks 1 and 3 are John Coltrane's last recordings from 1966 and then tracks 2 and 4 are Alice Coltrane's from 1968.)
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John COLTRANE - Coltrane Jazz 1960

John COLTRANE - Coltrane Jazz 1960

The first album to hit the shelves after Giant Steps, Coltrane Jazz was largely recorded in late 1959, although one of the eight songs ("Village Blues") was done in late 1960. On everything save the aforementioned "Village Blues," Coltrane used the Miles Davis rhythm section of pianist Wynton Kelly, bassist Paul Chambers, and drummer Jimmy Cobb. While not the groundbreaker that Giant Steps was, Coltrane Jazz was a good consolidation of his gains as he prepared to launch into his peak years of the 1960s. There are three standards aboard, but the group reaches their peak on Coltrane's original material, particularly "Harmonique" with its melodic leaps and upper-register saxophone strains and the winding, slightly Eastern-flavored principal riffs of "Like Sonny," dedicated to Sonny Rollins. The moody "Village Blues" features the lineup of McCoy Tyner on piano, Elvin Jones on drums, and Steve Davis on bass; with the substitution of Jimmy Garrison on bass, that personnel would play on Coltrane's most influential and beloved 1960s albums. The 2000 CD reissue on Atlantic/Rhino adds four bonus tracks: alternate takes of "Like Sonny" and "I'll Wait and Pray" that were first issued on Alternate Takes and alternate takes of "Like Sonny" and "Village Blues" that came out on the Heavyweight Champion: The Complete Atlantic Recordings box.
By Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide.
**
John Coltrane- (Tenor Sax)
Wynton Kelly, McCoy Tyner- Cedar Walton (Piano)
Steve Davis, Paul Chambers- (Bass)
Elvin Jones, Jimmy Cobb- (Drums)
**
01.Little Old Lady- Hoagy Carmichael, Stanley Adams John Coltrane (4:28)
02.Village Blues- John Coltrane John Coltrane (5:24)
03.My Shining Hour- Harold Arlen, Johnny Mercer John Coltrane (4:54)
04.Fifth House- John Coltrane John Coltrane (4:44)
05.Harmonique- John Coltrane John Coltrane (4:14)
06.Like Sonny- John Coltrane John Coltrane (5:54)
07.I'll Wait and Pray- Gerald Valentine, George Treadwell John Coltrane (3:36)
08.Some Other Blues- John Coltrane John Coltrane (5:40)
09.Like Sonny- [Alternate Version] John Coltrane John Coltrane (6:07)
10.I'll Wait and Pray- [Alternate Take] Gerald Valentine, George Treadwell John Coltrane (3:30)
11.Like Sonny- [Alternate Take 5] John Coltrane John Coltrane (8:15)
12.Village Blues- [Alternate Take] John Coltrane John Coltrane (6:17)
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John COLTRANE - Sun Ship 1965

John COLTRANE - Sun Ship 1965

Jazz

All tracks have been digitally remastered using 20-bit technology.(Reissue).
Following the release of A LOVE SUPREME, John Coltrane entered upon a year of furious creation, including such shamanistic works as ASCENSION and MEDITATIONS. While many ...    Full Descriptionof his old fans couldn't make the leap of faith required for a sojourn into Coltrane's emotive new sound, those who surrendered to the psychedelic interplay of his classic quartet bore witness to spiritual transformations of enduring grandeur.

Recorded August 26, 1965, SUN SHIP is one of Coltrane's most intense performances, and a testament to the maturity and resourcefulness of his rhythm section. With nearly four years of experience under their belt, McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Garrison and Elvin Jones had achieved a vital collective identity, yet each man was an innovator in his own right. When Coltrane evolved a metrically free style of rhythm and melody, the quartet's basic rhythmic pulse and style of collective interplay evolved accordingly. Bassist Garrison and drummer Jones are featured on "Ascent" and "Attaining," where they unveil bold new solutions for coming in and out of tempo and manipulating dynamics, while maintaining the amorphous ebb and flow of the pulse.

The opening track, "Sun Ship" begins auspiciously with a splintered chanting theme--a call to arms, as it were. Garrison and Jones regroup dramatically around the leader's clarion calls, then rhythmically abstract the jazz pulse, moving away from strict tempos and linear swing, towards a furious implied pulse, as Tyner crafts a monumental solo full of crashing modulations and heated single lines. Trane re-enters at full tilt, alternating throttled upper register cries with crunching bass declamations, as the levitating rhythm boils around him.

The gyrating, oceanic pulse of "Dearly Beloved" suggests earlier ballad explorations such as "Alabama," with Trane's keening tenor providing a taut melodic focus for the multi-layered, ritualistic rhythms surrounding him. Tyner's great waves of chords and contrary motion build to a surging climax, before Trane re-enters to bring them all home. And with "Amen," Trane announces a spare modal theme that evokes both a sense of the older swing and the new freedom. Garrison walks, then strums, surging forward, pulling backwards, elongating and elasticizing the pulse, as Tyner essays swift, sweeping lines and rumbling chordal fanfares a fervent prelude for Trane's perilous transformations.
**  
Coltrane recorded so much music in 1965 that much of it remained unreleased until after his death. Ironically,this album and First Meditations which represent the last recordings of the Classic Quartet are in my opinion the best of the lot and are only superseded by A Love Supreme. The music on Sun Ship finds Coltrane at a transitional stage,moving further towards 'free jazz,' but still with the trademark Quartet sound. Unlike some of Coltrane's later work which could be rambly and unfocused at times,these are all relatively brief pieces,and the playing throughout is diamond sharp and coherent,with the interplay between the members of the Quartet bordering on the telepathic by this stage. Coltrane's own playing is ferocious on the title track and 'Amen,' and rich and majestic on the ballad 'Dearly Beloved,'whilst 'Ascent,' following Jimmy Garrison's long intro is as catchy and accesible as anything Coltrane recorded,a real rollercoaster ride. 'Attaining' is the quietest track on the album, although still awash with waves of rhythm, and is a little reminisent of the 'Crescent' album. All in all this is a great album, despite not being that well known, and is a perfect 'sign off' from the Classic Quartet.Well worth your money if you are a Coltrane fan.
By Adam Ventress.
**
John Coltrane- Tenor Saxophone
McCoy Tyner- Piano
Jimmy Garrison- Bass
Elvin Jones- Drums
**
A1.   Sun Ship 6:12
A2.   Dearly Beloved 6:27
A3.   Amen 8:16
B1.   Attaining 11:26
B2.   Ascent 10:10
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John COLTRANE - Soultrane 1958

John COLTRANE - Soultrane 1958

Jazz

What made John Coltrane such a great musician is that he used the saxaphone not as an instrument but rather as a voice. He could scream loudly, whisper softly, or emote convincingly through all his tracks. "Soultrane" provides ample evidence of his mastery of expression through his remarkable playing. The 12-minute rendition of "Good Bait" has Coltrane in smooth form, and is well supported by Paul Chambers on bass and Arthur Taylor on drums. "I Want to Talk About You" is a slow number that Coltrane brings to life with his soft touches, making it all the more romantic and tender. Then, there's "Russian Lullaby," which is a fast and furious rush of jazzed-up energy; it's amazing to see Coltrane keep up with the hurried tempo of this track. He seems to master it without ever breaking a sweat. Immeasurably talented and cool beyond measure, Coltrane's mark on music is tremendous, and this album is another stellar entry in his extensive line of work.
**
In addition to being bandmates within Miles Davis' mid-'50s quintet, John Coltrane (tenor sax) and Red Garland (piano) head up a session featuring members from a concurrent version of the Red Garland Trio: Paul Chambers (bass) and Art Taylor (drums). This was the second date to feature the core of this band. A month earlier, several sides were cut that would end up on Coltrane's Lush Life album. Soultrane offers a sampling of performance styles and settings from Coltrane and crew. As with a majority of his Prestige sessions, there is a breakneck-tempo bop cover (in this case an absolute reworking of Irving Berlin's "Russian Lullaby"), a few smoldering ballads (such as "I Want to Talk About You" and "Theme for Ernie"), as well as a mid-tempo romp ("Good Bait"). Each of these sonic textures displays a different facet of not only the musical kinship between Coltrane and Garland but in the relationship that Coltrane has with the music. The bop-heavy solos that inform "Good Bait," as well as the "sheets of sound" technique that was named for the fury in Coltrane's solos on the rendition of "Russian Lullaby" found here, contain the same intensity as the more languid and considerate phrasings displayed particularly well on "I Want to Talk About You." As time will reveal, this sort of manic contrast would become a significant attribute of Coltrane's unpredictable performance style. Not indicative of the quality of this set is the observation that, because of the astounding Coltrane solo works that both precede and follow Soultrane, most notably Lush Life and Blue Train, the album has perhaps not been given the exclusive attention it so deserves. By Lindsay Planer.

Oh, those sheets of sound… this is where it all started, or at least where the phrase that we all came to associate with John Coltrane’s rapid note clusters originated. These note clusters became a trademark of sorts, though on Soultrane, he used them more sparingly than he would in later years.

Essentially recorded by three-fifths of Miles Davis’ “first great quintet” – what more can be said about the competency of pianist Red Garland, bassist Paul Chambers, and Trane himself? – along with drummer Arthur Taylor, Soultrane is a fairly straight-ahead affair (Trane himself never did record any true “soul jazz” recordings), consisting entirely of interpretations of others’ tunes. The first of the album’s ballads, “I Want to Talk About You” (Freddie Lacey’s “Theme for Ernie” is the other, and though technically it’s an elegy, few will hear it that way unless they seek its history)  is probably the best known, though it’s the ironically hectic take on Irving Berlin’s “Russian Lullaby” that lends the album its significance. It’s this track which led Down Beat jazz critic Ira Glitter to coin the phrase “sheets of sound” in his liner notes, and those original liners are here in all their iconic glory (not to mention the cool mid-century modern front cover art).

The other selections rounding out Soultrane fortunately have not been played out to the point of repulsion, nor are they overly sweet or ponderous. And when looking at the credits, “You Say You Care” would appear to be a complete obscurity, as composers Joe Stein and Leo Robin are far from household names, and even Glitter himself admitted not being familiar with the tune in his liner notes. It’s a performance that finds Trane playing at a pace and with a feel that suggests he was already in Giant Steps territory and just waiting for the right time to make his move. But then the Tad Dameron-Count Basie tune “Good Bait” hearkens back to Dizzy Gillespie’s big band explorations during the bebop era, though Trane’s small group arrangement highlights the melody above all and gets the album off to a pretty laid back start. It actually works in the sense that it gives the album’s closing blast of “Russian Lullaby” even greater power.

He would record more iconic standards (i.e. Rodgers and Hart’s “My Favorite Things” and Mongo Santamaria’s “Afro Blue”) once his musical personality was too much of a force not to ignore, but these five selections are all still top-shelf Trane by any measure. Maybe not as exciting as his Atlantic or Impulse! sessions, but classy and enjoyable nonetheless.

Concord’s vinyl reissue is not the high-end vanity piece that Analogue Productions’ double 12-inch 45 RPM set aspires to be. Nope, it’s just a standard weight issue, pretty much identical to what we’ve seen in record shops in the ‘90s. And other than a little bit of distortion coming from the grooves toward the end of “I Want to Talk About You” near the end of side one, the record sounds perfectly fine. It is how it was meant to be heard in the first place, and having the old black and yellow Prestige labels intact as well is an added bonus. Kudos to Concord for preserving not just the musical spirit of the recording, but the visual one as well.
By Michael Fortes.
**
John Coltrane- Tenor saxophone
Paul Chambers- Bass
Red Garland- Piano
Art Taylor- Drums
**
01.Good Bait (12:08)
02.I Want to Talk About You (10:53)
03.You Say You Care (6:16)
04.Theme for Ernie (4:57)
05.Russian Lullaby (5:33)
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John COLTRANE - Turning Point (The Bethlehem Years) 1957

John COLTRANE - Turning Point (The Bethlehem Years)  1957

Jazz

A nice selection of recordings done by John Coltrane for Bethlehem Records -- mostly cut during December of 1957, and issued on the albums The Winner's Circle and Art Blakey Big Band! The music's a bit atypical for Trane, but is more than just a curiosity, with Trane fitting nicely into the poll winner's type setting of the first session and heavier large lineup of the latter nicely. 7 numbers in all, including "Pristine", "If I'm Lucky (I'll Be The One)", "Tippin'", "Midriff", "Turtle Walk", "Love & The Weather" and "The Outer World".
From Dusty Groove.
**
{Track 1,3,4,6 : Donald Byrd, Idrees Sulieman,
 Bill Hardman, Ray Copeland (tp), Melba Liston,
 Frank Rehak, Jimmy Cleveland (tb), Sahib Shibab,
 Bill Graham (as), John Coltrane, Al Cohn (ts),
 Bill Slapin (bs), Walter Bishop (p),
 Wendell Marshall (b),Art Blakey (dr)

 Track 2,5,7 : Donald Byrd (tp), Frank Rehak (tb),
 Gene Quill (as), John Coltrane (ts), Al Cohn (ts),
 Eddie Costa (p), Freddie Green (g), Oscar Pettiford (b)
 Philly Joe Jones (dr)}
**
John Coltrane (ts)
With The Art Blakey Big Band: Donald Byrd (tp)
Idrees Sulieman (tp)
Bill Hardman (tp)
Ray Copeland (tp)
Melba Liston (tb)
Frank Rehak (tb)
Jimmy Cleveland (tb)
Sahib Shibab (as)
Bill Graham (as)
Bill Slapin (bs)
walter Bishop (p)
Wendell Marshall (b)
Art Blakey (dr)
Pristine, Turtle Walk, Love And The Weather: John Coltrane (ts)
Donald Byrd (tp)
Frank Rehak (tb)
Gene Quill (as)
Eddie Costa (perc)
Freddie Green (git)
Oscar Pettifort (b)
Joe Jones (dr)
**
A1. Pristine 5:35 
A2. If I'm Lucky (I'll Be The One) 6:46 
A3. Tippin' 6:23 
B1. Midriff 3:17 
B2. Turtle Walk 5:26 
B3. Love And The Weather 4:08 
B4. The Outer World 4:06
**
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John COLTRANE - Kulu Sé Mama 1965

John COLTRANE - Kulu Sé Mama 1965

This LP, re-released in 2000 and whose contents have been reissued in different sets on CD, features John Coltrane in two different settings. "Vigil" and the spiritual ballad "Welcome" showcase tenor saxophonist Coltrane with his classic quartet (pianist McCoy Tyner, bassist Jimmy Garrison, and drummer Elvin Jones) in June 1965. Dating from October 14, 1965, it adds tenor saxophonist Pharoah Sanders, Donald Garrett on bass clarinet and second bass, second drummer Frank Butler, and percussionist-vocalist Juno Lewis to the quartet and is a bit of an oddity. Lewis' chanting and colorful percussion make this a unique if not essential entry in Coltrane's discography.
By Scott Yanow, All Music Guide.
**
In 1965 John Coltrane was experimenting in a number of directions, regularly augmenting his long-standing quartet with McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Garrison, and Elvin Jones. He began a West Coast tour in the fall with tenor saxophonist Pharoah Sanders as a regular member of the band, and in Seattle he added Donald Garrett, playing both bass clarinet and bass, and drummer Frank Butler to the group before heading to Los Angeles to perform and record. The title track was composed by Juno Lewis, a singer and percussionist who brought a strongly African element into the expanding band. The chanted vocal and layered rhythms create one of Coltrane's most evocative performances, at once tranquil and potent, a gorgeous tapestry of percussion and reed sonorities that suggests a ritual. "Selflessness," recorded with the same group minus Lewis, is one of Coltrane's most luminous themes, a brief and exalted melody that's repeated and gradually expanded into a kind of serene chaos. The developing relationship between Coltrane and Sanders is particularly arresting, the two saxophonists both mirroring and expanding one another's ideas in stunning joint improvisations.
**
Frank Butler- Percussion,Drums,Background Vocals
Elvin Jones- Drums
Jimmy Garrison- Bass
McCoy Tyner- Piano
John Coltrane- Percussion, Tenor Sax,Bells
Donald Rafael Garrett- Bass,Percussion,Clarinet
Juno Lewis- Percussion,Vocals,Conch Shell,Hand Drums
Pharoah Sanders- Percussion,Tenor Sax,Kalimba
**
01.Kulu Sé Mama- (Juno Sé Mama) Julian Lewis John Coltrane (18:50)
02.Vigil- John Coltrane John Coltrane (9:51)
03.Welcome- John Coltrane John Coltrane (5:35)
04.Selflessness- John Coltrane John Coltrane (14:49)
05.Dusk Dawn- John Coltrane John Coltrane (11:00)
06.Dusk Dawn- John Coltrane John Coltrane (9:29)
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John COLTRANE - The World According to John COLTRANE 1993 (Avi)

John COLTRANE - The World According to John COLTRANE 1993 (Avi)

Jazz

John Coltrane is easily one of the key innovators, visionaries, and virtuosos of American Jazz. Coltrane's spiritually influenced and challenging music not only turned the jazz world upside down in the 1960s, but directly impacted all modern music for decades to follow. It is this relationship between music and spirituality that is the core of John Coltrane: The World According to John Coltrane. Produced with his wife's cooperation, The World According to John Coltrane is truly a heartfelt documentary on his work and influence on the music community. The bulk of the 60-minute documentary focuses on Coltrane's eastern spirituality/musical direction in the 1960s as told through the voices of friends, fellow musicians, and admirers. Perhaps the most impressive aspects of this documentary are its live footage clips. Listening to Coltrane is extremely powerful, but watching him pour his heart and soul into his sax is absolutely awe-inspiring. These clips will leave you yearning to see the entire performances, unedited. Unfortunately, this is the DVD's one fault; no extras of the performances in their entirety. Oh well. A fan can dream. --Rob Bracco

From the Back Cover
John Coltrane was the most innovative and influential jazz saxophonist of the 1960s. The World According to John Coltrane shows he was that, and more--much more. The World According to John Coltrane traces John Coltrane's musical growth from his roots in the black church and rhythm and blues through his forty years of life and beyond, culminating in a musical meeting between Art Ensemble of Chicago saxophonist Roscoe Mitchell and dervish musicians in Morocco's Western Sahara desert filmed in 1990.

The film also includes extensive performance footage of Coltrane some of which has never before been seen or heard. Blistering concert performances of "My Favorite Things" and "Naima," filmed in Europe, are among the film's discoveries. Of great interest to Coltrane scholars will be the recording of John Coltrane while in the Navy (1947) playing the alto saxophone (on Charlie Parker's "Koko")--by far the earliest recording of the saxophonist that has yet surfaced.

The World According to John Coltrane is the first documentary on John Coltrane to be made with the full cooperation of Alice Coltrane. The relationship between his music and his study of Eastern spirituality is clarified by both Alice and La Monte Young. While the former clearly emphasizes her late husband's motivations and the relationship of his spiritual search to the ferment of the sixties, Young offers insights into Eastern musical theory and Western psycho acoustics that provide solid basis for understanding the hypnotic quality so often noted in Coltrane's music.

The World According to John Coltrane is a multifaceted portrait of John Coltrane's music and spirit, and of the dimension of his impact, that ignores both conventional music categories and the conventions of the standard music documentary.

Today we live in a world of sound that is very much a world according to John Coltrane.

Special Guest Artist: Roscoe Mitchell. Alos Rashied Ali, Tommy Flanagan, Jimmy Heath, Wayne Shorter, La Monte Young, Alice Coltrane, and members of the Aissaqua Brotherhood. Contains rare archival clips from the Ralph J. Gleason Jazz Casual Collection.
**
Features "A Love Supreme," "Blue Monk," "Things To Come," "My Favorite Things," "Eight Miles High" and many more! Features include instant song access, full montion interactive menus and a DVD-ROM web link.

An in depth look at Johnny Coltrane ...    Full Descriptionand his music, enabling viewers to feel the impact of live, uninterrupted performances of "My Favorite Things" and more, along with Coltrane and Miles Davis together on "So What." First in a new BMG series.

The program traces the innovative, unbelievably influential jazz master John Coltrane's musical growth from his roots in the black church and in rhythm and blues through his forty years of life and beyond. Through rare live footage, this segment of the MASTERS OF AMERICAN MUSIC series paints an in-depth portrait of a man behind a myth.
CD Universe.
**
Saxophonist, composer, and bandleader John Coltrane has been almost as popular in death as he was during his lifetime. The prolific jazzman passed away at 40, but left a legacy of influential musical work. The World According to John Coltrane is one of the few documentaries to feature the background of this famous player. Directed by Robert Palmer, the hour-long release delves into Coltrane's beginnings starting with his childhood in North Carolina. It also showcases some live performances including the songs "My Favorite Things," "So What," and "Naima." Narration is provided by close friends and peers like Roscoe Mitchell and La Monte Young. Having recorded with masters Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk, and Ornette Coleman, Coltrane held his own and even surpassed the popularity of many of his contemporaries.
By Sarah Ing, All Movie Guide.
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John COLTRANE - Settin' the Pace 1958

John COLTRANE - Settin' the Pace 1958

Jazz

Settin' the Pace is a studio album by the great jazz musician John Coltrane. It was released in 1958 for OJC records. This record captures Coltrane during an important year of development, 1958. Like the other great release of the same year, "Soultrane," "Settin' the Pace," shows how far his performance had grown during three years of collaboration with Miles Davis. Two highlights from the records are the Monkish 14 minute long "Little Melonae" and the mellower "I See Your Face before Me". The album provides plenty of self-assured and passionate playing from one of the greatest jazz artists and is a must have for all jazz fans.
**
This is Coltrane from the period when he was a member of Miles Davis' legendary 1950s quintet, accompanied by fellow quintet members Garland and Chambers. This is 'Trane in a relaxed bop mode, making some swinging relaxed jazz in the vein of Sonny Rollins and Stan Getz (the latter in his more bop-ish mode). This is not the fire-breathing saxophonist of the middle '60s, but a player who was beginning to push against the boundaries, all the while playing with thoughtful, imaginative lyricism. It's a set of little-known pop tunes of the era, with the exception of Jackie McLean's "Little Melonae." Anyone who likes/loves the mainstream jazz of the '50s, or Miles' music of that time, and/or Coltrane fans who want/need to hear their idol in an easy-going context should pick up on this.
From CD Universe.
**
John Coltrane- (Tenor Saxophone)
Red Garland- (Piano)
Paul Chambers- (Double Bass)
Arthur Taylor- (Drums)
**
A1. I See Your Face Before Me 9:56
A2. If There Is Someone Lovelier Than You 9:18

B1. Little Melonae 14:03
B2. Rise 'N' Shine 7:17
**
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John COLTRANE – Dakar 1957

John COLTRANE – Dakar 1957

Jazz
          
Often cited as saxophonist John Coltrane's first album as leader, Dakar—recorded on April 20, 1957—is a usurper. Originally credited to the Prestige All Stars (and released as part of a short-lived experiment with 16-rpm discs), it was only credited to Coltrane on its re-release in 1963, when the saxophonist's star was firmly in the ascendant. The Dakar session was one of several Coltrane appeared on as a sideman that week—on the 16th with pianist Thelonious Monk, on the 18th with the Prestige All Stars, and on the 19th with pianist Mal Waldron. He gets no more solo time than either of the other saxophonists, baritone players Cecil Payne and Pepper Adams. Another day, another dollar.

If it's anyone's baby, Dakar—here released as part of Prestige's Rudy Van Gelder Remasters series—belongs to Teddy Charles. The vibraphonist and bandleader produced the sessions, composed three of the six tunes, and—crucially—picked the line-up. Clearly, he didn't have a Coltrane album in mind, more a meeting between the elder statesman of bop baritone, Payne, and the younger hard bop stylist, Adams. Coltrane, his tenor already possessing the incisive sound which took wings on Giant Steps (Atlantic, 1959), works like spice amongst Payne's lighter, at times Lester Young-ish tone, and Adams' tougher, more abrasive one (not for nothing was Adams nicknamed The Knife).

It's rough and ready music, almost certainly rehearsed for the first time in the studio (with the clock ticking), but it sure is ready. The three saxophonists roar into the opening title track, Payne soloing first, then Coltrane, then Adams. There's a fierce, devil may care atmosphere, rolling around in the sound of the instruments, which establishes a mood sustained throughout the album. There's a telling moment towards the end of the closing "Cat Walk" when Payne's baritone emits a horrible squeak. Even in 1957, most producers would have asked for another take, or got busy with a razor blade. It's retention, for whatever reason (lack of money, lack of time, confidence in the fundamental quality of the music), on the finished album adds to the sense of reportage and the enjoyment.

There's just one ballad, Waldron's "Velvet One," on which Coltrane's tenor states the theme over soft riffing from Payne and Adams, and which gives a taste of the lyrical magic Coltrane would later weave on Ballads (Impulse!, 1962).

A minor chapter in the Coltrane canon it may be, but Dakar is a characterful set of propulsive, pre-codification hard bop and still a delight over half a century later.
By Chris May. AAJ.
**
Dakar (1957) presents half-a-dozen numbers recorded April 20, 1957 by an ensemble credited as the "Prestige All-Stars." On the bandstand for this date are John Coltrane (tenor sax), Cecil Payne (baritone sax), Pepper Adams (baritone sax), Mal Waldron (piano), Doug Watkins (bass), and Art Taylor (drums). Although at the time these were considered "leaderless" units, upon hearing the interaction of the participants, modern ears might desire to qualify that statement.

The Latin-flavored title track "Dakar" finds Coltrane adapting his solo to faultlessly conform to Payne and Adams' comparatively fuller-bodied involvement. The brooding chord progressions take on dark overtones with Coltrane joining Waldron as they burst forth fuelled by the soulful brass section. "Mary's Blues" is a treat for sax lovers as Adams -- who penned the number -- almost immediately raises the musical stakes for Coltrane. The differences in their respective presentations offer a contrast that complements the cool refinement of Adams and Pepper when juxtaposed with Coltrane's frenetic flurries. Particularly engaging are the sequence of four-bar blasts from the horn players, just prior to Coltrane pushing the combo through their paces. On "Route Four" the strongest elements of each player surface, creating one of the platter's brightest moments. Right out of the box, Waldron unleashes line upon line of masterful lyricism. The driving tempo keeps the instrumentalists on their toes as Coltrane is sandwiched between the undeniably and equally inspired Payne and Adams. Here, the urgency of Coltrane's tenor sax clearly tests the boundaries of the Taylor/Watkins rhythm section. The moody and sublime ballad "Velvet Scene" is a Waldron composition containing some of the author's strongest individual involvement as he interjects his expressive keyboarding directly into the melody. If the album is flawed, that may well be due to Coltrane's inability to deliver during "Witches' Pit." Perhaps because he is the first soloist, there seems to be no immediate direction to his playing. In a highly unusual move, he simply trails off rather than concluding his portion with his usual command and authority. "Cat Walk" restores Coltrane's sinuous leads during a couple of jaunty double-time excursions that tread gingerly around the catchy tune. Jazz enthusiasts -- especially lovers of Thelonious Monk -- should easily be able to discern Adams' nod to "'Round Midnight."
By Lindsay Planer, All Music Guide.
**
John Coltrane- (Tenor Sax)
Pepper Adams- (Bariton Sax)
Cecil Payne- (Bariton Sax)
Mal Waldron- (Piano)
Doug Watkins- (Bass)
Art Taylor- (Drums)
**
01. Dakar 7:07
02. Mary's Blues 6:46
03. Route 4 6:53
04. Velvet Scene 4:51
05. Witches Pit 6:40
06. The Cat Walk 7:11
**
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John COLTRANE - The Gentle Side of John Coltrane 1961

John COLTRANE - The Gentle Side of John Coltrane 1961

Jazz

"Gentle" is a relative term, for while this collection of material is mostly pitched at a slower set of tempos and a more lyrical frame of mind, John Coltrane was no less passionate in a allad as he was in a roaring frenzy. Originally issued on two LPs, and now as an excellent value on a single CD, The Gentle Side draws nine tracks from the legacy of the classic Coltrane quartet (with McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Garrison, and Elvin Jones), adding a pair of tracks each from his collaborations with Duke Ellington and Johnny Hartman. You can say all you want about how a collection like this disregards the musical flow of the original albums -- which is true -- and still be caught up helplessly in the staggering emotional power of this man's playing. Even when heard in this context, performances like "After the Rain" and "Welcome" remain breathtaking in their spiritual beauty, and the combination of Coltrane's eloquence and the warm, masculine baritone of Hartman can still break your heart with their most-likely-untopped interpretation of "My One and Only Love." Above all, if you know anyone who has resisted Coltrane because of the fearsome reputation of his more agitated music, lay this CD on them.
By Richard S. Ginell. All Music Guide.
**
In the early '60s, John Coltrane was pressing the expressive edge of jazz, playing solos of daunting length, astonishing speed, and blistering intensity. But while his more exploratory work fueled controversy, the saxophonist had also matured into one of the finest practitioners of the jazz ballad, as great a lyric player as Ben Webster or Miles Davis and possessing a beautiful sound, a kind of unknown precious metal that remains distinctive after decades of imitation. He often included ballads in LPs of more daunting material, and he also devoted three LPs to his gentler side, Ballads and collaborations with singer Johnny Hartman and Duke Ellington. This CD compiles both Coltrane's versions of standards and a selection of his own gentler compositions, creating a series of slower-tempo masterpieces that range from the serene to the pensive. As well as highlights from those three LPs, there is also the superb rendition of Mal Waldron's "Soul Eyes," a jazz standard, and Coltrane's own "Wise One," "After the Rain," and the somber "Alabama," melodies of almost unearthly beauty. The version of Billy Eckstine's "I Want to Talk About You," taken from a live recording at Birdland, possesses an unaccompanied tenor cadenza that stands as one of the most remarkable technical feats in jazz history. The version of "In a Sentimental Mood," with Ellington at the piano, is simply as beautiful as any recording ever made. So good is the selection that dedicated Coltrane fans who own the material in other forms may want to acquire it.
By Stuart Broomer. AMG.
**
According to the album's liner notes, THE GENTLE SIDE OF JOHN COLTRANE was assembled "to display the more lyrical and gentle side of the man's art," and it does just that. A collection of mostly mellow tracks recorded between 1961 and 1964, ...    Full Descriptionthis record is a perfect choice for those who have never been able to "get" Coltrane's later, more experimental work, or newbies who are not quite ready for the cerebral qualities of straight hard bop.

In addition to a selection of excellent recordings featuring the classic Coltrane lineup of Mcoy Tyner, Jimmy Garrison and Elvin Jones, there are also two tracks from Coltrane's historic 1962 album with Duke Ellington. These performances remind the listener that Ellington, while best remembered as a composer, was a gifted pianist who always cut right to the emotional heart of the music. Also included are songs from Coltrane's collaboration with vocalist Johnny Hartman and several lovely tunes in the "tone poem" vein, including the gorgeous and sad "After the Rain." Wrapping things up is "I Want to Talk About You," a good live example of the famous Coltrane "sheets of sound"--just in case anyone was getting too relaxed.
From CD Universe.
**
John Coltrane- (Tenor Saxophone);
McCoy Tyner- (Piano);
Jimmy Garrison- (Bass);
Elvin Jones- (Drums).
Additional personnel:
Johnny Hartman- (Vocals);
Duke Ellington- (Piano);
Aaron Bell- (Bass);
Sam Woodyard,Roy Haynes- (Drums).
**
01. Soul Eyes John Coltrane 5:25 
02. What's New John Coltrane 3:45  
03. Welcome John Coltrane 5:32 $0.89 
04. Nancy (With The Laughing Face) John Coltrane 3:16
05. My Little Brown Book John Coltrane 5:18  
06. Wise One John Coltrane 9:06 
07. Lush Life John Coltrane 5:29
08. Alabama John Coltrane 2:27  
09. My One And Only Love John Coltrane 4:56
10. After The Rain John Coltrane 4:13 $ 
11. In A Sentimental Mood Duke Ellington 4:15  
12. Dear Lord John Coltrane 5:41  
13. I Want To Talk About You John Coltrane 8:17
**
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John COLTRANE - Bahia 1958

John COLTRANE - Bahia 1958

Jazz

End of '58, a prime period for Coltrane right on the heels of his Monk association, and immediately prior to the Atlantic period - it's all good. This may in fact be one of the finest sets he laid down for Prestige, with Wilbur Harden a nice enough (if not wildly exciting) foil, and the Chambers/Garland/Art Taylor (or Jimmy Cobb) rhythm section absolutely on fire. So rhythm is on fire, Coltrane's on fire, and Harden sounds good, but like much of the Prestige stuff, this is an accomplished hard bop set straining to break free of hard bop conventions. It strains especially hard in a few places - the title cut, especially - while the ballads that round out the A side are quite beautiful and the two tracks that make up the B also engage without slaying the listener. Starts strongest with title cut and "Goldsboro Express," astutely noted in the liners, and then it's fun for the remainder, though discographical details of the package bother me. Credits say that "My Ideal" and "I'm A Dreamer" stem from a July session while the balance of the five tunes come from December, but they also say that Harden and Cobb play on the two above plus one of the (supposedly) December tracks - "Something I Dreamed last Night" - while Art Taylor plays drums on the rest and there's no other trumpet. Shoddy. Given that there's clearly a trumpet on "Something I Dreamed Last Night" and also that the drums have Cobb's laid back style, rather than Taylor's fire, I think it's safe to assume that it too was recorded in July and that the personnel credits are correct while dates missed that one. Sorry if this is a little too anal retentive for you, but these are the sort of things that bug you when you get a little too obsessive about music.
**
Released after A Love Supreme but recorded over two session seven years previously, more than anything Bahia shows how far Coltrane had travelled over that period - for listeners at the time it must have seemed strangely old fashioned, except for those who felt that Coltrane's developments had thrown them overboard, then the album must have been a relief, as though they had regained their footing and were having a strole on the decks of the stately Queen Mary. The first two tracks date from the summer of 1958 and are played by a quartet (Red Garland, Paul Chambers and Art Taylor on drums), the other three tracks are from the following winter (the same musicians except Jimmy Cobb is on drums and Wilbur Harden has joined them on trumpet) - and the album feels as though it is made up of two seperate sessions that have just been put together for convience. I have spoken before about how it seems that Coltrane was searching for a form that could contain the size and energy of his playing and it is the very tension created by his failure to find that form that makes his earlier recordings interesting - but in the later session here there is little of that tension, Coltrane seems happy within these versions of three popular songs: this is not to say the music is bad, and Coltrane's playing is nice, it is professional, but it will never knock you out of your chair. The same can be said of Chambers. I only know Wilbur Harden from his recordings with Coltrane and his playing is pleasant, but totally in the shadow of Miles Davis (whether he ever came out from that shadow and found his own personality I just don't know). I have problems with Garland playing ballads - My Ideal and Something I Dreamed Last Night - it always sounding as though he is bouncing in pink candyfloss, it's all much too sticky, but he is much better on I'm a Dreamer and this track is the only one where Jimmy Cobb makes an impression, nicely breaking up the gentle rhythm. But the other two tracks from the earlier session are much more interesting: Goldsboro Express is probably best described as interesting, working largely through the interaction of Coltrane and drummer Art Taylor, it begins by generating a lot of energy, but Taylor produces more noise than ideas and it doesn't live up to its early promise. By far the most impressive track, the one that stops the album being totally forgettable, is the title track: the rhythm section lay down a simple, often repetitive basis over which Coltrane has the freedom to fly, swoop and soar (this is a format that Coltrane and his bands would often come back to and by the release of this album there are better examples, but it is an important track in Coltrane's development and also very, very good).
**
Paul Chambers- Bass
Jimmy Cobb- Drums
John Coltrane- Sax (Tenor)
Red Garland- Piano
Wilbur Harden- Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Freddie Hubbard- Trumpet
Art Taylor- Drums
**
01. Bahia - A. Barroso (6:19)
02. Goldsboro Express - John Coltrane (4:41)
03. My Ideal, Whiting - Chase (7:30)
04. I'm A Dreamer, Aren't We All- Henderson,DeSylva, Brown (6:59)
05. Something I Dreamed Last Night - Yellen,Magidson,Fain (10:48)
**
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The John COLTRANE Quartet: - Visit to Scandinavia 1962 (REPOST)

The John COLTRANE Quartet - Visit to Scandinavia 1962 (REPOST)
Label: Jazz Door

Jazz

Born John William Coltrane, 23 September 1926, Hamlet, North Carolina, USA, d. 17 July 1967, New York, USA. Coltrane grew up in the house of his maternal grandfather, Rev. William Blair (who gave him his middle name), a preacher and community spokesman. While he was taking clarinet lessons at school, his school band leader suggested his mother buy him an alto saxophone. In 1939 his grandfather and then his father died, and after finishing high school he joined his mother in Philadelphia. He spent a short period at the Ornstein School of Music and the Granoff Studios, where he won scholarships for both performance and composition, but his real education began when he started gigging. Two years' military service was spent in a navy band (1945-46), after which he toured in the King Kolax and Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson bands, playing goodtime, rhythmic big-band music. It was while playing in the Dizzy Gillespie Big Band (1949-51) that he switched to tenor saxophone. Coltrane's musical roots were in acoustic black music that combined swing and instrumental prowess in solos, the forerunner of R&Born He toured with Earl Bostic (1952), Johnny Hodges (1953-54) and Jimmy Smith (1955). However, it was his induction into the Miles Davis band of 1955 - rightly termed the Classic Quintet - that brought him to notice.
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Next to Davis' filigree sensitivity, Coltrane sounds awkward and crude, and Davis received criticism for his choice of saxophonist. The only precedent for such modernist interrogation of tenor harmony was John Gilmore's playing with Sun Ra. Critics found Coltrane's tone raw and shocking after years in which the cool school of Lester Young and Stan Getz had held sway. It was generally acknowledged, however, that his ideas were first rate. Along with Sonny Rollins, he became New York's most in-demand hard bop tenor player: 1957 saw him appearing on 21 important recordings, and enjoying a brief but fruitful association with Thelonious Monk. That same year he returned to Philadelphia, kicking his long-time heroin habit, and started to develop his own music (Coltrane's notes to the later A Love Supreme refer to a "spiritual awakening"). He also found half of his "classic" quartet: at the Red Rooster (a nightclub that he visited with trumpeter Calvin Massey, an old friend from the 40s), he discovered pianist McCoy Tyner and bass player Jimmy Garrison.
*
This is allegedly recorded in Stockholm and Copenhagen in
November of 1962 and features Trane's classic quartet with McCoy
Tyner on piano, Jimmy Garrison on acoustic bass, Elvin Jones on drums
and Coltrane on tenor & soprano sax. The nine tunes include long and
inspired versions of "Naima", "Impression", "Traneing In", "Mr.
P.C.", "Bye Bye Blackbird", "I Want to Talk About You" and "My
Favorite Things". Sound quality is pretty good, but not perfect, but
the playing is superb throughout. Legitimate recordings of the
classic Trane Quartet from this era are few, so this is a rare gem.
**
John Coltrane- Tenor & Soprano Saxophone
McCoy Tyner- Piano
Jimmy Garrison- Bass
Elvin Jones- Drums
**
Cd 1
01. Naima  (9:29)
02. Traneing  (18:38)
03. Impressions  (7:21)
04. My Favourite Things  (21:14)
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Cd 2
01. Mister P.C.  (15:19)
02. The Inch Worm  (5:40)
03. Bye Bye Blackbird  (14:23)
04. Every Time We Say Goodbye  (5:43)
05. I want To Talk About You  (11:21)
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