John Coltrane Quartet.
John Coltrane had become a star in the Miles Davis’ bands in the 50s. Listeners, even Miles, sometimes “complained that Coltrane played too much for too long. But it was the long, feverish solos that became the pillars of Coltrane’s legacy.” As a young guy on college radio I embraced this stuff without truly loving it all that much.
Ballads changed all that for me and thousands of other listeners. Signed to a new label, Impulse Records, his producers successfully showcased Coltrane as the revolutionary firebrand while holding on to the straight jazzers who came along from Miles. I know it worked like crazy for me.
Romantic, even ecstatic, this 1962 album introduced me to classic jazz in the most perfect way. Coltrane shows his complete mastery of the form, in the guise of a beautiful song, played very straight without a ton of obvious improvisation. Every track is worthwhile, but the one here composed by Jimmy McHugh is my fave.
John Coltrane: tenor saxophone
McCoy Tyner: piano
Jimmy Garrison: bass
Elvin Jones: drums
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On May 25th, 2006 at 12:00 am
Nice track. I like is so much better than yesterdays Tony Williams track. I found that to be a little too chaotic and cacophonous. Is there anyway you could post these as MP3’s so I can add them to my collection or is this a legal no-no?
On May 25th, 2006 at 12:00 am
Manny, if you use QuickTime Pro you can download the track after it loads. And I’m sorry that your delicate constitution was arounsed by TTWL.
On May 25th, 2006 at 12:00 am
I am a little frail in the morning. However, I was playing Tony again around lunchtime and I like it much better the second time around. DOWNLOADED!
On May 25th, 2006 at 12:00 am
Manny, as I suspected, you’re a better man than moi. It took me at least six months to listen to that track all the way through without going insane.
On May 27th, 2006 at 12:00 am
Too much to say in this small space, but I wanted you to know I am keeping up on the music site but otherwise am a bit out of it. Will find you via some more direct communication media in the near future.
Re the jazz area - I don’t know some of your picks and am curious about them - will need to spend a bit of time with listening. Will Carla Bley make your list? I would post something from “Escalator over the hill”, but someone stole my vinyl copy many years ago and I don’t have anything digital. I continue to vote for Joe Zawinal, but I know I need to get something of his myself since my memory is that you are not really a fan. I still need a lesson so that I can post tracks…
On an irrelevant pop-music note… Decided to get the Dixie Chicks CD “Taking the Long Way” based only on the fact that every media outlet I saw said that they were committing commercial suicide by rubbing Bush’s nose in the dirt. Never really listened to them before but I like this CD. Somehow seemed important to support them, considering that their “base” is apparently actively rejecting them. Other views???
Also got “The Best of Miss Peggy Lee” for no particular reason. I guess I just like music….
Later
xxoo
K
On May 31st, 2006 at 12:00 am
This record…. I love saxophone ballads. Don’t get to play them much anymore. Knowing that I’d worn out 2 copies on vinyl, a mutual friend brought me “Ballads” on CD. I learn something new about the saxophone every time I listen to Coltrane’s playing. But this record…every track. It’s been the soundtrack to every romantic moment I’ve ever experienced. Either on the turntable or just in my head. If this doesn’t melt you…
On July 16th, 2006 at 12:00 am
I love the album, and especially that track. I heard Karrin Allyson’s version of it driving home one night, and it was so pretty I thought I was going to have to pull over until I stopped crying!