Coltrane

by John Coltrane Quartet, John Coltrane

Overview

Considered by many to be his finest single album, Coltrane finds John Coltrane displaying all of the exciting elements that sparked brilliance and allowed his fully formed instrumental voice to shine through in the most illuminating manner. On tenor saxophone, he's simply masterful, offering the burgeoning sheets of sound philosophy into endless weavings of melodic and tuneful displays of inventive, thoughtful, driven phrases. Coltrane also plays a bit of soprano saxophone as a primer for his more exploratory work to follow. Meanwhile, bassist Jimmy Garrison, drummer Elvin Jones, and especially the stellar McCoy Tyner have integrated their passionate dynamics into the inner whole of the quartet. The result is a most focused effort, a relatively popular session to both his fans or latecomers, with five selections that are brilliantly conceived and rendered. "Out of This World," at over 14 minutes in modal trim, is a powerful statement, stretched over Tyner's marvelous and deft chords, the churning rhythms conjured by Jones, and the vocal style Coltrane utilizes as he circles the wagons on this classic melody, including a nifty key change. "Tunji" is a mysterious, easily rendered piece in 4/4 which speaks to the spiritual path Coltrane tred, a bit riled up at times while Tyner remains serene. Hard bop is still in the back of their collective minds during "Miles' Mode," a sliver of a melody that jumps into jam mode in a free-for-all blowing session, while the converse is to be found in Mal Waldron's "Soul Eyes," the quintessential ballad and impressive here for the way Coltrane's holds notes, emotion, and expressive intellectuality. On soprano you can tell Coltrane is close to taking complete control of his newly found voicings, as a playful, jaunty "The Inch Worm" in 3/4 time is only slightly strained, but in which he finds complete communion with the others. Even more than any platitudes one can heap on this extraordinary recording, it historically falls between the albums Ole Coltrane and Impressions -- completing a triad of studio efforts that are as definitive as anything Coltrane ever produced, and highly representative of him in his prime. ~ Michael G. Nastos

Product Details

Release Date:	06/03/1997
Label:	Grp / Impulse!
UPC:	0011105021517

Tracks

1. Out of This World
2. Soul Eyes
3. The Inch Worm
4. Tunji
5. Miles' Mode
6. Big Nick
7. Up 'Gainst the Wall

Album Credits

Performance Credits

John Coltrane Quartet   Primary Artist
John Coltrane   Primary Artist,Sax (Tenor),Sax (Soprano)
Elvin Jones   Drums
Jimmy Garrison   Bass
McCoy Tyner   Piano

Technical Credits

Frank Loesser   Composer
Harold Arlen   Composer
Bob Thiele   Producer
John Coltrane   Composer
Erick Labson   Digital Remastering
Johnny Mercer   Composer
Rudy Van Gelder   Engineer
Michael Cuscuna   Liner Notes,Reissue Producer
Mal Waldron   Composer
Jimmy McHugh   Composer
McCoy Tyner   Composer
Lee Tanner   Photography
Kwame Brathwaite   Photography
Hollis King   Art Direction
Pete Turner   Photography
Christine Lee   Graphic Design