The Very Best of John Coltrane

Amazon.com
With his inexhaustible technique, trademark sound, and limitless imagination, tenor and soprano saxophonist John Coltrane was one of jazz's most dominant musicians. This collection covers his important Atlantic Records sessions recorded from 1959 to 1960 (chronicled in their entirety on Heavyweight Champion). The tunes signal an important transitional phase from Trane's stints with Miles Davis and Thelonious Monk to his emergence as a leader in his own right. "Giant Steps" "Naima," and "Cousin Mary"--featuring pianist Tommy Flanagan and drummer Art Taylor--crystallized Trane's supersonic "sheets of sound" style. "Like Sonny," an Afro-Latin dedication to his friend and contemporary Sonny Rollins with Wynton Kelly on piano, reveals Trane's stylistic debts to Charlie Parker and Coleman Hawkins. His historic renditions of "My Shining Hour," "Body and Soul," "Summertime," and "My Favorite Things" highlight Coltrane's ability to remake a song into his own image, as well as introduce his influential sound on the soprano sax. These landmark recordings show the development of Coltrane's "great" quartet as well as forecast his iconoclastic excursions into the outer limits of rhythm and tonality, which grew during until his death in 1967. --Eugene Holley, Jr.

Tracks:

Giant Steps
Cousin Mary
Naima
Like Sonny
My Shining Hour
My Favorite Things
Central Park West
Summertime
Mr. Syms
Equinox
Body And Soul

Amazon.com

With his inexhaustible technique, trademark sound, and limitless imagination, tenor and soprano saxophonist John Coltrane was one of jazz's most dominant musicians. This collection covers his important Atlantic Records sessions recorded from 1959 to 1960 (chronicled in their entirety on Heavyweight Champion). The tunes signal an important transitional phase from Trane's stints with Miles Davis and Thelonious Monk to his emergence as a leader in his own right. "Giant Steps" "Naima," and "Cousin Mary"--featuring pianist Tommy Flanagan and drummer Art Taylor--crystallized Trane's supersonic "sheets of sound" style. "Like Sonny," an Afro-Latin dedication to his friend and contemporary Sonny Rollins with Wynton Kelly on piano, reveals Trane's stylistic debts to Charlie Parker and Coleman Hawkins. His historic renditions of "My Shining Hour," "Body and Soul," "Summertime," and "My Favorite Things" highlight Coltrane's ability to remake a song into his own image, as well as introduce his influential sound on the soprano sax. These landmark recordings show the development of Coltrane's "great" quartet as well as forecast his iconoclastic excursions into the outer limits of rhythm and tonality, which grew during until his death in 1967. --Eugene Holley, Jr.

Customer Reviews:

Actually, this is pretty good.......2007-07-17

It's tempting to laugh at a John Coltrane compilation, simply because so many of the man's albums are essential. However, even though this neglects Trane's awesome Impulse! albums, focusing instead on his Atlantic years, it's a great introduction to Trane before he revolutionized free jazz and turned himself into one of the jazz world's most controversial musicians as a result. Material from five albums is featured here: Giant Steps (a must-have album), My Favorite Things (ditto), Coltrane Plays the Blues (very solid album), Coltrane Jazz (right in the middle) and Coltrane's Sound (his weakest studio album, though it has its moments - all of them are found here). And the only questionable song on the album is Summertime, a standard I'm pretty well tired of: the Coltrane version is okay, but by far the weakest song on My Favorite Things (I'd rather either Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye or If Not For Me). Other than that one dud, my only complaint about this album is its rather limited scope: The Ole Coltrane album is entirely ignored, which is a shame because its title track (Well, semi-title track) would definitely qualify as "very best", and the fact is you can't get an idea of what Coltrane's like just by listening to his Atlantic recordings: you need the Impulse! ones too if you want the full picture. Still, as a summary of the Atlantic recordings, it's hard to go wrong with this one: you get a few of his most widely known originals (Equinox; Giant Steps; Naima; Cousin Mary; Like Sonny; Central Park West), and a couple superb covers (My Favorite Things; My Shining Hour; Body and Soul - hard to ruin a song with such a beautiful melody!!), as well as a dark horse that's got my blessing, Mr. Syms. And this does for the most part offer the peak of the man's Atlantic recordings.

"Giant Steps" "Equinox" and "My Favorite Things" are enough for 10 stars alone........2007-05-18

This is a good intro to Coltrane, he has too much amazing stuff to put into a single CD but this is a great place to start off. You'll get a little sample of all his sounds from this CD. And for those of us who own more than 10 Coltrane Albums, it's still nice to have all these excellent songs on one high quality CD.

The Very Best of John Coltrane -- Not To Be Missed!.......2007-01-03

In this recording of John Coltrane, there are several songs that stand out in my mind as I write this: The incredibly complex "Giant Steps", the child-like version of "My Favorite Things", the on-again/off-again sad to happy blues song "Equinox", and the business day blues of "Mr. Syms".

Each of these standout songs is different and unique among the other songs on the recording, but it is to these I want to draw your attention as those that captured mine when I listened to the CD.

I am a guitarist who wants to learn Coltrane's interval and melodic technique, but I am always perplexed by his ever changing exploration of the note, in and around the note, wrenching it of its juice like a squeezed lemon, until there is no more; and then Coltrane changes his melodic structure and has another entire lemon to work with.

Please don't misunderstand this illustration as to make it sound like his music is sour like the lemon, although that's what you may be thinking!

Coltrane's unique use of intervals has always what has been his hallmark, some slow and bluesy, others as in the changes of "Giant Steps" blindingly fast and complex.

There are other songs I would have liked to have seen appear on this recording, but as advertised as "The Very Best of John Coltrane", this CD doesn't fall that short.

If you are new to Coltrane's work, this is an excellent place to start. I gave it 4 out of 5 stars because of the fact there should be other more recognizable songs of his on this recording, and I would have gladly paid for a 2-CD set if "The Very Best of John Coltrane" delved more into his vast repertiore of work.

All that being said, the songs on "The Very Best of John Coltrane" will not disappoint or denegrate the recording in its entirety. Again, the CD should be taken for its whole, not just the standout songs I mentioned above.

Classic Jazz enthusiasts already know Coltrane, and this is a welcome addition to my collection, almost always in rotation on my CD carousel if not uploaded to my iTunes.

All The High Points of the Atlantic Years.......2006-12-24

This is an excellent introduction to John Coltrane. The music is very accessible for even a casual listener. If you listen to this and Coltrane's vibe gets to you then you're going to be picking up the actual releases that this best of was drawn from. Personally, I actually favor Coltrane's work on the Impulse label, but this Atlantic collection is great. I purchased it because, though I'm an avid jazz collector and listener, I am embarrassed to admit that I do not own a copy of Giant Steps or My Favorite Things, two of Trane's landmark releases. The Very Best of John Coltrane has all the high points of those Atlantic years including the incredible Giant Steps that sent Sonny Rollins back out to the Brooklyn Bridge for more late night practicing and My Favorite Things which brought Trane legions of ,albeit temporary, fans and great commercial success. Naima has always been a favorite and it's included here along with all the other wonderful stuff from those Atlantic releases. Actually there just are not any dull tracks on this CD, it's all great though more laid-back than the Impulse stuff. My actually wife lets me play this one in the house (ha ha). Nice packaging too, the booklet includes a discography of Coltrane's Atlantic releases and an essay by the famous jazz critic and writer Nat Hentoff. There's really nothing else that can be said about this CD. This release perfectly captures Coltrane in his groundbreaking, transitional years, perfecting his "sheets of sound" approach to playing.

You know, listening to Coltrane is actually very much like riding on a real train. The stuff on this CD could be compared to having left the station a few miles back but not yet up to full speed. Things start picking up around the time that "Live at the Village Vanguard" was released, and full speed is achieved right at and immediately after "A Love Supreme". Some people don't care for the train ride at full speed. I love it. It's really quite amazing to compare the music on this CD to a release such as Sun Ship (December 1966) and realize there is only about 7 years time that passed between these sessions. So this is really a great place to start if you've been hearing Coltrane's name (from your musician friends perhaps) and don't know where to start.

Buy

Outstanding Compilation.......2006-11-08

After many years of listening to Ken Burns and Smithsonian collections, I have started buying individual artist compilations (with a view to buy more of the artists I enjoy). Some have been erratic and disappointing; this one is amazing. This "best of" CD contains nothing but jewels that show exactly where Coletrain fell on the jazz evolutionary scale. In other words, this CD gives a great sense of what came before Coletrain, how he built on it, and how others then built on his work. He had a combination of virtuosity and artistry that earned him an uncontested place at the top. If you want to get to know the giants of jazz, this is a perfect introduction to one of them.

Average customer rating:

Acceptable Introduction
Essential Jazz. Simply a Fabulous Collection
The best of the many Coltrane "Best Of" collections
a Strong 5
Very good

The Very Best of John Coltrane
John Coltrane
Manufacturer: Umvd Labels
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Avant Garde & Free Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B00005M1BK
Release Date: 2001-07-24

Tracks:

A Love Supreme (Part 1 - Acknowledgement)
In A Sentimental Mood
Bessie's Blues
Naima
Afro Blue
Lush Life
Crescent
Impressions
Alabama
My Favorite Things

Amazon.com

John Coltrane is a much-anthologized artist. He recorded primarily for three labels in his decade-long stay at the forefront of jazz, whose vaults have yielded numerous best-of recordings in recent years and now two very-bests to commemorate the 75th year of his birth. This collection is drawn from Coltrane's Impulse years, the early '60s when he was the most powerful and influential voice in jazz. The material dates from 1961 to 1964, omitting the more challenging later recordings and emphasizing the classic quartet formation with pianist McCoy Tyner, drummer Elvin Jones, and bassist Jimmy Garrison. It's a generous collection, with a running time of nearly 75 minutes, and every track is a gem. The highlights of his collaborations with Duke Ellington and singer Johnny Hartman, "In a Sentimental Mood" and "Lush Life," respectively, are here, as is a marvelous rendering of his own beautiful "Naima," recorded at the Village Vanguard in 1961 with Eric Dolphy on bass clarinet. While the famous studio version of "My Favorite Things" belongs to Atlantic, the live version here from the 1963 Newport Festival may well be the greatest of his numerous recordings of the tune. There's an ineffable quality in Coltrane's greatest work that's never been matched, a combination of magisterial creative authority combined with extraordinary tension and expressive depth. It's apparent everywhere here, but perhaps most intensely felt in pieces like "Alabama" and "Crescent," performances that reinvented lyricism in jazz.

For newcomers to Coltrane's music, this is an excellent introduction, comparable, and in some ways superior, to Ken Burns Jazz Collection: John Coltrane or the complementary The Very Best of John Coltrane on Rhino/Atlantic, covering the years 1959-61. While Coltrane aficionados are likely to have most of the material here--some of it multiple times--there's also something for them: a 4 minute 33 second version of "Impressions" that was inadvertently omitted from the eight-CD set of The Classic Quartet: The Complete Impulse Studio Recordings. The only known studio version of a tune that Coltrane reworked repeatedly and at length in live performance, here it's a taut vignette. --Stuart Broomer

Customer Reviews:

Acceptable Introduction.......2005-10-30

Acknowledgement: The disc begins with Coltrane's most famous tune, the first movement of A Love Supreme. A repetitious bass motif is played around with by the saxophone until it is revealed to be a musical recitation of the title of the album. Who am I to criticise the most worshipped eight minutes in all of 1960s jazz? Yet I never loved "A Love Supreme". Oh well.

In A Sentimental Mood: In 1963 Coltrane recorded a moderately acclaimed album with his great predecessor Duke Ellington. This reading of one of Duke's most beloved melodies is considered by many a classic - (too?) romantic, slow and accessible; one for those who are not well-up with Coltrane's fiercer stuff

Bessie's Blues: This odd little number, short enough to fit on a 78, appeared in the album Crescent. By the time this was recorded, Coltrane's sound was increasingly harsh and uncompromising, yet this is a joyous romp through a simple and catchy blues dedicated to the famous blues singer.

Naima: A bizarre, obscure recording of one of Coltrane's most beloved themes. Unable to get their hands on the classic Atlantic version, Impulse has released this version recorded live at the Village Vanguard in 1961. At the time COltrane could not legally record this tune, due to conflict with his Atlantic contract. So the melody is inverted (actually the tune was notated in the log as "Amain", which is supposed to be "Naima" backwards). So sue me, I don't like the inverted version of the melody at all - try the Antibes performance of 1965 for a truly freaky experience.

Afro-Blue: This is one of Coltrane's famous soprano-waltz standards. Afro-Blue is an inspired choice of tune - it exactly suits Coltrane's far out whacked out soloing, which reaches a frenzy during his second solo. A classic performance.

Lush Life: Bah! Humbug!

Crescent: One of Coltrane's most famous albums began with this eponymous track. A theme that is sweeping and beautiful, backed up by ferocious soloing.

Impressions: In 1962 Coltrane recorded his one and only studio version of a tune that he played almost every night. The "classic" version of Impressions is the one on the eponymous album (recorded live); this version is one third the length, but still has ferocity and inspiration to spare. I wouldn't have thought it was possible to do a four minute version of "Impressions," but here it is. Coltrane never released it, so it is here for the first time in all its unapproved-by-the-artist glory...

Alabama: A beautiful theme accidentally butchered in the studio (see my review of the "Live at Birdland" disc). Yes, it's one of Trane's most famous compositions, but it's terrible that some idiot released a breakdown take (and presumably burnt the complete takes!)

My Favorite Things: Not the classic studio version, but a version that has received acclaim and near-literal worship. The 17-minute version of My Favorite Things, from the Newport Jazz Festival of 1963, contains enough energy to launch a space ship; or to ascend to heaven in a chariot of fire. The best legal version of Coltrane's most requested tune.

Essential Jazz. Simply a Fabulous Collection.......2004-02-22

Many "best of" CD's are lousy, but this CD is truly outstanding. You can make a case that this is the best jazz CD ever simply because of the superb selection of John Coltrane's best jazz during the prime mid-to-late years of his career. This CD is highly recommended by the "Penguin Guide to Jazz," which is very unusual for a "best of" CD.

Coltrane's albums are consistently rated among the greatest albums ever made, such as "Giant Steps" and "A Love Supreme." The song "My Favorite Things" gets my vote for "best jazz song ever." Coltrane should be heard by anyone even casually interested in jazz. This CD gives you a great collection of some of his best music.

Outstanding!

The best of the many Coltrane "Best Of" collections.......2003-05-26

It is an exercise in futility to attempt to bottle the career of John Coltrane into a 10-track "Best Of" collection (even at 75 minutes), but as exercises in futility go, this is as good as it gets. Actually it is a "best of" 1961-1964, his years on the Impulse label, and the quality and variety of this collection are incomparable. Coltrane was a master of both soprano and alto sax, and both are featured here. Most selections feature his famed quartet including McCoy Tyner on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass and Elvin Jones on drums. Also included are Duke Ellington playing piano on his own "In a Sentimental Mood", and Eric Dolphy on bass clarinet on "Naima", from the live Village Vanguard recordings. Every conceivable Coltrane mood is captured, from bluesy exuberance ("Bessie's Blues"), to tearless mourning ("Alabama"), mystical contemplation ("A Love Supreme - Acknowledgement"), and the late-night world-weariness of "Lush Life" (written by Ellington collaborator Billy Strayhorn and beautifully sung by Johnny Hartman in the quintessential performance of his career). There is also Coltrane's magnum opus, "Afro-Blue", ten minutes of some of the most inspired jazz ever recorded, both richly melodic and full of on-target improvisation. "My Favorite Things", Coltrane's most enduringly popular song, is also included here, but it is the Newport Jazz Festival version, which is longer (17 minutes), less focused and less effective than the definitive studio version (which was on Atlantic, and therefore could not be included in the Impulse collection). One senses that the quartet had already played this song too many times in the intervening three years to give it their best anymore. There is also "Impressions", a never-released treasure. John Coltrane's essential contribution to jazz, (make that "to music") was his ability to bring himself and his band into a place of transcendent being - of joy or of sorrow, without ever being overtly emotional. This is a state that cannot be attained through melody, arrangement or improvisation alone, but only through artistry, and that is why imitators of the Coltrane style can leave me cold. Coltrane wasn't style, he was genius.

a Strong 5.......2001-09-26

for all the New John Coltrane Fans this is a Helluva Introduction it has all His Classics&it's a strong treat.compared to the first Coltrane Greatest Hits package I got this is like a Box-Set.His Tone&Vibe is Mind-Blowing from start to finish.He left a Mark that hasn't been filled yet.you can tell a Coltrane Run from anybody else's.One of a Kind Artist.

Very good.......2001-09-24

Read NY Times review of 9/23/01.

Average customer rating:

The Very Best of John Coltrane
John Coltrane
Manufacturer: Umvd Import
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Avant Garde & Free Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

Bebop General | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

Hard Bop | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Modern Postbebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

Bebop & Post-Bop | Compilations | Jazz | Styles | Music

Jazz | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B00008VA1Q
Release Date: 2003-03-17

Tracks:

My One and Only Love - John Coltrane, Johnny Hartman
Too Young to Go Steady
In a Sentimental Mood
It's Easy to Remember
Dedicated to You
You Don't Know What Love Is
After the Rain
My Little Brown Book
Soul Eyes
They Say It's Wonderful
Nancy (With the Laughing Face)
What's New?
All or Nothing at All
Greensleeves
Tunji

Tracks:

My Favorite Things
Love Supreme, Pt. 1: Acknowledgement
Crescent
Afro Blue
Dear Lord
Mile's Mode
Angelica
Say It (Over and Over Again)
Lush Life

Album Description

Asian exclusive 2 CD compilation packed in a gatefold digipak. 24 tracks. Universal/Impulse.

Album Details

Asian exclusive 2 CD collection.

Average customer rating:

Very Best of John Coltrane
John Coltrane
Manufacturer: Music Brokers Arg
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Bebop General | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

Hard Bop | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Modern Postbebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

Jazz | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B000FIGHHC
Release Date: 2006-08-21

Tracks:

Blue Train
Traneing In
Naima
Spiritual
Impressions
My Favourite Things

Average customer rating:

Very Best of the Atlantic Years

ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000ROAADQ
Release Date: 2007-07-31

Album Description

Sometimes, words are not enough to describe a musician's artistry and the influence they've had on modern music. This is one of those times. Coltrane = Jazz. He didn't invent it but he certainly changed the course of Jazz history. 15 tracks including 'Giant Steps', 'Central Park West', 'Body And Soul' and many more. Warner. 2007.

Average customer rating:

The Very Best of John Coltrane
John Coltrane
Manufacturer: Universal/Polygram
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Avant Garde & Free Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

Bebop General | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

Hard Bop | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Modern Postbebop | Jazz | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00005NRX0
Release Date: 2001-09-21

Tracks:

My One and Only Love - John Coltrane, Johnny Hartman
Too Young to Go Steady
In a Sentimental Mood
It's Easy to Remember
Dedicated to You
You Don't Know What Love Is
After the Rain
My Little Brown Book
Soul Eyes
They Say It's Wonderful
Nancy (With the Laughing Face)
What's New?
All or Nothing at All
Greensleeves
Tunji

Tracks:

My Favorite Things
Love Supreme, Pt. 1: Acknowledgement
Crescent
Afro Blue
Dear Lord
Mile's Mode
Angelica
Say It (Over and Over Again)
Lush Life

Average customer rating:

The Very Best of Jazz - 4 CD SET
Louis Armstrong , Quincy Jones , Edmundo Ros , Chick Webb & His Orchestra , Josephine Baker , John Coltrane , Fats Waller , Astrud Gilberto , and Edith Piaf
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000LLUGG6

Product Description

4 CD set! Café Continental 1. Love For Sale - Astrud Gilberto 2. Cast Your Fate To The Wind - Quincy Jones 3. Cubanacan - Edmundo Ros 4. Straighten Up And Fly Right - Nat King Cole Trio 5. What A Shame - Chick Webb & His Orchestra 6. Moonglow - Art Tatum 7. Youre Driving Me Crazy - Josephine Baker 8. Birds Nest - Charlie Parker 9. Baby Let Me Hold Your Hand - Ray Charles 10. Walkin - Miles Davis 11. Five Guys Named Moe - Louis Jordan 12. My Favourite Things - John Coltrane 13. Blackstick - Sidney Bechet 14. Je Nen Connais Pas La Fin (My Lost Memory) - Edith Piaf 15. Delta Mood - Duke Ellington 16. Wise Woman Blues - Dinah Washington 17. TAint What You Do (Its The Way That You Do It) - Fats Waller 18. Jumpin At The Woodside - Count Basie Late Night Jazz 1. Blue Train - John Coltrane 2. Moon River - Judy Garland 3. Broadway - Count Basie 4. September In The Rain - Peggy Lee 5. So What - Miles Davis 6. Jeepers Creepers - Tony Bennett 7. When Sunny Gets Blue - Sarah Vaughan 8. In A Mellow Tone - Duke Ellington 9. Time On My Hands - Billie Holiday 10. Its Only A Paper Moon - Nat King Cole Trio and more! Jazz Piano Greats 1. Honeysuckle Rose - Nat King Cole 2. The World Is Waiting For The Sunrise - Jess Stacey 3. Dupree Blues - Count Basie 4. Morning Air - Willie The Lion Smith 5. Between Sets - Billy Kyle 6. Hot And Bothered - Clarence Profit 7. Smashing Thirds - Fats Waller 8. When Or Where - Teddy Wilson 9. Daybreak Special - Jess Stacey 10. Solitude - Duke Ellington and more! The Best Of Jazz Club 1. My Favourite Things - John Coltrane 2. You Cant Be Mine (And Someone Elses Too) - Ella Fitzgerald 3. Round Midnight - Miles Davis and more!

Average customer rating:

Very Best of John Coltrane
John Coltrane
Manufacturer: Wea International
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Bebop General | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

Hard Bop | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Modern Postbebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

Jazz | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B00005Y9D6
Release Date: 2000-06-13

Tracks:

Giant Steps
Cousin Mary
Naima
Like Sonny
My Shining Hour
My Favorite Things
Central Park West
Summertime
Mr. Syms
Equinox
Body and Soul

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