John Coltrane Music

This 9-track compilation from Columbia/Legacy may not be as close as the original 90-min box set in describing the legendary quintet of trumpeteer extraordinaire Miles Davis. Davis, together with saxophonist John Coltrane, pianist Red Garland, bassist Paul Chambers, and drummer Philly Joe Jones fashioned beauty from virtuosity more than any other jazz groups in their time. The selected tracks well document the evolution of these musicians, primarily Davis and Coltrane. Each song, though less superior than most pre-fusion Davis and Coltrane, possesses harmonic attributes that set apart soloists amid sometimes-unified styles. Davis' singing trumpet, Coltrane's fast solos (not to mention the "sheets of sound" he created), and the rest of the gang's rhythmic efforts give the characteristic blend. Also, in a few modal tunes, we hear alto saxophonist Cannonball Adderley, and Bill Evans and Jimmy Cobb who have replaced Garland and Jones. Wrapping up the disc is the dreamy "Someday My Prince Will Come" in which Wynton Kelly and Hank Mobley play piano and sax, respectively. This disc is both study material and easy listening. Sound quality is great from start to end. A nice buy for the starving jazz enthusiast.

This 9-track compilation from Columbia/Legacy may not be as close as the original 90-min box set in describing the legendary quintet of trumpeteer extraordinaire Miles Davis. Davis, together with saxophonist John Coltrane, pianist Red Garland, bassist Paul Chambers, and drummer Philly Joe Jones fashioned beauty from virtuosity more than any other jazz groups in their time. The selected tracks well document the evolution of these musicians, primarily Davis and Coltrane. Each song, though less superior than most pre-fusion Davis and Coltrane, possesses harmonic attributes that set apart soloists amid sometimes-unified styles. Davis' singing trumpet, Coltrane's fast solos (not to mention the "sheets of sound" he created), and the rest of the gang's rhythmic efforts give the characteristic blend. Also, in a few modal tunes, we hear alto saxophonist Cannonball Adderley, and Bill Evans and Jimmy Cobb who have replaced Garland and Jones. Wrapping up the disc is the dreamy "Someday My Prince Will Come" in which Wynton Kelly and Hank Mobley play piano and sax, respectively. This disc is both study material and easy listening. Sound quality is great from start to end. A nice buy for the starving jazz enthusiast.

A poor recording of a good concert of a great group. Tape speed is too slow... bootleg versions are much better. Earlier session is interesting but poor sound quality makes it difficult to listen to.

Five IMPRESSIVE Stars!! John Coltrane, the late, great jazz saxophone genius who continues to be one of the most influential forces in the history of modern jazz, and other musical genres as well, is absolutely on fire with his quintet in Helsinki Finland. The other players in this 1961 set include 'reed master supreme' Eric Dolphy on alto sax and flute; the influential McCoy Tyner on piano; Reggie Workman on bass; and Elvin Jones on drums who also was a great influence on drummers with his poly-rhythmic technique. This recording also has bonus tracks of Coltrane performing with Miles Davis' 1961 rhythm section live in Dusseldorf Germany, which consisted of Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul (Mr PC) Chambers on bass, and Jimmy Cobb on drums. The quintet has hot, 'free-roaming' Coltrane and blazing, 'angular' Dolphy running the chord changes and using compositional 'modes' to extend their thematic solos, but this is not 'The New Thing' or late-period 'celestial' Coltrane. The MIles Davis rhythm section is in wonderful form and Trane scorches the set with great "sheets of sound" runs.

The quintet set has 4 Coltrane 'standards': a sizzling "Impressions", a 20 minute beautifully intense "My Favorite Things" (with a sensational Dolphy flute solo), "Blue Trane", and a touching "I Want To Talk About You". Coltrane, at the top of his game throughout, employs many of the musical weapons from his bag of tricks at that time, including "sheets of sound", overblowing his reed, declarative convoluted phrasing, and 'the Coltrane cry'. Messrs Dolphy, Tyner, Jones and Workman are likewise excellent in solo and 'comping'. Unfortunately the sound is not up to 'Rudy Van Gelder standards', tending to lose Reggie Workman's pizzicato work at times, but not his arco solos.

"On Green Dolphin Street" has a marvelous Wyn Kelly out of tempo rhapsodic introduction and solo, each leading to blazingly lyrical solos by Trane using his yearning sound and 'the cry'. This is a clear demonstration of the sound and technique that would heavily influence future sax stars like Charles Lloyd and Michael Brecker, until they broke free to find their own sound. Also "Walkin' '' is performed superbly and we get a full 3 and a half minutes of "The Theme" which is usually heard briefly on Miles' recordings. My Highest Recommendation, sound problems aside: this is too good to miss ! Five HUGE Stars !!
(Notes:
*Audio CD: 64:40 total time, acceptable but not great sound.
* This recording has 4 musicians who were later elected to the DownBeat Jazz Hall of Fame: Coltrane, Dolphy, Tyner, and Elvin Jones.)

HAMP'S NEW BLUES
I CAN'T GET STARTED
YESTERDAYS
LAURA
BACK HOME BLUES
SUMMERTIME
WHAT IS THIS THING CALLED
MINOR INTRUSIONS
SPUR OF THE MOMENT
FOUR HANDS

PEGGY'S BLUE SKYLIGHT
FABLES OF FAUBUS
CAROLINE KEIKKI MINGUS
SLOP
SO LONG ERIC
FAREWELL FARWELL
IT MIGHT AS WELL BE SPRING
DUKE ELLINGTON'S SOUND OF LOVE
JUST FOR LAUGHS (PART 2)

SOMETHING IN THE ROSE
STARFISH & THE MOON
I'LL MISS YOU
THE LAST GOODBYE
IT'S ONLY HISTORY
BIG BLUE HAT

WALTZ FOR DEBBIE
WHAT ARE YOU DOING THE REST OF YOUR LIFE?
RE: PERSON I KNEW
TWELVE TONE TUNE
SOMEDAY MY PRINCE WILL COME
TIME REMEMBERED
STELLA BY STARLIGHT
NARDIS
'ROUND MIDNIGHT