What Jazz or Blues are you spinning?

[oldius]

That's a wonderful album Geoff. If you don't already have it, Waltz for Debby was recorded at the same Village Vanguard sessions, apparently the day prior. Bill Evans at his best, both albums.

I do have it and what a crcker it is.!

[take5]

Great to see all the love here for Coltrane, especially for GIANT STEPS. And CRESCENT.

2 of my favourites, for different reasons.

Both of them were kind of transitional, in their own way.

Giant Steps was a kind of culmination of his obsession with harmony, and making/being correct in weaving away through the underlying harmony.

Things got very complex harmonically leading up to this. He utilised a method of making fairly simple harmonic structures in to something much more complex.

It almost became purely a technical challenge in getting through this harmony.

This was particularly the case with the 2 tracks Countdown and Giant Steps. They are extremly repetitive and pre planned in their content. In fact in many ways they are not improvised. They are a series of pre practiced and thought out patterns which he applies throughout. I often feel that the only time he improvises is when he loses it a little and does something different until he gets back on track with the pre planned stuff!!!

Sounds great though, doesnt it.

After this kind of pinnacle of that kind of playing, I feel he is ready to move on. He hints at the vibe to follow in the track NAIMA , from the same LP.

Then crescent, a few years later. ( I think, just doing this from memory ). We have CRESCENT. Possibly my favourite.
I see this as the link between his older stuff and the more free stuff to come.
Much more emotion coming through than his harmony obsessed days.

Strangely, there is one track on this LP that’s always feels out of place. Can’t remember the name right now. Its a blues, in the older style. Possibly just to make up the number. Ie fill an LP

Great thread this. Love it

[Edward]

I'm having problems keeping up with you guys.

Just spun up The Lost Album (MQA version) and I'm liking what I'm hearing. But as Adam says will need a few listens to fully appreciate it all.

Villa (Take 3)

[oldius]

Great to see all the love here for Coltrane, especially for GIANT STEPS. And CRESCENT.

2 of my favourites, for different reasons.

Both of them were kind of transitional, in their own way.

Giant Steps was a kind of culmination of his obsession with harmony, and making/being correct in weaving away through the underlying harmony.

Things got very complex harmonically leading up to this. He utilised a method of making fairly simple harmonic structures in to something much more complex.

It almost became purely a technical challenge in getting through this harmony.

This was particularly the case with the 2 tracks Countdown and Giant Steps. They are extremly repetitive and pre planned in their content. In fact in many ways they are not improvised. They are a series of pre practiced and thought out patterns which he applies throughout. I often feel that the only time he improvises is when he loses it a little and does something different until he gets back on track with the pre planned stuff!!!

Sounds great though, doesnt it.

After this kind of pinnacle of that kind of playing, I feel he is ready to move on. He hints at the vibe to follow in the track NAIMA , from the same LP.

Then crescent, a few years later. ( I think, just doing this from memory ). We have CRESCENT. Possibly my favourite.
I see this as the link between his older stuff and the more free stuff to come.
Much more emotion coming through than his harmony obsessed days.

Strangely, there is one track on this LP that’s always feels out of place. Can’t remember the name right now. Its a blues, in the older style. Possibly just to make up the number. Ie fill an LP

Great thread this. Love it

I think it's Bessie's Blues you're referring to Brian. I think of Crescent as a link between old and new too. The straddling of melodic to improvisational is met brilliantly on this album. It's also the reason I love Alice's Monastic Trio: she holds that bridge between melody and discord until the drop seems like the most joyous freedom possible.

[Svend N]

Holy smokes! We've got some real Coltrane scholars here. I can't keep up either . But don't stop - I'm learning a lot. Love it! Fascinating stuff.

I'm off for a bike ride before the heat sets in...36 deg. C forecast today, and humid. That's damn hot. Catch up later....

Svend

[struth]

The one and only Professor Longhair

[Svend N]

If you haven't heard it, Coltrane's 'Crescent' set, is my favourite album of his yet it seems to get very little attention at all.

https://open.spotify.com/album/0O6Wx...RamQ_XBjf8-wYA

Listened to Crescent tonight. Love it! Excellent album, and a great recommendation. Quite approachable, but a lot of depth there.

Thanks,
Svend

[oldius]

Listened to Crescent tonight. Love it! Excellent album, and a great recommendation. Quite approachable, but a lot of depth there.

Thanks,
Svend

Exactly, accessible but certainly not lightweight. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

Alice Coltrane is my favourite jazz artist. She moves my mood like no artist in any genre.

The three most accessible of hers for me are Journey in to Satchadinanda, Ptah the El Daoud and A Monastic Trio. Lightweight they are not!

[Svend N]

Good one Geoff. I'll have to give those a listen some time. As I might have mentioned, I'm not that familiar with Alice Coltrane's work. Will spend time with it soon...

Best,
Svend

[struth]