Coltrane: Heavyweight Champion - Complete Atlantic

[Rooster_Ties]

OK, I own hardly any Coltrane on CD (nor on LP or that matter), but if I was thinking about take the plunge and getting this box set of his entire Atlantic output, is there a downside to getting this particular set?? I seem to remember reading that additional alternate takes are being released on the subsequent (and more recent) CD issues of these individual albums?? (Are there many alternate takes on the individual CD's that aren't on this box set??)

Or, is this more of a problem with the "The Classic Quartet: Complete Impulse! Studio Recordings" vs. the newest individual CD's of Trane's 'Impulse!' material??

( I'm pretty sure I'm more interested in his Atlantic output (to start with), rather than the Implulse! material. )

Am I better off getting the 'Atlantic Years' Coltrane box, or the individual CD's???

( FYI, SACD is of no concern to me, nor DVD-A - or whatever those new-fangled formats are. Well mastered/re-mastered standard CD's are good enough for me - though I do realize (and agree) that plenty of late 80's and even early 90's CD's are not nearly as good as some more recent 'standard CD' issues of the same material. )

=====

Also, while I'm at it, what's the "most decent" price I could expect to pay for a good 'used' copy of the Complete Trane Atlantic Years set on CD??? Anybody got one (or an extra one) that they're lookin' to get rid of??? (Or know where I can find a good one cheap??) $$$ is really tight for me now, but I think I just might be interested in diving into some serious Trane for the first time in my life.

Thanks!!!

Edited May 5, 2003 by Rooster_Ties

[Michael Fitzgerald]

I am not aware of *any* alternative takes that are not in the Atlantic boxed set. Now, the Complete Impulse Quartet boxed set, that's a whole nother story. Yes, plenty of additional material being added to single CD issues there.

There is the edited 45 rpm version of My Favorite Things, though. That came out on the 50th Anniversary single CD issue of MFT after the Atlantic set was already out. It's not anything new, just a spliced version of what we all know and love.

As far as I know, they STILL have not fixed the fuckup on Equinox - the introduction is clipped by a few notes. I bought the box when it came out and was told this would be fixed - never has been. That's one downside.

Mike

[king ubu]

Rooster, as Michael said about the alternates. (Didn't know about Equinox but always thought that intro was quite a strange one!)

The box was where I got started on Coltrane. It's still one of my most beloved box sets. Great music: Giant Steps, the equally fine but lot less known/regarded Coltrane Jazz, then the strange meeting with Don Cherry, the nice jam with Milt Jackson and as highlight, the extended quartet session of october 1960 with McCoy & Elvin (those yielded the albums My Favorite Things, Coltrane Plays the Blues Coltrane Sound + alternates) and Olé Coltrane (see next album of the week...)

The music of the early quartet in my opinion is much more playful, lighter than the often dark brooding strenght of the Impulse recordings. And it stands in between the classic Coltrane and his early work (my favorites thereof would be Traneing In, Soultrane, Blue Train, Setting the Pace) and might get you interested in both the before and the after. Recommended!

ubu

[king ubu]

uh, and the box does have some pretty essential alternates (more than the ones on the Legacy and Alternate Take LPs) - most beloved are the ones from the Plays the Blues tracks, and Blues to Elvin. Don't know if these were added to the CD reissues at all (actually this side of the pond you only get them as part of the Atlantic Original Sound series, which I don't like too much, and which have no alternates never.)

ubu

[AfricaBrass]

I really love the Atlantic set. I would feel very comfortable recommending it. One thing I did was to reburn the albums onto cd with the original track order as twofer cds. I do this with a lot of my box sets.

I checked half.com and it looks like they're selling for around $60 there.

I have to say that I really do feel hosed by the Impulse set. I had most of the cds on it already, but I bought it anyway. Now that they keep finding alternates, I get more bummed out. I think I've bought some of that Coltrane stuff 3 times already.

:rsmile:

[connoisseur series500]

I love Coltrane's Atlantic years, but to know Coltrane we have to listen to his Impules recordings as well. I agree with Ubu's comments about the music being dark and brooding. Sure is. It's got depth and you can always stick on Bennie Green's "Soul Stirrin'" afterwards if you need some cheeriness.

[Soulstation1]

fwiw

bmg has the boxset for about $45, that is a good deal in my books.

ss1

[Eric]

I'll add a bit of a contrarian point of view. I was weaned on the lps and with the box, you lose the original sequencing. Since the latest CDs have great sound, they really are a nice alternative.

I don't care much for the lp with Don Cherry or Ole', so I could have done very nicely with the individual CDs of MFT, Giant Steps, Plays the Blues, Coltrane's Sound and the one with Milt Jackson.

But either way, you can't go wrong. You do get the booklet and there is a CD on the box that collects (I think) all the previously unreleased alt tracks.

Eric

Edited May 5, 2003 by Eric

[king ubu]

I love Coltrane's Atlantic years, but to know Coltrane we have to listen to his Impules recordings as well. I agree with Ubu's comments about the music being dark and brooding. Sure is. It's got depth and you can always stick on Bennie Green's "Soul Stirrin'" afterwards if you need some cheeriness.

now this is some nice therapy! I really should try it!

I did not however mean my comment in any negative way! I love that music - the classic quartet is one of my favorite bands ever (and I guess I'm not the only one). I got the box and all the Deluxes and some of the older Impulse CDs as well, awkward reissue policy, yes, but who cares - it's Coltrane

ubu

[Chuck Nessa]

Go with the box.

[chris olivarez]

Whatever you pay for the box is money well spent.

[Aggie87]

Ok, I have all seven of the Coltrane Atlantic CDs, in their Rhino incarnations - some in the cardboard sleeves and some in the regular jewel boxes. I also have the regular Atlantic "Bags & Trane" disc, which for some reason or another was not included in the Rhino series, and vexes me.

I vaguely remember asking this question a long time ago on the BNBB, but does the Heavyweight Champion box have the same remastering as the Rhino discs?

I keep pulling up yourmusic.com and staring at this box, which is available there for $34.93, on the $4.99 plan.

If the remastering is the same as the Rhinos, I may spring for this, primarily to get the "Bags & Trane" in equivalent sound (plus, I'm a sucker for a nice box). I think I could recoup my purchase cost in selling individual cds that I already own, so the cost isn't really my concern.

If the sound on the box isn't the same as the Rhinos, I'll stick with what I have and still be VERY satisfied with this music...

[Soul Stream]

If you don't any really ANY Coltrane stuff. I'd suggest just getting the individual CDs. They're recent issues so the sound quality is very nice. Plus, I think as individual CDs, you'll get more appreciation of them as individual pieces of art instead of hearing them as "those Atlantic sessions".

My favorites are Coltrane's Sound and Giant Steps. One or two of his Atlantic sides should keep you satisfied for years to come imho. They are by far my favorite Coltranes.

Enjoy and don't get too involved with "having it all." Sometimes Coltrane in baby steps is the best way to develop a love of his music.

[Chalupa]

The Heavyweight box was put out by Rhino.

[Leeway]

I have the LP version of the box and it is one of my favorites. Just great music.

[Aggie87]

The Heavyweight box was put out by Rhino.

Based on this, is it safe to assume that the mastering on the "Bags & Trane" tracks in the Atlantic box is better than that on the Atlantic CD release?

[Man with the Golden Arm]

i have an extra booklet from the box set w/ liners by dowd, etc... it's a bit off register as some of the pages have the type bleeding off the edges. pm me if it's needed.

[Peter Johnson]

Sometimes Coltrane in baby steps is the best way to develop a love of his music.

Completely agree...your head (seriously) might explode, otherwise...

[no smiley]

Thank you , John C...wish you were still with us...

[chris olivarez]

You probably wont like everything on the box there is a lot of material but it is a bargain and overall JC did a lot of super work during that stretch.

[Justin V]

I owned some of the Atlantic material (Coltrane's Sound, Giant Steps [Deluxe] and Bags and Trane) and then found the set without the box and liners at Princeton Record Exchange for $10 last week.  I then realized today that it was likely only $10 because it is missing Disc 6.  As I am just missing Ole Coltrane, I guess I'm still happy with the price.  

Edited June 25, 2023 by Justin V

[mikeweil]

The one thing that bugs me about this box is that they cut off the first note on Equinox. I think the sound is very good, but the extreme stereo separation is not to my taste. The mono masters would have been a better choice but obviously some of these are lost.