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JOHN COLTRANE - Giant Steps
Atlantic 1311 (vinyl) John Coltrane (tenor); Tommy Flanagan, Cedar Walton, Wynton Kelly (piano); Paul Chambers (bass); Art Taylor, Jimmy Cobb, Lex Humphries (drums) Recorded 4/5 May & 2 December 1959 MILT JACKSON & JOHN COLTRANE - Bags & Trane Atlantic 1368 (vinyl) John Coltane (tenor); Milt Jackson (vibes); Hank Jone (piano); Paul Chambers (bass); Connie Kay (drums) Recorded January 15, 1959 JOHN COLTRANE - Olé Coltrane Atlantic 1378 (vinyl) John Coltrane (tenor & soprano) George Lane (aka Eric Dolphy - flute & alto) Freddie Hubbard (trumpet); McCoy Tyner (piano); Reggie Workman, Art Davis (bass); Elvin Jones (drums) Recorded May 25, 1060 JOHN COLTRANE - Coltrane Plays the Blues Atlantic 1382(vinyl) John Coltrane (tenor & soprano); McCoy Tyner (piano); Steve Davis (bass) Elvin Jones (drums) Recorded October 24, 1960 JOHN COLTRANE WITH DON CHERRY - The Avant-Garde Atlantic 1451 (vinyl) John Coltrane (tenor & soprano); Don Cherry (co-leader, trumpet), Charlie Haden, Percy Heath (bass); Ed Blackwell (drums) Recorded June 28 & July 8, 1960 To coincide with the fiftieth anniversary of the passing of arguably the most influential saxophonist in jazz, Warner have released no less than five of the albums the saxophonist recorded for Atlantic Records on vinyl and in their original mono format. All the albums have been in print for many years in stereo reissues on silver disc, and all the above are available on a single box set, The Atlantic Years - In Mono, however it is great to have these back in circulation on LP and for many it will be interesting to compare the sound of the original mono recordings with their stereo editions as there is now a common consensus that mono recording give a more integrated and natural sound. A more fly-on-the-wall sound as would have been heard in the studio perhaps. Also these recording capture Coltrane at an interesting juncture of his career. on the cusp of leaving Miles Davis with whom he had been indelibly associated for nearly five years, and who had chastised, encouraged and famously fired Trane in order to bring the tenor man's playing to the full potential that he had championed against the advice of others; and as Coltrane having found his own voice was now exploring the ideal context in which to express it fully. Hindsight is always a wonderful thing, and whilst the liner notes to the individual albums by Nat Hentoff, Ralph J. Gleason and A.B. Spellman, et al all espouse the virtues of the LP in question, it is obvious looking back that these are in general no more than transitionary recordings that link Coltrane's tenure with Davis to his own masterpieces recorded for Impulse! a few short years later. Coupled with a blatant attempt by the record label to introduce the saxophonist to a more mainstream audience on Bags & Trane (break them in gently so to speak) and some experiments with personnel and form on Olé Coltrane and The Avant-Garde. Of the five albums it is undoubtedly Giant Steps that is the most important both historically and from a personal stand point for Coltrane. All the compositions are his own, all are now firmly established in the standard repertoire, all though the title track would have sounded a lot less orthodox and unfamiliar at it's time of release in 1960. Indeed with its somewhat unique harmonic progression and Coltrane startling opening solo, it still catches out many an unwary listener and remains a marvel to those familiar with the music. The following track 'Cousin Mary' is no less intense, and one of Coltrane's most beautiful compositions 'Naima' is unveiled for the for the first time with Trane reigning things in a utilising an exquisite and yet sonically consistent sound in his reading of the tune named after his (then) wife.. A cursory look at the album listing at the top of this review will quickly reveal that the albums were not released in chronological order, and may have proved confusing to listeners at the time, not quite sure what to expect and this proves to be the case with the follow up. Coming after his first major statement as leader, Bags & Trane is remarkaly tame and can be seen as an attempt by Atlantic to temper Coltrane's image and sound. It must be said that after Giant Steps that much of this album, albeit being a swinging and enjoyable set, it does come across as very tame. With no original compositions this time out from the tenorist, there is a tendency to play through the chord sequence of the piece as apposed to really getting stuck in. Having said that there is some blistering saxophone playing on Dizzy Gillespie's 'Be-Bop'. |
Quite a departure is the next LP in the sequence, Olé Coltrane which introduces us to a larger line-up with a three horn front line with Freddie Hubbard on trumpet and multi instrumentalist Eric Dolphy who appears as George Lane for contractual reasons. Interestingly it would be Dolphy that Coltrane would go on to form a fruitful partnership, as Dolphy would play a strong supporting re in the seminal Africa/Brass album and also become a regular member of Coltrane's working band. The long opening track, 'Olé' has lightness of touch with the melody stated by soprano saxophone and flute, and then on the first two solos. A fascinating performance with Coltrane's soprano revealing a potency that incredibly Dolphy manages to mirror on flute. Interest is maintained on this long number, that occupies all of side one of the LP coming in at just over eighteen minutes in the work of the rhythm section. Unusual in that it has two bass players (an experiment Coltrane would go on to explore again later the last few years of his life), the real meat and drink is hearing how McCoy Tyner and Elvin Jones especially are finding their place in the music, and elevating the music in the process.. Nothing else on the album quite hits the same level of intensity, although it is interesting to hear Dolphy cut loose on alto on 'Dahomey Dance', and how Trane and the rhythm section would go on to handle a ballad on 'Aisha'. A fine album that it is perhaps all too easy to overlook, and for my money containing a soprano solo on the opener to rival the saxophonist's efforts on 'My Favourite Things'.
Returning to a more familiar quartet format, Coltrane Plays The Blues places the music firmly within a tradition that is instantly identifiable to a wider range of listeners. However, unlike the earlier
set Bags & Trane there are no standards and all the material is written by the saxophonist. Also, like it's predecessor it features McCoy Tyner and Elvin Jones, although it would be a while yet before bassist Jimmy Garrison would join them to form the Classic Quartet that would lead to some of Coltrane's most enduring work, with Steve Davis on bass duties; and continues to cement the relationship between the leader and his rhythm section that was so crucial to the astonishing music that would follow in the remaining years left to Trane.
In this set the saxophonist, for the first time since Giant Steps is able to state that this is emphatically his sound, his music, and how it relates directly to the tradition that went before him; and perhaps should have proved a good place to silence some of his sternest critics of the time, of which there were still many. Listening to this music again, it is easy to look beyond the period he spent with Miles and back to his earlier days in the music playing in the band of Johnny Hodges in the early fifties, and his acknowledgement and admiration for past master Sidney Bechet on another fine soprano outing. Equally fine is the superb 'Mr. Day', and I defy anyone to listen to Trane's solo, that references lessons learned and also hints at things to come, and hear phrases that have cropped up past performances and those yet to be recorded. This again is essential listening, along with Coltrane's Sound and Coltrane Jazz for anyone interested in this period (or any other) of the saxophonist's career.
Perhaps the strangest of all the Atlantic sessions is the last in the series, that was recorded mid 1960 but remained in the vaults until 1966, and finds Coltrane playing with the Ornette Coleman Quartet sans Ornette. Playing not his own compositions, but three by Coleman and one by trumpeter Don Cherry with no harmonic support from piano (a format that Coltrane would never feel entirely comfortable with or explore in any great detail) Coltrane sounds like he is sitting in on his own date. In familiar surrounding with tunes he knows and colleagues he is equally at home with, Cherry shines and relishes the situation. His relationship with drummer, Ed Blackwell is of much interest and hints at a similar relationship that was evolving between Trane and Elvin Jones (and sometime later with Rashied Ali). Coltrane plays like nobody else but himself, and that is perhaps the problem. The material was not suitable for the extended solos he was interested in, and the lack of harmonic support left his solos without an anchor; and only on 'Bemsha Swing' written by his former mentor Thelonious Monk does the tenor saxophonist seem to have anything decisive to say and the harmonic framework inherent in the tune to hang his solo on. At this stage in Coltrane's development it seems a strange choice to pitch the saxophonist in this setting as he has made so much progress in leading his own quartet with musicians sympathetic to his needs, and able to provide the sometimes turbulent accompaniment needed to lift Coltrane to that higher plane that he continually sort.
Reviewed by Nick Lea
Returning to a more familiar quartet format, Coltrane Plays The Blues places the music firmly within a tradition that is instantly identifiable to a wider range of listeners. However, unlike the earlier
set Bags & Trane there are no standards and all the material is written by the saxophonist. Also, like it's predecessor it features McCoy Tyner and Elvin Jones, although it would be a while yet before bassist Jimmy Garrison would join them to form the Classic Quartet that would lead to some of Coltrane's most enduring work, with Steve Davis on bass duties; and continues to cement the relationship between the leader and his rhythm section that was so crucial to the astonishing music that would follow in the remaining years left to Trane.
In this set the saxophonist, for the first time since Giant Steps is able to state that this is emphatically his sound, his music, and how it relates directly to the tradition that went before him; and perhaps should have proved a good place to silence some of his sternest critics of the time, of which there were still many. Listening to this music again, it is easy to look beyond the period he spent with Miles and back to his earlier days in the music playing in the band of Johnny Hodges in the early fifties, and his acknowledgement and admiration for past master Sidney Bechet on another fine soprano outing. Equally fine is the superb 'Mr. Day', and I defy anyone to listen to Trane's solo, that references lessons learned and also hints at things to come, and hear phrases that have cropped up past performances and those yet to be recorded. This again is essential listening, along with Coltrane's Sound and Coltrane Jazz for anyone interested in this period (or any other) of the saxophonist's career.
Perhaps the strangest of all the Atlantic sessions is the last in the series, that was recorded mid 1960 but remained in the vaults until 1966, and finds Coltrane playing with the Ornette Coleman Quartet sans Ornette. Playing not his own compositions, but three by Coleman and one by trumpeter Don Cherry with no harmonic support from piano (a format that Coltrane would never feel entirely comfortable with or explore in any great detail) Coltrane sounds like he is sitting in on his own date. In familiar surrounding with tunes he knows and colleagues he is equally at home with, Cherry shines and relishes the situation. His relationship with drummer, Ed Blackwell is of much interest and hints at a similar relationship that was evolving between Trane and Elvin Jones (and sometime later with Rashied Ali). Coltrane plays like nobody else but himself, and that is perhaps the problem. The material was not suitable for the extended solos he was interested in, and the lack of harmonic support left his solos without an anchor; and only on 'Bemsha Swing' written by his former mentor Thelonious Monk does the tenor saxophonist seem to have anything decisive to say and the harmonic framework inherent in the tune to hang his solo on. At this stage in Coltrane's development it seems a strange choice to pitch the saxophonist in this setting as he has made so much progress in leading his own quartet with musicians sympathetic to his needs, and able to provide the sometimes turbulent accompaniment needed to lift Coltrane to that higher plane that he continually sort.
Reviewed by Nick Lea
