Chi Coltrane Essential (2009)

In August of 1961, the John Coltrane Quintet played an engagement at the legendary Village Gate in Greenwich Village, New York. Eighty minutes of never-before-heard music from this group were recently discovered at the New York Public Library. In addition to some well-known Coltrane material ("Impressions"), there is a breathtaking feature for Dolphy's bass clarinet on "When Lights Are Low" and the only known non-studio recording of Coltrane's composition "Africa", from the Africa/Brass album.

John Coltrane frequently appeared on live radio broadcasts of concerts while touring with his bands, with many of them appearing and reappearing on various European labels. This 1963 Copenhagen concert, recorded at Tivoli Konertasal, features his classic quartet with McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Garrison, and Elvin Jones. Previously issued by TDJ and MagLuxe, this two-CD set contains the complete concert, except for "Impressions," which was evidently incomplete on the original source tape. As typical with live recordings made from broadcasts with no remixing, the sound is not to the standard of a professional recording, with somewhat distant bass and muddy audio in spots. But the music is very listenable and finds the quartet at a peak, particularly in Coltrane's features on soprano sax, which include "The Promise," "Afro-Blue," and an explosive "My Favorite Things"…

This collection showcases some of Coltrane's best recordings as a side artist and features collaborations with such jazz greats as Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk, Sonny Rollins, Tadd Dameron, and Art Taylor. Primarily focusing on Coltrane's recordings as side man from 1956 and 1957 on the Prestige, Riverside, and Jazzland labels, it also includes a guest appearance (and legendary tenor saxophone solo) with Miles Davis on the track "Someday My Prince Will Come" (from the 1961 Miles Davis Columbia album of the same title).

A rare private recording of John Coltrane playing his iconic work A Love Supreme is getting released for the first time. A Love Supreme: Live in Seattle arrives October 8 (via Impulse!/UMe). The set was captured by saxophonist and educator Joe Brazil in 1965 on the final night of Coltrane’s weeklong stint at the Penthouse in Seattle. The lineup featured legendary musicians Pharoah Sanders, McCoy Tyner, Elvin Jones, Jimmy Garrison, and more.

This remastered two-fer combines Alice Coltrane's 1969 release Huntington Ashram Monastery with World Galaxy from 1972. Originally, these LPs were released separately on Impulse. Both sets are spiritual in nature, with the first three cuts on H.A.M. combining the majestically meditative harp of Coltrane with Ron Carter on bass and Rashied Ali on drums and percussion. Coltrane switches to piano on the album’s final three cuts bringing the free jazz component into focus, especially from Ali, who is slightly subdued on this date. World Galaxy opens and closes with two compositions associated with John Coltrane: "My Favorite Things" and a section from his masterpiece "A Love Supreme." Alice Coltrane is featured on harp, piano, and organ with saxophonist Frank Lowe, bassist Reggie Workman, drummer Ben Riley, violinist Leroy Jenkins, and a full string section…

John Coltrane frequently appeared on live radio broadcasts of concerts while touring with his bands, with many of them appearing and reappearing on various European labels. This 1963 Copenhagen concert, recorded at Tivoli Konertasal, features his classic quartet with McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Garrison, and Elvin Jones. Previously issued by TDJ and MagLuxe, this two-CD set contains the complete concert, except for "Impressions," which was evidently incomplete on the original source tape. As typical with live recordings made from broadcasts with no remixing, the sound is not to the standard of a professional recording, with somewhat distant bass and muddy audio in spots. But the music is very listenable and finds the quartet at a peak, particularly in Coltrane's features on soprano sax, which include "The Promise," "Afro-Blue," and an explosive "My Favorite Things"…