Question regarding Coltrane

[Chuck Nessa]

Lots of good advice - I just want to reinforce recommendations for Coltrane (Impulse) and Interstellar Space. These come from near the beginning and end of the Impulse years.

On Prestige I would add Settin' the Pace to your list.

[king ubu]

did anyone tell you yet you need to get that complete village vanguard box?

uh, wait a minute, I think no one mentioned the complete Village Vanguard box so far...

You'll end up buying them all. Just for starters, let me list:

- Crescent (easily the most overlooked item in his work, standing in the huge shadow of "A Love Supreme")

- Sun Ship (the best way to get into the freer stuff, an otherworldy record)

- Africa/Brass (if you love it, sadly, there won't be anything similar to check out)

and why not the Coltrane/Hartman if you like "Ballads". Add "Ellington/Coltrane", too.

I'm sure you're going to have lots of fun and some pretty intense moments, too, exploring Coltrane. It was him that got me into jazz at the first time. A towering figure.

ubu

[mikeweil]

Here's a John Coltrance discography.

David Wild's Coltrane Discography is the better one, includes references to CD issues and is updated regularly. If you want to dig in, no way without it.

My recommendation for late period Coltrane would be Stellar Regions.

[mikeweil]

Dear Old Stockholm -- One of the last Impulses to acquire. There's some first tier, classic music here ("After the Rain", "Dear Lord") and some excellent transitional '65 music that bridges A Love Supreme with the later stuff, but somehow the package is disposable.

Couldn't disagree more: This CD neatly collects all studio performances of the Coltrane quartet with Roy Haynes subbing for Elvin Jones - no other issue to get them, and very important to hear how the individual players shaped the music.

The live counterpart is the Newport 63 disc.

[take5]

Aw, heck, just got the box sets.

Complete Quartet studio recordings (8 CDs)

Complete Live at the Village Vanguard (just in case no one mentioned this yet) (4 CDs)

Master Works (includes Ascension) (2 CDs)

Complete European concerts (7 CDs)

After you memorise these 28 CDs, fill in the Impulse years with Interstellar Space, Stellar Regions, Live at Birdland, et al.

[catesta]

Lots of good advice - I just want to reinforce recommendations for Coltrane (Impulse) and Interstellar Space. These come from near the beginning and end of the Impulse years.

On Prestige I would add Settin' the Pace to your list.

Could not agree more with these recommendations.

[.:.impossible]

I'm another big fan of Dear Old Stockholm. I would consider it essential... track after track.