One Down One Up: John Coltrane Live at the Half Note 200 Gram Vinyl

Here is one of my favorite vinyl reissues: 

One Down One Up is a lavish 200 gram double vinyl set that really adds something special to the experience.

Thick Audiophile quality LP's pressed on 200 gram virgin vinyl, with a 12 inch  brimming with life booklet that also makes the CD look puny by comparison.

The title track, by in large a duet between drummer Elvin Jones and John Coltrane is the centerpiece of the album, the track offers some atonal inside out playing that was legendary on the bootleg circuit.

John's son Ravi Coltrane gave the OK for an official release, and I was excited, as I had not heard this stellar music. The sound quality album wide is still very good, and hard to complain about, if you understand that these are indeed not audiophile quality.

I happen to think the sound is better than average, and except for a few drop outs here and there, not bad at all.

 The music is indeed of historic proportions, as the quartet had just come off of A Love Supreme and they are really pushing the boundaries of post bop.

In fact, it wouldn't be too long until Trane went too far for Pianist McCoy Tyner, and
Drummer Elvin Jones and they hit the road, then Drummer Rashied Ali and Coltrane's pianist wife Alice joined the band.

This Half note performance was documented for radio broadcast by DJ Alan Grant, he does become a tad annoying talking over the music, but honestly, if he hadn't recorded the music, I wouldn't be talking  about how great it is.

The title track is 28 minutes of fury and fire,  and the first 35 minutes of it wasn't even recorded as DJ grant showed up 35 minutes into the track, but at the 10 minute mark Tyner and Garrison drop out and Jones and Coltrane take the track where no man has gone before.

The title track has almost become mythical in stature because of the duet, since I am just a lowly blues rock guitarist, I can't adequately describe music this advanced other than describing what's going with the mood.

 The spiritual urgency seems palpable, I swear Coltrane seems like he's playing with a passion that's needed to gain entry to paradise or something, He "would" be dead 2 years later?

Coltrane was asked once by a Japanese reporter what he hoped to accomplish with his life or music, He simply said: "To be a saint".

Check out this article with a little more background on the context of the now legendary "saint" comment.

"Afro Blue", the Mongo Santamaria vehicle is always a keeper every time I hear the track, somehow Coltrane manages to keep the essence of the original while all concerned show their prowess as advanced "from another world" musicians.

 Elvin Jones once said:" You got to be willing to die with a motherfucker" when asked what it was like, and how to play with such intensity. Man, this music does sound like life and death! I can't complain one bit about this reissue, it's one of my favorites,  I originally purchased on CD.

Once I returned to vinyl a few years later, I jumped on this vinyl copy as quickly as I could. I paid $40 dollars for this copy, I have noticed it selling for twice that much at times on eBay. Being a limited edition, I doubt it will get any cheaper than the $40.