How to Buy John Coltrane: The Essential Albums (2023)

In jazz circles, the slightest mention ofJohn Coltraneusually evokes an atmosphere of quiet reverence. Because Trane - as his students call him - is considered a deity whose extraordinary musical powers far surpass those of other mere mortals. Since his death on July 17, 1967, Coltrane and his music, aided by his distinctly spiritual and metaphysical dimensions, have inspired a kind of religious devotion no other jazz musician has experienced (there's even a church in San Francisco named after him). Francisco - St. John Coltrane Church). But the sheer volume of his music can be intimidating. So how do newbies start buying John Coltrane?

For those buying John Coltrane for the first time and wanting to start a collection from scratch, the following list offers a suggestion of albums that will hopefully serve as the basis for amassing an even greater body of work from the saxophonist. The albums are not ranked by merit - this is not intended to be a definitive overview of Coltrane's work - but by accessibility. Still, we haven't avoided some of Trane's more refined and esoteric works. You'll find them later in the list - suggestions to discover once you've got a taste for Coltrane and want to explore more.

So if you want to buy John Coltrane, the following albums are essential.

Coltrane '58(Craft/Concord, 2019)

Coltrane's stint with Bob Weinstock's prestigious label, where he flourished in 1958 after overcoming his heroin addiction, is often overlooked. The Coltrane '58 5CD/8LP box set offers us the chance to reassess the saxophonist's state of affairs at a time when he was just beginning to make his mark as a leader. These recordings show how he moved on to a more progressive style of jazz that would eventually make him a pioneer. Presenting in chronological order all 37 songs Coltrane recorded in 1958, the collection traces his development and growth as a musician during a turbulent and significant year.
Coltrane '58can be purchased here.

blue train(Blue Note, 1958)

Recorded in September 1957, this album marked John Coltrane's comeback after his heroin use led to his expulsionmile davistape earlier this year. After going cold turkey and successfully beating his addiction, Coltrane became a born-again man whose music took on a sharper focus, especially after he started working with him.Thelonian monk. When he was recording, he was still playing with Monk's quintetblue trainwith a sextet including the young trumpet genius Lee Morgan. All but one of the melodies are provided by the saxophonist, and it's the title track that stands out, with its catchy Clarion Call theme. The book is widely regarded as Trane's first masterpiece, and anyone looking to purchase John Coltrane for the first time should start here.

Blue Train: The Complete Masterscan be purchased here.

Soultrane(Prestige, 1958)

Arguably the choice of Trane's work for producer Bob Weinstock's indie label Prestige.Soultranewas recorded on February 7, 1958 and found the saxophonist accompanied by pianist Red Garland and bassist Paul Chambers, both of whom he knew from his time in Miles Davis's band in the late 1950s. The line-up is completed by drummer Art Taylor, who provides a swinging groove. This hard bop session consists of five tunes - though, remarkably, none by Coltrane - demonstrating his flowery 'soundsheets' style. As an entry into Coltrane's world, this solid, uncomplicated work, whose killer cut is a brutal deconstruction of Irving Berlin's 'Russian Lullaby', is a safe bet.

Huge steps(Atlantic, 1960)

Recorded in 1959 when Coltrane was still in Miles Davis' band,Huge stepsrepresented a major step forward for the saxophonist, who, especially with the title track - based on a cyclical series of descending chord changes - perhaps captured the ultimate expression of bebop. Having pushed bebop to its limits, it's no wonder that Trane changed musical tack after this album and opted for modal jazz, which offered more freedom of improvisation. In addition to the classic theme song,Huge stepsThese include the haunting ballad "Naima", named after his first wife. Other memorable tracks on the album included the hard swinging hard bop songs "Cousin Mary" and "Syeeda's Song Flute".

A supreme love(Impuls!, 1965)

This masterful album, the saxophonist's four-part sonic prayer, dedicated to the divine Creator, captures the profound quality of John Coltrane's music as his career approached its peak. The music is often intense, feverish and trying, but paradoxically sometimes also blissfully serene. Trane is accompanied by his classical quartet consisting of pianist McCoy Tyner, bassist Jimmy Garrison and drummer Elvin Jones. Besides being arguably Coltrane's greatest album of all time,A supreme loveis also one of jazz's best albums - and it significantly spawned the spiritual jazz movement. While not as accessible as Trane's prestigious work,A supreme lovepossesses a hypnotic quality that can seduce even the most jazz-phobic listener and put them on the path to buying John Coltrane music.

A Love Supreme: Lebe in Seattle(Impuls!, 2021)

John Coltrane watchedA supreme loveas a deeply personal artistic statement and rarely performed his masterpiece in concert. For a long time it was believed that only one live recording existed. In 2021, a second stage performance came to light, recorded at a Seattle jazz club called The Penthouse. Coltrane adds three more musicians to his usual quartet, including saxophonist Pharoah Sanders; together they giveA supreme lovean epic widescreen treatment that lasts 75 minutes. It's an important musical artifact, not only because it gives us a rare opportunity to hear Coltrane's iconic work live, but also because it shows how his style has evolved since the earlier studio recording.

To acquireA Love Supreme: Lebe in SeattleHere.

ballad(Impuls!, 1963)

Anyone who finds Coltrane's music challenging should give this cool little gem a listen. The saxophonist is in a laid-back mood and late into the night plays fairly chilled renditions of eight jazz standards, including Gene DePaul's "You Don't Know What Love Is."balladIt features the same musicians (Tyner, Garrison and Jones) who did the workA supreme love, but the music is more reflective and less intense. Nevertheless, it is still a classic Coltrane opus, dominated by a distinctive, investigative saxophone tone. IfA supreme loveis a step too far for first-time buyers of John Coltraneballadis much tastier.

my favorite things(Atlantic, 1961)

Many popular pop picks first encountered Coltrane during the single edit of this album's title track, in which he reimagined a popular tune from the hit musical.The sound of musicinto a vehicle for sharp jazz improvisations with oriental influences on the then unknown soprano saxophone. The full album version was nearly 14 minutes long, and in concert Coltrane was able to extend this to half an hour. It's the sonic cornerstone of a four-song album that contained no original material, but showed how Coltrane could transform standards (including "Ev'rytime We Say Goodbye" and "Summertime") into intense jazz meditations.

Coltrane(Impuls!, 1962)

Coltrane was in the middle of his modal phase when he made this album, which came out a year latermy favorite things. He wasn't averse to recording standards at the time, but his 14-minute "Out Of This World" - written by Harold Arlen and starring Johnny Mercer - is unrecognizable from the original. Ditto for a wild soprano saxophone reading of Frank Loesser's "The Inch Worm" in 3/4 time. However, both tunes embody Trane's freer approach to improvisation as he blasts over open-ended two-chord grooves. Van Trane's own tunesColtrane, the meditative "Tunji" anticipates the spiritual questA supreme love.

Both directions at once: the lost album(Impuls!, 2018)

One of jazz's most important archival discoveries in recent years is this long-forgotten studio session, unearthed 55 years after its 1963 recording. Performances range from a conservative take on the jazz standard "Nature Boy" to intensely exploratory original material – some untitled – showing that Coltrane's classical quartet was at a transition point; balances between known and unknown sound universes. However, he does not reach the sublime creative heights ofHuge stepsofA supreme love,Both directions at onceis essential to our understanding of an important lost chapter in the saxophonist's discography. Its value is best summed up by saxophonist Sonny Rollins, who in the album's liner notes compares the album's discovery to "finding a new room in the Great Pyramid".

Both directions at once: the lost albumcan be purchased here.

Crescent(Impuls!, 1964)

Crescentwas Coltrane's ninth album for Impulse! Recordings. With its so-called classic quartet (Tyner, Garrison, Jones), it contained all original compositions and turned out to be a very spiritual LP, expressed through the haunting "Wise One" which opens with lush, rhapsodic chords by Tyner, setting the tone a soft tone for Coltrane's tenor saxophone expressing a beautiful melody. Also noteworthy was the album's second side, which contained two tracks ("Lonnie's Lament" and "The Drum Thing") on which Coltrane does not record a solo. Stylistically, it's a perfect way to get the listener ready for the year aheadA supreme love.

rise(Impuls! 1965)

This shouldn't be high on the How To Buy John Coltrane list unless you're familiar with the esoteric sound of free jazz. Butriseis an album to look forward to as you get used to the saxophonist's more avant-garde style. It was recorded six months laterA supreme loveBut it's radically different: Coltrane surrounds himself with a ten-piece band consisting of three saxophonists (including Archie Shepp), two bassists and two drummers to play one big piece of music. Two versions of the composition have been recorded and recent CD reissues contain both versions. While his collective improvisation reflects the growing influence of Ornette Coleman and Albert Ayler on his music, Coltrane nevertheless created a long unparalleled improvisational group composition.

interstellar ruimte(Impuls!, 1967)

Not for the faint hearted, but for anyone looking to buy John Coltrane at his most bizarre, this is the album for you.interstellar ruimtewas recorded in February 1967, just five months before the 40-year-old saxophonist's death. By this time his classical quartet had ceased to exist and Coltrane had experimented with other instrumentations. Here, Coltrane explores an extended musical dialogue with drummer Rashied Ali, alternating between tenor sax and bells, spanning four tracks ("Mars", "Venus", "Jupiter" and "Saturn"). Giving up orthodox melody, harmony and structure,interstellar ruimtedivided Coltrane's fans and critics alike. Decades later, it's still a disturbing listen, but it's a must-have addition to your Coltrane collection if you want to understand it better and feel the full force of its trailblazing genius.