10 Years to Go: John Coltrane's Ascent to Saxophone Sainthood

Was Coltrane the greatest saxophonist of them all? In only 10 years time, John Coltrane went from being an undependable band mate, and good saxophonist; to being a mythical figure in jazz, and undoubtedly the best there ever was.
Volumes have been written about who the greatest saxophonist of all time was, many insist Coleman Hawkins was the greatest, perhaps Lester Young or Charlie Parker?

Coltrane albums like A Love Supreme, Ascension, and Giant Steps were each one unique and groundbreaking, and transcended jazz.

For other saxophonists, Trane's new developments on the instrument nearly destroyed the egos of players like Sonny Rollins, who himself had to cope with being eclipsed as the most groundbreaking tenor player of his own era

...But, before 1958, Trane was on a rocky road, he was fired by the great trumpeter/band leader Miles Davis because of his continued heroin use...

Pre 1958 Coltrane

During this period, Coltrane was not considered the pinnacle for tenor saxophonists, this title would go to the great Sonny Rollins, who had deservedly made his bones in that regard since the early 50's.

Coltrane's own Prestige label work really comes off as derivative bop jazz in my opinion except the stunningly good Lush Life "pictured". It's always high quality, but nothing that sets its self apart from the groundbreaking bop he made with the Davis 1st Quintet. Actually Coltrane teamed up with Rollins on a Prestige LP Tenor Madness, that is really good and should be heard as well.

Of course Coltrane's lone Blue Note album Blue Train is a classic and made in 1957, so it's quite clear Coltrane could hold his own with other cock sure instrumentalists like trumpeter Lee Morgan and trombonist Curtis Fuller. Trane just had one hurdle to clear mentally before saxophone immortality.

How did John Coltrane ultimately beat heroin?

It has always amazed me how Coltrane was able to beat his Heroin addiction, when others like Charlie Parker, Chet Baker, Art Pepper, and Dexter Gordon Struggled so mightily with it.

It seems the only way to beat an addiction is "habit replacement", preferably a new positive addiction. A valuable lesson for all of us.

When Miles Davis battled heroin during the mid 50's, he locked himself in his father's barn for days until the urges subsided. Miles continued with other substances like cocaine and alcohol throughout his life however, but they never became his true love.

Many heroin addicts must be on methadone maintenance the rest of their lives, Coltrane was able to kick heroin as well as tobacco later on, he just made a incontrovertible decision in his life. Miles and Coltrane simply said, that-was-it with that type of albatross, music became his addiction.

John Coltrane became completely obsessed with his music, and trying to get closer to god, studying diverse forms of eastern spirituality. During his final phase of recording, his music after 1965 became almost otherworldly in scope.

This free jazz avant-garde music is not for the faint of heart, it is an acquired taste. Free jazz was and is the ultimate niche music, there seems to be no middle ground, you either love it, or you despise it.

I have always felt, listening to albums like Ascension, Sun ship, and Interstellar Space, that Coltrane was baring his soul, not too many times have I felt this when listening to a music.

Monk, Blue Train, and sheets of sound

1957 was the year things began to really take off for Coltrane: He records with Thelonious Monk, and does a stint at the Five Spot, and records his first truly landmark recording as a leader Blue Train which incorporated the famous Coltrane changes.

Coltrane started using something, a device that writer Ira Gitler coined in 1958 as "sheets of sound.
This was basically a very dense and fast use of arpeggios. Not unlike what shred guitarists might do in rock music.

This set his jazz contemporaries on notice, by 1960 Coltrane would be so far advanced, only the great Charlie Parker could even be mentioned in the same breath, when considering the amount of revolutionary changes brought to the instrument, and later the soprano sax as well.

Blue Train (Recorded on Sept 15, 1957)

Blue Train was an album that came out of nowhere. Recorded during the time he was working with Thelonious Monk, Blue Train is an album where Coltrane's writing and playing seemed to take a monumental leap.

3 jazz standards, "Moments Notice", "Lazy Bird", and the title track, show a real growth for the leader. The title track "Blue Train" is actually one the greatest hard bop tunes in history, with one of the most recognizable themes ever.

There is something about have Coltrane match wits with trumpeter Lee Morgan and trombonist Curtis Fuller, who both with Coltrane form a wonderfully perfect front line.




 Outside of Art Blakey's Moanin (Blue Note 4003) I can't think of another album that captures the spirit of independent jazz label Blue Note Records like Blue Train does.

It's a shame Blue Train was the only album as a leader Coltrane did for Blue Note. It would be a full 2 years before Coltrane's revolutionary album Giant Steps would be released.

In the mean time though, Coltrane would re-join Miles Davis and create history as a side-man with Miles' epic 1959 album Kind of Blue, widely considered the greatest modern jazz album of all-time.

My Favorite Things and the rise of the soprano sax

Recorded in October of 1960 and released in March 1961 My Favorite Things was an album of standards, with none composed by Coltrane.

What Coltrane did do though, was re-work the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic "My Favorite Things" into a world music hypnotic waltz time vamp of nearly 14 minutes.

Coltrane brought the rarely used in jazz instrument, the soprano saxophone to the forefront on the album.

Only Sidney Bichet, Steve Lacy, and Lucky Thompson were of any real note on the instrument prior.. Coltrane was actually demonstrating a virtuosity rivaling his tenor playing right away. I have really grown to appreciate this aspect of Coltrane's playing. In my opinion only Steve Lacy comes close to Coltrane in scope on the soprano, you could twist my arm and get me to say they are equals. I respect the late Steve Lacy immensely.

My favorite Coltrane soprano tune is "Afro Blue" from the Live at Birdland album, I just love the way he incorporates various world musics into his sound when showcasing the soprano.

A Love Supreme

A Love Supreme is quite simply an other worldly listening experience for a serious jazz fan. If you find your way into modern jazz, this will be a landmark for you in your jazz journey.

Along with Miles Davis' Kind of Blue, It's considered a cornerstone of

Coltrane's quartet of McCoy Tyner on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums performs a tightly composed piece of devotional music.

Trane is on a roll here, In complete control of his inner self, beating heroin years earlier and completely devoting himself to god; and this is the musical expression of that journey.

From the opening fan fare, the a-love-supreme chanting bass line lifts you up to perhaps the same spiritual heights as Coltrane himself felt creating the music?

Interstellar Space

Interstellar Space is a duet between drummer Rashied Ali and John Coltrane. An album that really grew on me after repeated plays, It's such a stripped down album with Coltrane at the top of his game.

Technically some of the things he does here are from another world, its hard to imagine the instrument being pushed any further, its almost as if God was speaking through him. I will concede this type of music seem to have a spontaneous way it grabs the listener. I think this type of music would be like nails to a chalkboard for many.

Rashied Ali is an often overlooked drummer because he replaced the great Elvin Jones. His playing is just as powerful, and maybe even more complex. Ali was perfectly suited for Coltrane during this period. Ali passed away in 2009.

The 60's Belonged to Trane

After the release of the classic Giant Steps in 1960, Coltrane did a stint at the Village Vanguard with Eric Dolphy for Impulse Records. The early 60's saw Impulse Records, and piggy backed Atlantic releases reach classic status almost immediately.

The Village Vanguard sessions received mixed reviews at the time, as many people couldn't get what Coltrane was trying to do with the relentless wall of notes approach on tracks like "Chaisin' the Train".

After a brief commercial bent, with album like Ballads, and albums with Duke Ellington and singer Johnny Hartman, Coltrane ran off a series of quartet albums that set the standard for quartet modern jazz in the 60's.

Other than the 60's Miles Davis quintet, the Coltrane quartet is the real bell-weather for post bop jazz groups, even today.

A Love Supreme sold 500,000 copies by 1970, an astounding number for a record that is not in the slightest way easy listening. A Love Supreme is actually mildly avant-garde and shows Trane playing with as much passion and fire as anything that was considered free jazz in his final 2 years.

The Final Period:

The final 2 years Coltrane created a template for Free Jazz, unfortunately that music is equally derided as it's applauded. His albums like Sun Ship and Ascension are incredible free form statements.

Considering what Coltrane did, beating heroin, and becoming the greatest saxophonist who ever lived; he is a living testament to what a human being can do if they are willing to work hard and devote absolutely to its positive outcome.

Coltrane said he wanted to become a saint. For the world of jazz, and those struggling with addiction, he did indeed become that.

John Coltrane passed away on July 17, 1967 of liver cancer at the age of 40. In ten y
Nearly 50 years after his death, no saxophonist has even come close to equaling what Trane did in those 10 short years as a leader and sideman after conquering his demons.


*All photos my own or used with permission via Amazon.com.

John Coltrane's Giant Steps: My Favorite Tributes to the Saxophone Classic

Any saxophonist since 1960 has had to come to grips with Coltrane, much like Coltrane himself had learn from Charlie Parker.

Really, even now, 54 years later the track "Giant Steps" sounds like a Herculean effort. Trane, using his previously developed Coltrane changes to indeed create a literal GIANT STEP with "Giant Steps".

I do not have a background in music theory, I am not a formally trained musician. I don't approach music listening in that way either, I like the music or I don't.  I have been blessed with an inquiring ear so to speak, I like learning and acquiring a taste for different musics that other people seem to shun.

Giant Steps is one of those jazz war horses that is probably overdone to the point of it being an eye rolling experience. Probably like hearing a rock n roll cover band playing yet another rendition of Deep Purple's "Smoke on the Water". Though I can attest, it is infinitely easier to play that on a guitar than "Giant Steps".

Below I have included a few takes on the Coltrane classic. I particular like the David Murray version, nearly 14 minutes of fun. Murray stretches out remarkably on the track.

A different small group Buddy Rich version with Sonny Fortune on Tenor is also fun. Woody Herman's 70's funky big band also takes a turn I rather Like.

Kenny Garrett does his best on alto in a trio setting that seems tame on the album to say the least, but this live version below nearly tears the paint off the wall. Over the years this version from 1995 has grown on me, Garrett is my favorite of the post Jackie McLean alto players.

Kenny seems almost shy at the start, perhaps showing respect, then Jeff Watts nearly blasts off into outer-space, what a great drummer he is!

Black Pearls: John Coltrane with Donald Byrd and Red Garland Prestige LP

Black Pearls is a fine session from 1958, that catches Trane in an ultra swingin' mood, right smack in the middle of his "Sheets of Sound" period.

 I really like this straight ahead bop session quite a bit.

The centerpiece of the album, which wasn't released until 1964 is "Sweet Sapphire Blues", an 18 Minute producer Bob Weinstock vehicle.

 The blues was almost entirely improvised by Coltrane on the spot, and the track shows off pianist Red Garland to a great extent.

Then Coltrane digs into this blues, along with trumpeter Donald Byrd to offer some very spirited classic jazz, I like the simplicity of the music, Side one seems almost like bop rather than hard bop and quite frankly fizzles out compared to the side 2 side long blues jam.

If you are a Coltrane nut, you want this for the 18 minute jam alone, plus the Red Garland Trio providing backing support is nice, think The Believers and Lush Life, both nice straight ahead bop albums worth acquiring along with Black Pearls.

This particular vinyl copy of Black Pearls is a mid 70's green label prestige that sonically sure sounds sweet, nice crisp bass, well recorded instruments, with hardly any distortion in the upper register.

Duke Ellington & John Coltrane: An Impulse Records Classic You May Have Missed

Duke Ellington and John Coltrane:  The Impulse album from 1963, is one of a string of self conscious albums done by John Coltrane after his recent Village Vanguard concerts of 1961.

Both critics and fans were not universally enamored with the new tones coming out his horn.

 Ballads, this album, and his pairing with the silky smooth  Johnny Hartman, were decidedly more palatable to the critic. All of these albums sold well, and reaffirmed Coltrane's roots in the tradition.

I also happen to think all of those records are quite underrated.

Duke Ellington & John Coltrane begins with the simplest of piano accompaniment from Duke:  "In a Sentimental Mood" bleeds romance, the up front in the mix piano sets this almost ominous mood to me. Coltrane enters and just sings the plaintive lyrics with his tenor in a way only Trane could. Understated, and tasteful.

Only Dexter Gordon affects me the same way Coltrane does, as far as a sax tones go. The sound just goes straight to that place where God lives within you.  The entire album is really as basic as you can get, Duke's old fashioned sort of stride piano sound, I love how Duke sounds like that on the album, you know it's Duke, and you know it's Coltrane.

John Coltrane's Giant Steps Was Not Released in 1959: Try 1960 Instead

I suppose the effort to shoe horn in John Coltrane's Giant Steps among the historically great jazz albums from 1959 seemed like a good idea?

 After all, How could such a legendary year for jazz not have a Coltrane album right?

Giant steps was released in the year 1960, in the month of January.

I know, I know, it looks good seeing the album on the same list as Miles Davis' Kind of Blue, and Dave Brubeck's Time Out.

Not to mention Charles Mingus and his masterpiece Mingus Ah Um, and maybe the biggest ground breaker of them all in 1959, Ornette Coleman's The Shape of Jazz to Come.

 I know the Atlantic Records release is every bit as groundbreaking as all these mentioned records, and Coltrane pretty much moved the saxophone ahead 100 years by himself with the album. Coltrane actually eclipsed the Great Charlie Parker as the guy everybody had to sound like, has anyone eclipsed Coltrane since?

There really is a fantastic DVD out right now that highlights the jazz year 1959, and Yes you guessed it, Giant Steps was not released in 1959 on that DVD.


I have seen at least a half dozen articles about 1959, and people constantly include Giant Steps, which always amused me.

 I feel their vibe though, they want it to be 1959 so bad, they want to act as if Jan 1960 started a month earlier, but alas, it was not to be.

This pictured vinyl copy of Giant Steps is a mid 70's pressing, and sonically sounds pretty good. I would love to obtain a first press black label to judge the sound difference.

This green and red Atlantic label only set me back around 20 bucks, very reasonable price for a classic album more than 30 years old.

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.

The New Wave in Jazz LP: Live at the Village Gate March 28, 1965

One of the joke punchlines of 1960's free jazz was: " They call it free jazz because nobody is paying to hear it". It was the New Wave In Jazz and it was not accepted by everyone.

Yes free jazz is a micro niche inside the niche of jazz. Those hardy souls who dare enter the realm of free jazz can gain many rewards, though it is an acquired taste.

 Impulse Records probably came the closest to actually making free jazz a viable commercial music.

John Coltrane's A Love Supreme sold 500,000 records by 1970, a mind boggling number, typically only Miles Davis could command those kinds of sales with a instrumental modern jazz record.

Impulse to their credit, allowed artists like Coltrane, Pharoah Sanders, and Archie Shepp incredible latitude to create new and mostly noncommercial music.

Some of the best albums from this era were from Sanders, who combined many world music elements along with a new age almost hippie culture aesthetic.  His 1969 masterpiece Karma is a perfect example with vocalist Leon Thomas yodeling his was to free jazz immortality.

The pictured vinyl record is a concert album featuring the young studs of the free jazz movement, Grachan Moncur III, Shepp, Sanders, and underrated trumpeter Charles Tolliver and saxophonist Albert
Ayler.

 I am almost ashamed to admit it I paid through the nose for this one, it was one of the last Coltrane albums I wanted for my collection, $80 was steep.

But the near mint vinyl original does sound pretty sweet sonically. The CD remastered releases adds 23 minutes of music to the album from Grachan Moncur III.  Most people who can't get past the abrasive sound within free jazz, can't get to a point where they hear the blues. I know I hear it.

When I hear Albert Ayler I hear a return to the basics, a sound that goes way back to the fields possibly. Funny how the new thing sounds in many ways like the old thing.

John Coltrane: Kulu Se Mama, 1967 Vinyl on Impulse Records

John Coltrane's Kulu Se Mama is one of those later period Coltrane albums that really seems to draw a line between the critics.

 Many would not accept anything after A Love Supreme, and frankly I don't think they could get past anything with an over blow or atonal sound.

Actually Kulu Se Mama turns out to be a bit of a world music album along with some fine free elements.

The title track composed by the vocalist Juno Lewis is the meat of the album and happens to be one of the first Coltrane tracks the caught my ear. The pulsating, and droning percussion of Lewis, and eventually the wild sax of Coltrane and Pharoah Sanders drives this music to very exhilarating heights.

The title track sounds modern and contemporary by today's standards, the world music vibes would fit right in on a college student's iPod.

The other 2 tracks on the original Impulse vinyl are "Vigil" and "Welcome", they are classic quartet tracks, and show the quartet pushing the boundaries of inside outside jazz.


The pictured vinyl record is an original stereo copy, and sounds so good, I spun this one twice.

 These original Impulse albums are rising fast in price, this copy in top condition will set you back 75-100 bucks, second pressings though can be had at very reasonable prices.

I was lucky enough to find this copy to add to my own collection at a local Cincinnati record shop several years ago. near mint vinyl for 15 bucks sure was a welcome deal.

John Coltrane: Live! at the Village Vanguard (1962)

One of the things that fascinate me the most when writing about modern jazz, is reexamining the music and comparing my initial reaction upon my own discovery of the music, with that of the critical and fan reaction at the time of its original release.

I remember it well, the first time I heard "Chasin' the Train" from Live! At the Village Van Guard: I was breathless, and I really didn't know what to make of it.

You have to understand, back in the late 90's  I was mainly into hard rock and heavy metal type music, I had no exposure to jazz before 1997 at all .

Ironically I considered "Chasin the Trane" to be free jazz back then, yeah, that's a riot now thinking back to that time period, I had not yet been exposed to Ascension, Coleman's Free Jazz, or even worse Peter Brotzmann's Machine Gunn!

The latter probably being the most brutal and wonderful assault to my ears of all time.

Not long after I heard the 15 minute "Chasin the Train" I went out and purchased to 4 CD Village Van guard box set, with the complete 4 day engagement.

 Reading the original reviews I so blown away at the negative response of the music.

 I think critics really could take the atonal sound of Eric Dolphy, plus this music is modal and somewhat free wheeling, but not at all bizarre or completely over the top.

Why did the critics like John Tynan say this music was "anti jazz"? That is a total stupid statement, maybe it was anti bop, or anti museum music, but the music then and now captures the most important facets of jazz, or just good music in general.

Coltrane's  Live! explores, it stretches the boundaries, it takes risks, while still being accessible. I really don't understand the complaint back then.

I understand that Coltrane and Dolphy actually answered the critics in a Down Beat magazine article as well, I would have told then shove it.

 No wonder Miles had such a hard time by the end of the decade.

 I for one am glad these artists did not care what the critics thought ultimately.

 Some of these guys nearly starved to death trying to play what their heart desired rather than succumbing to critical or peer pressure.

If you have the will to, you really should get the 4 CD Village Vanguard box set, multiple takes of "Chasin' the Train", "Spiritual", and India are all extremely exciting and interesting to hear Jazz music being created for the first time right on the spot, Eric Dolphy plays the bass clarinet in a way no one did at that time, Dolphy was so ahead of his time, I think it took 20 years after his death for fans and critics to get his message.

The Vinyl copy on display is from my own collection, a late 60's or early 70 press.(Notice the ABC records labeling?) for some unknown reason I still see a ton of eBay sellers trying to pass this label off as an original pressing.

 Clearly this label is a second or third press, as all  Impulse Records  releases of John Coltrane prior to 1968 on Impulse will not have the ABC next to Impulse on the label. Yet the deception inadvertent or not, is clearly still a problem. It's a shame.

Impulse original pressings are really rising fast right now, it won't be long before those start rising to the Blue Note stratosphere, it might not be a bad idea to get them now while you still can at decent prices.

John Coltrane's Posthumously Released Masterpiece Interstellar Space: (1974)

Interstellar Space is a fascinating set of duet recordings between John Coltrane and drummer Rashied Ali that were released 7 years after Coltrane's death in 1974.

What really makes these recordings so valuable is Coltrane's modern technique on tenor, and Ali's drums for that matter. This is music that 45 years later still sound like it was recorded 100 years into the future.

Since I am not a saxophonist nor a drummer, I can only judge this music by the mood it evokes. Interstellar Space is easily one of the most stirring jazz recordings I have ever heard.

 Coltrane's playing is from another world, perhaps John was in touch with the forces that would soon claim him, as he would be gone but a few months later? I still have no idea how drummer Ali was able to go toe to toe on this music with Trane.

I get the feeling when listening to the sheer earnestness of the playing that Coltrane had no where else to go, I listen to this music, and I say, how could you advance this music beyond where you are? Could the tenor sax be pushed beyond this music?

Had Coltrane lived, it would have been interesting to see what he was playing during the 70's, would he have gone the rock fusion route? Imagine if Trane and Miles Davis got together on those Osaka Japan concerts from 1975? Maybe he could have played soprano in a fusion band?

I know guys like David Murray, Anthony Braxton, and David S. Ware have developed this style and reworked it inside out, but have they advanced it?

Is interstellar Space my favorite Trane album? Well,  I have really grown to love it over the years. I would say A love Supreme, Giant Steps, Ascension, and Africa Brass are my favorite Studio Albums along with Interstellar space. The Village Vanguard live sessions are right there as well, but nothing in all of Coltrane's discography quite sounds like this album.

Hyperbole aside, I realize there are those that just can't get past the atonal sounds and really couldn't grasp the "over blowing" as the detractors will say. Believe me, there is much more to this music than that, any saxophonist or drummer needs to hear this album, if only for the virtuoso playing.

When Interstellar Space was originally released in 1974, "Leo" and "Jupiter Variation" were not apart of the record. Those 2 tracks were released in 1978 as the album Jupiter Variation.

Personally I believe the 2000 CD release to be the best remastering I have heard, and all of the music is in one Place too.

I still think the vinyl has a warmer sound, especially Coltrane, but the bass drum from Ali is less Muddy and the overall sound is pretty crisp, I would say that 2000 CD and 74' vinyl is a push.

In closing, I truly believe this recording is one of Coltrane's masterpieces. I wonder if Rashied Ali had a sense of satisfaction that he matched wits with the master on his last great recording? That fact, that he did stand toe to toe with Trane is the real secret of Interstellar Space.

John Coltrane/ Alice Coltrane: Cosmic Music.

Cosmic Music is an album that is seriously overlooked in the Coltrane catalog, mainly because of the Alice Coltrane and John Coltrane divide of the album.

After all, we are talking about just over 20 minutes of John, and the other 14 minutes or so, his wife Alice's first 2 recordings laid to tape at Impulse.

I can't find anything wrong with the 2 Alice tracks, "Lord Help Me Be" and "The Sun" these tracks were issued as bonus tracks for her Impulse album Monastic Trio reissue.

 The 2 longer John Coltrane tracks are "Reverend King" and "Manifestation".

 These tracks were recorded right after the departure of McCoy Tyner and Elvin Jones, and have the freer style. Drummer Rashied Ali is an all together different drummer than Elvin Jones, Ali's not as powerful, but he shades and accents in different ways, he is more subtle than Jones.

Alice is an underrated player, very bluesy, and I am talking about a stripped down Otis Spann piano Blues. Tyner was a Bud Powell disciple, I don't hear an ounce of Bud Powell in Alice's playing.

Sometimes I feel Jazz, and John Coltrane fans in particular have a Yoko Ono complex about Alice, (As if Alice broke up the classic quartet or something?)

 Many denigrate her work with Impulse and Warner Brothers, this is unfortunate of course, as every damn one of her impulses, and most of the other Warner Brothers albums are not only worth a listen, a few are stone classics....see Ptah The El Daoud and Joe Henderson's The Elements for proof. She basically invented the sub-genre of astral jazz.

Alice's brand of astral jazz, or space jazz if you will, is a unique sound, that combines many

Eastern styles along with blues and African music. The 2 John Coltrane tracks are a real forerunner to that style, a looser free jazz style with a Modal back drop.

The music is both relaxing and stirring at the same time. For me, that is a hallmark of the so called space/astral jazz.

 Tenor man Pharoah Sanders has made a living out of this style of music, Sanders also plays on Cosmic Music, He also delivers his first recorded piccolo solo on "Manifestation".

There has been plenty of confusion with the John Coltrane tracks on Cosmic Music: Rumors have persisted that these are abbreviated performance, and 15 to 20 minutes could be out there somewhere?

 I have a vinyl copy (pictured), and the entire length is only about 34 minutes, finally a new reissue is available with a tad cleaner sound, especially on bass, it's less muddy now.

 

John Coltrane: A Love Supreme (1965)

Volumes have been written about John Coltrane's religious inspired masterpiece A Love Supreme. Even more amazing how many records this actually sold, this is certainly not a smooth jazz record.

If someone new to jazz asks where to start with John Coltrane, A Love Supreme would NOT be it. Yet it is widely considered the second or third greatest recording in jazz history, right behind Miles Davis' 1959 masterpiece Kind of Blue.

I remember the first time I was exposed to this glorious music, it was the first movement "Acknowledgement" and it was on the Ken Burns Jazz John Coltrane Sampler, I had been exposed to Miles Davis earlier in mid 90's.

I did not develop a serious love for the jazz until after that year 2000 Burns documentary. As flawed as Burns' warped view of jazz was, I do owe him a debt for setting up a preamble of jazz history for me. I had to go out and find the avant-garde and jazz rock on my own.

After that Burn's documentary I was hooked, and have devoured the music inside and out, almost all styles and genres, with nothing taboo for me, a shame Burns didn't do a better job including all of the jazz styles after 1960.

I am fortunate, early on I acquired the taste for free jazz and the avant-garde, A Love Supreme skirts the boundaries of this style to virgin ears, but to seasoned ears, it's an earnest and melodic piece that can inspire you.

A Love Supreme is only 33 minutes long, but seems to be the perfect length, not a wasted note in sight. As mentioned, Coltrane really pushes the free jazz envelope with his tone in spots, never goes across that line though.

That Ken Burns Coltrane sampler really is heck of a CD, "Chaisin' the Trane is on there too, from the Live Village Vanguard album. I wore that disc out that first few months.  In fact they did a killer job on most of those samplers.

 Some newbies might get turned off at the intonation on A Love Supreme, and a few times his note embellishments are over blown, this might make a swing era aficionado cringe. If you dig it, you might be ready for Free Jazz in general.

A love Supreme begins with the now famous "ringing gong shot" then saxophone fan fare, then settles into a basic 4 note modal bass groove, a love su preme, a love su preme, etc... then Trane himself recites the mantra "A Love Supreme".

"Resolution," which is my favorite track, starts with a Jimmy Garrison setting the tone, then Coltrane explodes into the track, I still get the same thrill each time hearing the startling way Coltrane enters Resolution. The soloing on Resolution reminds me of the soloing on Coltrane's 1960 masterpiece Giant Steps, especially tracks like "Cousin Mary" and Mr.P.C.

The third movement, "Pursuance" starts with a small drum solo from Elvin Jones, and then a pretty spirited ride from the quartet. Then Jimmy Garrison offers a nice varied bass solo leading up to the final movement of the suite.

"Psalm" is a recitation by Trane of a wordless poem he wrote to honor God.

When you consider that by 1970, A Love Supreme had sold more than 500,000 copies, about 20 times the usual total for a Coltrane album, speaks awfully loud for what this album meant to the general public.

 Even more amazing to me about that high sales total, this music is not like Miles Davis' Kind of Blue, which is an easy listening sort of a modern jazz album. I mean

 A Love Supreme is not easy listening at all, it is challenging, and demands your attention, again, not easily understood for some one not used to atonal sounds.

 I think the length of the suite is perfect, you never feel it's too long or monotonous, it really is the perfect modern jazz album.

A Love Supreme sold 500,000 records by 1970. An album that skirts the edges of free jazz, and certainly is not as easy to digest,

The album has long since gained multi platinum  status, if you ever wondered about the supernatural element of the music, the fact that an album so non commercial could sell this well, seems most astounding to me, surely an act of God.

To say A Love Supreme belongs in every modern jazz collection is an obvious understatement.

John Coltrane: Coltrane Plays the Blues. (1962)

Coltrane Plays the Blues is one of those albums that takes a bit to warm too, it always sounded like wood shedding to me, then I found out that this session was really only outtakes from the My Favorite Things session.

This music was not released until nearly 2 years after it was laid to tape. The fact is, Coltrane was already working for Impulse, and had no say what-so-ever in this music be released, I wonder if he approved?

Well no matter, the music is better than just quite good, it's also fascinating. I really like hearing Coltrane in the working process, you can hear sort of a Village Vanguard vibe on a few tracks.

Trane is letting loose a bit, "Blues to Bechet" and "Blues to You" especially, with the latter sounding like Chasin' the Trane. Coltrane doesn't do any real over blowing here, but the music is quite free, but not avant-garde.

The Soprano on "Bechet" is cool, because you can hear the development, understanding history, you know where it will lead, especially the live 40 minute renditions of My Favorite things from Japan and Seattle.

Side 2 is a little different, here we have tight compositions with some very tasty McCoy Tyner Piano and Elvin Jones drum work, But Steve Davis is on Bass and not Jimmy Garrison, and Coltrane is definitely into his modal groove.

The blues Motifs really allow him to search for something, maybe something unattainable in the end, Coltrane sure tried like hell to find it, no saxophonist even comes close to the sheer determination that Coltrane had in his playing.

"Mr. Symms"  has an "Alabama" vibe, the bridge lightens the mood, then it turns into a nice bubbly blues. When you listen to jazz long enough, especially when you listen to an artists entire body of work, you begin to put the pieces together.

 Go back to Miles' the Prestige years, then listen to these Atlantic sessions before the Impulses, they are all blues, Trane never left the blues, even Ascension is sort of a free blues. Think about it, that blues scale, it's there!

The final track Mr. Knight is also a nice little blues that I swear reminds me of "Acknowledgement" from A love Supreme. listen to him, he's playing it over top that blues groove.

Almost all of Coltrane's Impulse masterpieces are rooted in this forgotten Atlantic Jazz masterpiece in my opinion. You should check out Coltrane Plays the Blues again.

This pictured vinyl copy is from my own collection, and this early 60's Stereo pressing really sounds fantastic, some of the Atlantic sessions can be a little dry sound stage wise, but this copy sounded great.