John Coltrane

Still chasin' Trane. Happy birthday.

Alice Coltrane, "Something About John Coltrane" Journey In Satchidananda (1970)

Alice Coltrane — harp, piano
Pharoah Sanders — soprano saxophone, percussion
Cecil McBee — bass
Tulsi — tambura
Rashied Ali — drums
Majid Shabazz — bells, tambourine

https://youtu.be/f5EoZsaiS9U

>> had this playing earlier, john in belgium with the quartet in 1965.

One of the greatest documents of live playing of all time, imo

>> newport jazz fest in 1966.

Another amazing document. I think that might be the performance that produced New Thing with Archie Shepp, but I'm not sure.

Only know live performance of "A Love Supreme":

Live at Festival de Jazz de Antibes 1965-07-26
https://youtu.be/RlrQZc3h13E

Rather than go full-bore post-bop spatial madness, I started with something a little less challenging.

Spinning:

Thelonious Monk With John Coltrane
https://youtu.be/dD51O1j4NAg

Thelonious Monk — piano
John Coltrane — tenor saxophone
Ray Copeland — trumpet on "Off Minor" and "Epistrophy"
Gigi Gryce — alto saxophone on "Off Minor" and "Epistrophy"
Coleman Hawkins — tenor saxophone on "Off Minor" and "Epistrophy"
Wilbur Ware — bass
Shadow Wilson — drums on "Ruby, My Dear", "Trinkle, Tinkle" and "Nutty"
Art Blakey — drums on "Off Minor" and "Epistrophy"

The natural extention of that is this amazing live document (the commercial release is outstanding):

Thelonious Monk Quartet (with John Coltrane) - At Carnegie Hall
https://youtu.be/v74rRYBbSJc

Next: Olé Coltrane
 

John Coltrane — soprano saxophone on "Olé" and "To Her Ladyship"; tenor saxophone on "Dahomey Dance" and "Aisha"
Freddie Hubbard — trumpet
Eric Dolphy — flute on "Olé" and "To Her Ladyship"; alto saxophone on "Dahomey Dance" and "Aisha" (credited as "George Lane" due to contractual obligations)
McCoy Tyner — piano
Reggie Workman — bass on "Olé," "Dahomey Dance" and "Aisha"
Art Davis — bass on "Olé," "Dahomey Dance" and "To Her Ladyship"
Elvin Jones — drums

https://youtu.be/wr5BotYA3U8

Probably my favorite Coltrane record.

Alice Coltrane, "Sri Rama Ohnedaruth" Lord Of Lords (1973)

Alice Coltrane – Harp, Organ, Percussion, Piano, Timpani
Charlie Haden – Bass
Ben Riley – Drums, Percussion
with a large string
orchestra arranged and
conducted by Alice Coltrane

https://youtu.be/BmDQRx3TRqw

Picked this one up yesterday, Impressions:

John Coltrane – soprano and tenor saxophone
McCoy Tyner – piano (exc. track 2) Jimmy Garrison – double bass
Elvin Jones – drums (exc. tracks 4)
Roy Haynes – drums (tracks 4)
Eric Dolphy – bass clarinet, alto sax (tracks 1 and 3)
Reggie Workman – double bass (tracks 1 and 3)

https://youtu.be/46DTEse9_bo

Pretty outstanding. The last track, "After the Rain," is particularly beautiful.

This is Pharoah Sanders' spin on it, taken as a duet with pianist Joe Bonner:

"After the Rain"
https://youtu.be/rPkpubkbppE

Pharoah Sanders is about to begin a five night residency at Birdland in NYC, one of only a handful of concerts he has scheduled for the rest of the year:
http://vivalazone.org/other-stuff/ready-or-not-here-comes-pharoah-sander...

Following the death of her husband, Alice Coltrane continued to expand upon the spiritual direction that his compositions had pointed towards. She frequently collaborated with other, similarly minded artists working not only within the realms of free jazz, but also within those spaces where the "new sound" (of the avant garde of jazz), Eastern philosophy and modal musical patterns (specifically Indian classical and North African folk musics), and even chamber musics could intersect. 

While the work of Pharoah Sanders on albums like Journey In Satchidananda and A Monastic Trio remains groundbreaking, wildly inventive, and constantly teetering between exhiliarating and openly provocative, the introduction of Joe Henderson into the cosmic worlds of the Coltrane legacy (beginning with Ptah, the El Daoud) are perhaps even more resounding to me (specifically within that context, as I love Pharoah's work and it would be impossible for me to judge in some kind of ridiculous objective manner).

Joe Henderson's The Elements represents a bedrock of that spiritual "out" sound, and the lineup on it (and the playing on it)is nothing short of brilliant:

Joe Henderson - tenor sax, flute, alto flute
Alice Coltrane - piano, harp, Tambura, harmonium
Charlie Haden - bass
Leon "Ndugu" Chancler - drums (1, 4)
Kenneth Nash - narrator (4), flute (3), congas, North African Sakara Drum, bells, gong, percussion
Baba Duru Oshun - percussion, Tabla
Michael White - violin

Joe Henderson, "Earth" The Elements (1974)
https://youtu.be/UpZJ_LQ4CFg

I'm going to give that 'Huntington Ashram Monastery another deep dive, good deal.

As to Alice getting far out of John's shadow, I can't recommend the Luaka Bop compilation 'The Ecstatic Music of Alice Coltrane' enough, if you haven't heard it. It's just straight up spiritual / devotional music she composed or played while living at the ashram, all the tracks sourced from private press tapes. The liner notes, photographs and just the whole production of the thing is beautiful. 

Right now I'm in the middle of negotiating a trade for Coltrane's 'Expression,' which I believe contains his last recording.

Great lineup on that title, Furious E. I'm going to have to scope it out. Just closed a deal on that copy of Expression, I'm really excited to hear that once it's come in.

Since I brought up the "deep dive" earlier, two great reads taking a "Deep Dive" into the Coltrane discography...

I heard this dude give a lecture about Coltrane possibly adapting the second theme of a piece by Morton Gould for his song "Impressions." Reading his article, the song's genesis becomes even more interesting (and since I just grabbed a nice copy of the album Impressions, I was fascinated). The audio links are sick, too:

Deep Dive with Lewis Porter: The Inspiration(s) Behind John Coltrane's "Impressions"
http://wbgo.org/post/deep-dive-lewis-porter-inspirations-behind-john-col...

This was a cool read as well, there's a nice mix of selections from better known albums (Live At Birdland, My Favorite Things) among some really lesser known live recordings, and less popular titles, like Africa/Brass. The writing is solid:

Coltrane’s Hidden Gems: A Seeker’s Guide
https://www.estheticlens.com/2017/09/27/coltranes-hidden-gems-a-seekers-...

That title by McCoy Tyner, Extensions, is really really rich. Wayne Shorter's playing on it is absolutely great. The drumming, too; Elvin Jones' style is absolutely unmistakeable. Quite a lineup.

Right now I'm giving this one a thorough listen, it almost sounds like they are dipping into the main theme of "A Love Supreme" during the take on "The Creator Has A Master Plan."

Pharoah Sanders live at the Festival de Jazz de Nice 1971-07-18

Pharoah Sanders - tenor sax
Lonnie Liston Smith - piano
Cecil McBee - bass
Jimmy Hopps - drums
Lawrence Killian - congas

http://bigozine2.com/roio/?p=3136

Oh man that is one crazy good performance. Such a clean recording, too, such fiery stuff. Can't recommend it enough.

>> "Giant Steps"

But of course.

>> "The Complete 1961 Village Vanguard Recordings" box set

The playing on that box set is outstanding but I've been diving into live recordings from 1963, a watershed year in that group's almost telepathic levels of interplay. These are two shows from Europe '63 that I've been playing:

John Coltrane Quartet live at Tivoli Koncertsal, Copenhagen DEN 1963-10-25 (recording info)
John Coltrane Quartet live at Liederhalle, Stuttgar (Part I) 1963-11-04 (recording info)
John Coltrane Quartet live at Liederhalle, Stuttgar (Part II) 1963-11-04 (recording info)

This morning, been spinning McCoy Tyner's Song For My Lady:

McCoy Tyner - piano, percussion
Sonny Fortune - alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, flute
Calvin Hill - bass
Alphonse Mouzon - drums
Michael White - violin (tracks 1 & 5)
Charles Tolliver - flugelhorn (tracks 1 & 5)
Mtume - congas, percussion (tracks 1 & 5)

https://youtu.be/9zHzSJyS7E0

Intending to get into some of the Ecstatic Music of Alice Coltrane Turiyasangitananda compilation later because, today, it 'just seems right.'

https://alicecoltrane.bandcamp.com/album/world-sprituality-classics-1-th...

I've been spinning nonstop Eugenius. Really ecstatic music.

Speaking of the ecstatic, and ecstatic music in particular, and this is only tangential, but the Village Vanguard's got a disgusting program coming up in November of various bands doing John Zorn's (I guess) newest (?) book of devotional / experimental / avant jazz / klezmer / modern chamber Masada music. All sorts of filthy lineups. No classic Electric Masada (which is to say no Marc Ribot) but some great bands like Cyro Baptista's  Banquet of the Spirits, and (this is huge) two sets of the Gnostic Trio. That will be some straight up heaven music.

Listened to this again today:

>> john in belgium with the quartet in 1965.

>> https://youtu.be/59pbGmckFE8

Wow really all of the programming at Vanguard is straight fire all through November.

Frisell's tour schedule, it's not listed on here but the Gnostic Trio sets are Tuesday, November 14 in NYC:

Fall Tours

October 7th
Urbana, IL
Krannert Center for the Arts
The Bad Plus Bill Frisell '85-'95

October 8th
Columbus, OH
Lincoln Theatre
The Bad Plus Bill Frisell '85-'95
 

October 9th
New York, NY
The Village Vanguard
The Bad Plus Bill Frisell '85-'95
 

October 9th
New York, NY
The Village Vanguard
The Bad Plus Bill Frisell '85-'95

October 10th
New York, NY
The Village Vanguard
The Bad Plus Bill Frisell '85-'95

October 11th
New York, NY
The Village Vanguard
The Bad Plus Bill Frisell '85-'95

October 12th
New York, NY
The Village Vanguard
The Bad Plus Bill Frisell '85-'95

October 13th
New York, NY
The Village Vanguard
The Bad Plus Bill Frisell '85-'95

October 14th
New York, NY
The Village Vanguard
The Bad Plus Bill Frisell '85-'95





October 17th
Durham, NC
Durham Fruit & Produce Company
JD Allen Trio with special guest Bill Frisell





October 19th
Boston, MA
Berklee Performance Center
Michael Gibbs Directs the Only Chome-Waterfall Orchestra featuring Gary Burton, Bill Frisell, Jim Odgren and the Berklee Concert Jazz Orchestra





October 20th
Portland, ME
Blue
Bill Frisell and Kenny Wollesen

October 21st
Portland, ME
Blue
Bill Frisell and Kenny Wollesen

October 22nd
Concord, MA
Umbrella Community Arts Center
Bill Frisell and Kenny Wollesen





November 2nd
Paris, France
Festival Jazz Sur Le Fil
Bill Frisell's Music For Strings featuring Jenny Scheinman, Eyvind Kang and Hank Roberts

November 3rd
Warsaw, Poland
Jazz Jamboree Warsaw at Studio Koncertowe Polskiego Radia
Bill Frisell's Music For Strings featuring Jenny Scheinman, Eyvind Kang and Hank Roberts

November 4th
Leeds, England
The Howard Assembly Room / Opera North
Bill Frisell's Music For Strings featuring Jenny Scheinman, Eyvind Kang and Hank Roberts

November 5th
Leuven, Belgium
30CC / Schouwburg
Bill Frisell's Music For Strings featuring Jenny Scheinman, Eyvind Kang and Hank Roberts

November 7th
Schaan, Liechtenstein
TAK Theater Liechtenstein
Bill Frisell's Music For Strings featuring Jenny Scheinman, Eyvind Kang and Hank Roberts

November 8th
Gent, Belgium
De Bijloke - Kraakhuis
Bill Frisell's Music For Strings featuring Jenny Scheinman, Eyvind Kang and Hank Roberts

November 9th
Milano, Italy
Teatro dell'Arte
Bill Frisell's Music For Strings featuring Jenny Scheinman, Eyvind Kang and Hank Roberts

November 10th
Den Bosch, Netherlands
Verkadefabriek
Bill Frisell's Music For Strings featuring Jenny Scheinman, Eyvind Kang and Hank Roberts

November 11th
Madrid, Spain
International Festival Jazz Madrid - Centro Cultural Conde Duque
Bill Frisell's Music For Strings featuring Jenny Scheinman, Eyvind Kang and Hank Roberts





November 17th
Santa Cruz, CA
Kuumbwa Jazz Center
Bill Frisell's Beautiful Dreamers featuring Eyvind Kang and Rudy Royston

November 18th
Berkeley, CA
The Freight and Salvage
Bill Frisell's Beautiful Dreamers featuring Eyvind Kang and Rudy Royston
 
November 19th
Santa Monica, CA
Moss Theater
Bill Frisell's Beautiful Dreamers featuring Eyvind Kang and Rudy Royston

The Michael Gibbs program at Berklee looks awesome, gonna look up some of his music since I just grabbed two front row tickets to that.
Also psyched for Frisell / Wolleson duo.

This group's take on Coltane's "Spiritual" is an interesting indication of how widespread the influence is:

Elkhorn, "Spiritual" The Black River (2017)

https://youtu.be/T9F-hcrPBrA

Here's an original version, on an Impulse! sampler called From the Original Master Tapes:

https://youtu.be/QaMwTZ2QZP0

This one sounds great. Sounds like Eric Dolphy is playing clarinet on the second solo. Probably the definitive version is from Coltrane "Live" at the Village Vanguard, and you get four full versions out of that box set that ChinaRider linked above.

From Eugenius' link to OpenCulture:

Expression

John Coltrane – tenor saxophone, flute
Pharoah Sanders – flute, piccolo, tambourine (#2 only)
Alice Coltrane – piano
Jimmy Garrison – bass
Rashied Ali – drums

https://youtu.be/7JDHvAm-od0

This LP came in the mail for me the other day in an exchange that I made with another collector. Although I intended to spin it over the weekend, I also wanted to wait until the twilight or even late evening before it went on the platter. Since I spent all day Saturday streaming new releases of downtown NYC jazz releases (I hope that Lance is aware of some of these players... David S Ware, William Parker, Hamid Drake, Craig Taborn) as well as some Chicago stuff I hadn't heard or needed to brush up on (Matthew Lux, Joshua Abrams), and then caught Pharoah Sanders that night... that wasn't in the cards.

Yesterday I went to an evangelical ministry service. First time I've ever done that: a friend married into a born again family, and although I love them and love seeing them, I think I'll have to skip the service and hit the reception next time. It could not have been more of an inverse and opposite spiritual experience as compared to seeing Pharoah Sanders just hours before. I really do not understand their trip. Massive throngs headed for the Lake Of Fire, indeed. Quite a contrast to the night before. Could have used the Coltrane after that spiritual nightmare, but I threw it on now.

So this is Coltrane's last album, the final session he approved for release before his death in 1967. The album lists the date of his birth and the date of his departure from the physical realm on its front cover. Within the gatefold are photos by Jim Marshall and others from the latter years of his career, including a striking inlay with the photograph that made the cover of A Love Supreme (as well as carefully chosen liner notes written by the great Nat Hentoff). The packaging is gorgeous.

As far as the playing, it's probably the most challenging I've heard from any of his work. This is with the latter-day band, in which McCoy Tyner and Elvin Jones left to be replaced by Alice and Rashied Ali. The addition of Pharoah Sanders leads to a blistering dual-saxophone attack. The track "Offering" features some of the most relentless, muscular playing I have ever heard on a Coltrane recording. It is pure, ethereal space. This is not your soothing, nighttime jazz; this is not The Gentle Side of John Coltrane. This is pure soul, some of the most consciously spiritual music he composed, and its influence – compositionally and aesthetically – really continues to show itself, not only in the work of some of those players I mentioned above from the NYC and Chicago scenes, but in players whose fields have little or no intersectionality with the jazz idiom. Players like Steve Gunn instantly come to mind, but certainly groups like Bardo Pond, Sunburned Hand of the Man, Yo La Tengo and Sonic Youth owe the improvisational spirit, if not the book and verse of its compositional structure, to the work of Coltrane.

In the end this is crucial stuff; an essential recording, whose compositional challenges to the listener and, in turn, their resolutions are not the most accessibile, or perhaps on the most banal surface level even the most satisfying. As a bookend to close one chapter in the legacy of a master of composition, a genius of creation, this is beyond satisfaction, yearning, or desire. Worth listening to, as well as worth being "ready" for.

Today is the 100th anniversary of the birth of Thelonious Monk.

I had an original version of this album, but it was pretty beat up and I let it go to a young collector just starting into LPs. One of my favorite records to spin, so I got ahold of an 80s reissue.

Thelonious Himself

Thelonious Monk – piano

John Coltrane and Wilbur Ware accompany Monk on the last track of the album "Monk's Mood":

https://youtu.be/bRqoaQrpdQA

This is beyond tempting:

Pharoah Sanders Deluxe Reissues Announced

Three Pharoah Sanders albums are getting the deluxe reissue treatment. On November 10, Anthology Recordings (the reissue arm of Mexican Summer) will offer new pressings of 1967’s Tauhid, 1969’s Jewels of Thought, and 1970’s Deaf Dumb Blind (Summun Kukmun Umyun). The albums are available individually or as a 3xLP set. The set also features a 16-page zine housed in an O-Card that was hand-assembled and screen-printed by Keegan Cooke. The label has also shared a website that features commentary on Sanders by the Dublab team. Caribou, Julia Holter, Sun Araw, Laraaji, Sudan Archives, and others wrote about Sanders’ influence, as well. There’s also a site full of quotes about Jewels of Thought. Hear selections from the collection below. (Pitchfork)

Notes on behalf of Mexican Summer / Anthology Records:

Pharoah Sanders is Spiritual Jazz, is Devotional Music, is the greatest living link between John Coltrane, Kamasi Washington, and the next generation of this great lineage. His Tenor Sound, his Singing Voice, his compositions, and his recordings have already stood the test of time, in his time, endured, ever-aged so finely, and have now (in my opinion) surpassed critique. Pharoah Sanders is a giant, an innovator, colorful, prayerful, and worthy of all our attention, celebration, and enthusiastic, even ecstatic accolades!

Pharoah, (born Farrell Sanders of Little Rock, Arkansas on October 13, 1940,) was not only in John Coltrane’s Band from 1965 – 1967, and featured as a Tenor Saxophonist on his Impulse! albums Ascension, Live At The Village Vanguard Again!, Kulu Sé Mama, Meditations, and Om, but had his own distinct concept and direction that you can hear on those recordings. Where John Coltrane is the Father of this Music, Pharoah is John’s Brother, his bright, younger contemporary who was ready to express prolifically. His was a sound of entrancement, deep emotion, lyrical chanting, layered mosaic rhythmic grooves, poly-melodic heart cries, ensemble percussion, Love, surrender, upliftment, communication with his ancestors, contemporaries and those yet to arrive, and hope for awakening and peace within Humanity.

Of Pharoahs 11 albums on Impulse! as a leader, the ones in front of you are Tauhid (#1 from 1967), Jewels Of Thought (#3 from 1969) and Summun Bukmun Umyun – Deaf Dumb Blind (#4 from 1970). It was John Coltrane’s influence on Music and the Recording Industry that opened the door for Pharoah Sanders, and through that door Pharoah would fly, soar and inspire! During this time he was also featured on Alice Coltrane’s Impulse! releases Ptah, The El Daoud playing Tenor Saxophone, Alto Flute and Bells and on her most beloved recording Journey In Satchidananda playing Soprano Saxophone and Percussion.

The significance of Pharoah Sanders today is for you to discover. He is among my greatest inspirations of all time and always will be! He is a man of few words, and when you see him play now, it’s more about being in his presence than expecting him to play lots of flashy runs. From his first note you know it’s him and that you’re in for profound integrity and deeply soulful energy. He always dresses in bold, bright hues, sometimes patterns, sometimes wearing shades, always a fez or hat of some sort. He stood out in GQ Style’s 2016 feature “These 10 Living Legends of Jazz Prove Nobody Can Out-Dress the OGs” – the relevance is there. So strong! The last time I saw Pharoah in Los Angeles at Catalina’s I was happy to connect with my friend Knxwledge. He was there with Rapper Earl Sweatshirt and Producer Alchemist. I sat with a table of 18 year old prodigies including pianist Jamael Dean . . .

Recommendation: Put all of these records on repeat for days and days, let them transmute your life, then tell your friends, family and everyone you come into contact with about Pharoah Sanders!

Sincerely,
Carlos Niño (Spaceways Radio, Leaving Records, Dublab)
Sunday, September 10, 2017

John Coltrane on Giant Steps | Blank on Blank

"I want to be the force which is truly for good."
- John Coltrane in 1966, as told Frank Kofsky

https://youtu.be/ZF0EvYd_Bgw

>> had this playing earlier, john in belgium with the quartet in 1965.

https://youtu.be/59pbGmckFE8 << 

even with low resolution this is still a masterpiece.  bump'em.

Yeah E -- great stuff. Great great stuff.

I picked this one up tonite... I'm a big fan of Joe Farrell so I'll always grab one of his titles with confidence:

Joe Farrell - Outback

"Outback" (John Scott) – 8:40
"Sound Down" (Joe Farrell/Geri Farrell) – 8:30
"Bleeding Orchid" (Chick Corea) – 6:45
"November 68th" (Joe Farrell) – 9:25

Joe Farrell – Tenor and soprano saxophone, flute, alto flute, piccolo
Chick Corea – Electric piano
Elvin Jones – Drums
Buster Williams – Bass
Airto Moreira – Percussion

https://youtu.be/oFHTEGdqynU

He played in the Elvin Jones Trio after the drummer departed Coltrane's quartet. When I saw the lineup on this album, it was a no-brainer for me

Fucking amazing if true. I thought they stayed on until a little later in his career, maybe late '65 or even '66, but I don't know the history that well.

Kulu Se Mama and Meditations have been in heavy rotation over the past few days. Some Interstellar Space peppered in, too.

I've been enjoying Alice's Ptah, the El Daoud quite a bunch over the tail end of this past week. Really really high levels of interplay between the players on that one and a sweet medium between mellow post bop and music edging unto the borders of the ecstatic.

https://youtu.be/RzuyR6GeXRg

Furious E can you give any indication of where to find that doc? Haven't been able to locate those interview excerpts and some of those stories are whacky. Can you share the title or the year of publication?

Thanks for the Pharoah Sanders link, Lava.

I've been revisiting McCoy Tyner's Extensions these past few days. Thanks to Furious E for linking that one in. Great, great title.

McCoy Tyner – piano
Gary Bartz – alto saxophone
Wayne Shorter – tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone
Ron Carter – bass
Elvin Jones – drums
Alice Coltrane – harp

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2k_uMEkCrWHZ95DhdedtenvMMdmCtwzl

>> I want to be the force which is truly for good. 
- John Coltrane <<

Nice to revisit this thread.

If you are into the 'Kulu Se Mama,' 'Africa Brass,' big band kinda out there, stuff I highly recommend checking out this title off of AUM Fidelity, DOUBLE SUNRISE OVER NEPTUNE (AUM047, 2007) with some of the best contemporary improvisers of our time, somethin really fascinating and just a sick project led by the brilliant William Parker on bass... dig:

http://aumfidelity.bandcamp.com/album/double-sunrise-over-neptune

Over the years, Coltrane discussed at length the impact that John Gilmore's playing had on the development of his own sound. By the the time that 'Trane had exited from the final assembly of Miles Davis' First "Great Quintet" at the conclusion of Kind of Blue, Gilmore had already been a seasoned veteran of Sun Ra's earlier, experimental "big" lineups, as well as the proto-Arkestra bands and small combos; he was definitely among Ra's 'inner circle' of working musicians crafting music in the sanctum of the mobile, spiritual spaceshape that was the Sun Ra commune (and, indeed, that band did effectively establish a "commune" during their time living and working in NYC, years before the development of the 'downtown' 'loft' scene, and prior to the final landing of the spaceship in Ra's adopted hometown of Philadelphia PA), and by the time that Coltrane was stretching the boundaries of his sound – and the capacity for his audiences to biggen their ears and embolden their palate – Gilmore was also working recording dates in aggressive, progressive bands like the lineup that recorded the criminally underrated The Artistry of Freddie Hubbard:

Freddie Hubbard - trumpet
Curtis Fuller - trombone
John Gilmore - tenor saxophone
Tommy Flanagan - piano
Art Davis - bass
Louis Hayes - drums

"Caravan"
https://youtu.be/JVTQjXPg4Uc

"The 7th Day"
https://youtu.be/lNvSB1d6Cc8

Definitely an album worth seeking out. Not the backbeat-driven funk of Hubbard's early and mid 70s work, but somewhere in between his tenure among the youngbucks working the 'Big Beat' of Art Blakey's message and the forward-leaning, aggressive bop of Freddie's late 60s Atlantic work. A great collection.

Interesting to examine the variety of work that Coltrane's bandmates did with other artists. I have been diving into early and mid 60s Freddie Hubbard through the great Blue Note Re-Issue Series comp from the mid 70s, and Elvin Jones and McCoy Tyner (as well as Wayne Shorter) contributed some serious power to Hub's compositions.

Meanwhile, this is album that I flipped some time ago and, every now and again, feel the pang of regret about getting rid of:

Frank Foster – The Loud Minority

https://youtu.be/0u3ELUm0IGo

Big band "out" jazz. Well worth your time to take 15mins and step outside of your normal musical zone.

>> Hope it hasn't been posted. Enjoy.

Never even seen that before. Great link thank you.

Perhaps a bit tangential, but this is some really good stuff: a release from last year with a certain deference to Coltrane's melding of avant-jazz idioms and South Asian classical forms, replete with beautiful arrangements for tabla and harp. It's called Journey to the Mountain of Forever, from an assembly of jazz musicians headed by saxophonist Binker Golding and drummer Moses Boyd.

Chill material with some real backbone.

Binker & Moses - "At the Feet of the Mountain of Forever"

https://youtu.be/bnzEprmhfA4

Bump. Oscillating between Coltrane's Impressions and Eric Dolphy's Last Date these past couple days, like starting a bridge across the English channel and ending up in the Far East. Amazing.

>> To share a link 

We need to go deeper.

[Inception.]

Then start posting some links or else shut yer yap.

That's the ticket, Aiq.

Jackie McLean, "Love and Hate" Destination... Out! (1963) (link)

>> Coltrane's circle of fourths?

I attended a talk where Coltrane's biographer Lewis Porter, as well as two other composers and music theorists, offered some insight on how to dissect that graph.

I'm still way too uneducated about theory or composition to grasp it, but the link was helpful. Therefore I still assert that it's actually a sort of cheat sheet for channeling spirits.

>> Blah. Blah blah. Blah

Jackie McLean, "Demon's Dance" Demon's Dance (1970) (link)

We need to go deeper.

[Inception.]

75 Dollar Bill live at WFMU's Monty Hall, Jersey City NJ 2017-10-07
http://freemusicarchive.org/music/75_Dollar_Bill/Live_at_Monty_Hall_1072017

>> What can we do to turn this failure into a success? 

We need to go deeper.

[Inception.]

Billy Harper Quintet live at Dizzy's in Lincoln Centre, NYC NY 2017-01-04 (link)

I'm not trying to solve an issue. I'm posting links to music in a music thread. 

>> start posting some links or else shut yer yap.

Capice?

Been getting into the McCoy Tyner over the last day or two.

Today spent some time listening to Reflections. I also have been sampling this other one called Sama Layuca with Bobby Hutcherson, Gary Bartz, Mtume, and a bunch of other badass musician.

Good music to accompany a good holiday, here you go peeps. Happy thanksgiving https://youtu.be/KPwNQdRQKew

Getting back into this one all day:

>> John Coltrane Quartet live at Tivoli Koncertsal, Copenhagen DEN 1963-10-25 (recording info)

Again the sound quality is poor, so poor you really can't hear Jimmy Garrison way too often. That said the playing is insane.

I think I saw this on wax the other day, I'd hope they had some better quality source to master from, because the sound quality is kinda shit on this transfer Lol

Clear out your headspace with some sonic insanity.

John Coltrane - Meditations
https://youtu.be/TuzfMR-7v1I

Here's a photo of Elvin Jones nailing his bass drum to the stage:

That is all.

This morning I put on the great 'Expansions', with Gary Bartz, Freddie Waits and Wayne Shorter all absolutely shredding on this crucial McCoy Tyner disc. Brilliant group and individual improv. Really taps into some dirty funky but also spiritual ascension.

This is a good one I nabbed at the thrift store. $0.80 and features some really cool banjo, bass, and horn playing:
'Bob Thiele And His New Happy Times Orchestra ‎– The 20s Score Again'

Gatsby's    3:03
Sheik Of Araby    2:10
China Boy    3:30
Someday Sweetheart    4:05
Singin' The Blues    2:56
Indiana (Back Home Again In Indiana)    2:50
What'll I Do    3:11
Muskrat Ramble    3:03
(Princeton Medley)    2:05
Old Nassau    
The Princeton Cannon Song    
Wolverine Blues    2:31
Farewell Blues    3:21
 

Also been loving this cd recently, feat the great Joe Henderson on tenor sax, The Real McCoy. 

Bass – Ron Carter
Drums – Elvin Jones
Piano – McCoy Tyner
Producer – Alfred Lion
Recorded By – Rudy Van Gelder
Tenor Saxophone – Joe Henderson

I shouldnt include it in this post but I have to mention this is a really fucking killer lineup that I stumbled across at my local record shop yesterday:

Flute, Tenor Saxophone – Frank Wess
Guitar – Jimmy Ponder (tracks: A1, A2), Melvin Sparks (tracks: B1 to B3)
Organ – Charlie Earland
Percussion – Lawrence Killian
Trumpet – Bill Hardman

I shouldn't neglect this title, I got a nice early 80s reissue for cheap cheap and it sounds phenomenal, such beautiful playing by Ron Carter and Charles Persip as well:

Mal Waldron With Eric Dolphy And Booker Ervin ‎– The Quest
Alto Saxophone, Clarinet – Eric Dolphy
Bass – Joe Benjamin
Cello – Ron Carter
Drums – Charles Persip
Piano – Mal Waldron
Tenor Saxophone – Booker Ervin

'Recorded June 27, 1961.
Originally released on New Jazz label as NJ 8269'

Finally, this Chico Freeman disc with awesome drumming from Elvin Jones:

The Pied Piper (BlackHawk Records ‎– BKH 50801)

Alto Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone, Oboe, Flute [Alto], Piccolo Flute – John Purcell
Bass – Cecil McBee
​Drums – Elvin Jones
Piano – Kenny Kirkland (tracks: A2, A3, B2, B3), Mark Thompson (9) (tracks: A1, B1)
Producer – Chico Freeman, Herb Wong
Tenor Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Sopranino Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Bass Clarinet, Bass Flute, C Flute – Chico Freeman

Yeah it's good but watch the one about Lee Morgan I Called Him 'Morgan.' It starts slow, first quarter of the movie or so, it's short, stick with it. Some amazing interviews and amazing photographs in there. And truly brilliant music, too, made me wish I didn't have a shit stereo system for the teevee setup.

Bump for heavy shit from the First Disciples

Pharoah Sanders ‎– Jewels Of Thought (1969)

Bass, Percussion – Cecil McBee, Richard Davis
Drums – Roy Haynes
Drums, Percussion – Idris Muhammad
Piano, Kalimba, Reeds, Percussion – Lonnie Liston Smith
Reeds, Kalimba, Percussion – Pharoah Sanders
Vocals, Percussion – Leon Thomas

https://youtu.be/fBzQP6QprBI

Very cool retrospective. Loved this:

1967 was a banner year for A-list talent at the club, as Kenny Burrell, Jimmy Heath, Roland Kirk, George Benson, Yusef Lateef, Freddie Hubbard, Milt Jackson, and John Coltrane appeared on successive Sundays.

I've been getting really into the Heath Brothers lately, especially Jimmy Heath. This album is a smoker:

The Gap Sealer

Bass – Bob Cranshaw
Drums – Al "Tootie" Heath
Percussion – Mtume
Piano – Kenny Barron
Soprano Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Jimmy Heath

https://youtu.be/4m1aAFJK8EE

Luis Gasca, "A Love Supreme" (feat Joe Henderson) Born To Love You (1974)

https://youtu.be/J4chANXvdFI

>> It would b remiss of me to not bring up Azar Lawrence in this thread.

McCoy Tyner Quintet live at Jazzfest Berlin 1974-01-11

McCoy Tyner (p)
Azar Lawrence (ss, ts)
Guilherme Franco (perc)
Juni Booth (b)
Wilby Fletcher (dr)

https://youtu.be/GPDv7eopy-k

I'm thinking about going to see Azar play here in a couple weeks. He's got Henry Franklin on bass, which is nuts. We'll see how it goes.

Azar is slaying in the clip above, but Tyner is broadcasts just an insane amount of information.
This audio/video quality is a touch better than the Montreaux '73 set (Enlightenment suite), too.

John Coltrane Quintet live on Ralph Gleason's Jazz Casual (KQED), San Francisco CA 1963 ("Afro Blue")

John Coltrane - ss
Jimmy Garrison - b
McCoy Tyner - p
Elvin Jones - d

https://youtu.be/OoSj2UBeJGo

Cited in this NY Times article on postmodern great Milford Graves (one of the greats still "sucking wind," Lance; you should check out his newest project Full Mantis):

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/26/arts/music/milford-graves-jazz-full-m...

John Coltrane - "Untitled Original 11383" Both Directions at Once (2018)

https://youtu.be/q7X2X7LDFok​

Bump for T.O.D., 6er, and Surfdead.

That is some next level, fourth dimensional type trolling, RRG.

I applaud your efforts.

There's some stuff in this thread I wrote that I don't even remember happening. Azar Lawrence with Henry Franklin on bass? I fuckin' missed out BIG TIME buddy.

Good bump, 3LG.

Thanks 6 very clear, good bump, ol' chap.

Still Chasin' Trane...

I had hot dogs last nite.

Grilled to perfection.

Delicious.

#earlysummernites

Good morning, Turtle!

Good talk.

What the balls are you talking about ol' chap?

Why is the AARP Douche Krewe bumping this unrightfully maligned thread???

>> I called the student legal aid office and they said you had already been there

What the balls are you talking about ol' chap?

Why is the AARP Douche Krewe bumping this unrightfully maligned thread???

>>Jesus! - more edits...

Correct... pull it together. You and RRG need to cut back on the drinking before noon...

Have you gotten a wellness check since this whole shelter-in-place deal started, 6er

I know it can be isolating in the cold Vermont suburbs..

I'm getting worried about you old buddy...

I'm going to assume that's a "no" ................

https://youtu.be/szzVlQ653as

Bobby Hutcherson, "Searchin' the Trane" Waiting (1976) (link)

Thanks for sharing the memory, Lance. That's a great add, in my opinion. 

And your keeping the candle burning for Wayne Shorter has been a nice reminder to revisit his work with his great quartet. Without A Net and Beyond the Sound Barrier have been in heavy rotation the past few days. 

Gato Barbieri, "A John Coltrane Blues" Yesterdays (1974) (link)

Incredible document, Lance. Fired that up the day he passed. 

Happy birthday, Pharoah Sanders

(October 13, 1940 – September 24, 2022)

"The Creator Has A Master Plan" Karma (1969) (link)