Search dance music

Review: All aboard the blue 'Trane! one of the many albums that cemented Blue Note and John Coltrane's longstanding working relationship, 'Blue Train' is the saxophonist's second studio album and the only recording with Coltrane taking the role of bandleader. This version comes with several alternate, false starts and incomplete takes, owing to the single-take tradition of jazz recording back in the late 1950s.

Review: Last year, an eagle-eyed researcher discovered a genuine slept-on gem in the archives of New York Public Library: a forgotten, unreleased recording of the John Coltrane Quintet playing - alongside bass clarinettist Eric Dolphy, at the iconic Village Gate venue in August 1961. Here, that recording - now freshly mastered - is released to the public for the first time, and as you'd expect it's rather special. Coltrane is at his magical, blistering best throughout, with his band offering similarly impressive support throughout. Highlights include the only live recording yet discovered of the quintet performing 'Africa', an insanely good 10-minute take on Coltrane classic 'Impressions', and Dolphy's star turn on 'When Lights Are Low'. In a word: essential!

Review: It goes without saying that 'A Love Supreme' is in the upper echelons of jazz history. A spiritual and emotional proclamation from American jazz saxophonist John Coltrane, the 32 minute runtime is a narrative of strife and struggle with addiction as well as the notable repetition of his riff in all 12 keys throughout the session in 'Acknowledgement'. In many ways you could say Coltrane's playing wasn't improvised at all, and you could argue that the session was better off for it. At the end of the half an hour, the narrative unwinds and Coltrane is declaring a faith to God, a musical thankyou to his faith that kept him true throughout his trials following a spiritual awakening in 1957 - what resulted was an undisputed musical masterpiece.

Review: The irrepressible and unmatchable John Coltrane showed once again what a true stylist he was on this Soultrane album. It takes him well away from the ordinary jazz world, much like earlier albums Coltrane and John Coltrane and the Red Garland Trio, with rhythm section men Garland, Paul Chambers and Arthur Taylor proving themselves to be perfectly adept at powering along Trane's innovations. At this point he was already thought of alongside the likes of Sonny Rollins as one of the most influential tenor sax men in the game and that view hasn't changed all these years on.

Review: Given that he was the Impulse label's most significant star during its formative years, it seems fitting that a newly discovered live recording of John Coltrane should form part of the acclaimed jazz imprint's 60th anniversary celebrations. What we get is a genuine piece of jazz history: an expanded, wonderfully free-wheeling and hugely atmospheric performance of Coltrane's landmark A Love Supreme suite, recorded live at The Penthouse in Seattle on October 2nd, 1965. Coltrane is of course in prime form, as are his regular accompanying players. Significantly, these included Pharoah Sanders, who on that now famous night in Seattle was making his first official appearance as part of Coltrane's group.

Review: Blue World is an album that was never intended for release. It features music commissioned for a soundtrack for a Canadian film in 1964 and showcases a quartet that was at its very best. It's made up of short tracks and alternate takes of early Coltrane material and is utterly vibrant. Catchy little ditties like "Village Blues", stripped down numbers like the title track and the mostly-improvised "Traneing In" are all testament to the enduring brilliance of Coltrane, no matter the setting in which he was playing. The clarity of the recording and richness of the bass playing also add to the overall beauty of this record.

Review: Lush Life is a seminal recording amongst many from the late great and legendary John Coltrane. It came at a time when his sound was transitioning between styles and after he had overcome his addiction to narcotics. He had first played with the Miles Davis Quintet in 1955 before starting his own quartet with McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Garrison, and Elvin Jones in 1960 and this one was made from three different recording sessions. Side A is by a trio setup with no piano while the flip is a quintet with Donald Byrd and Red Garland showing their skills. Devoid of the speedy, flashy solo skills he'd been known for in his early career, this is almost ambient, much more about the lush textures and meditational pace than be bop ever was.