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Coltrane ?

E

early

pfm Member
Now don't shout at me , but ...................... I just don't get it .

I know he has a god like status amongst jazz fans , and I'm a jazz
novice , and I've only listened to " Love Supreme " and " Giant Steps " ,
two oft cited " classics " , but to me he seems to relentlessly overplay .

Is it me , am I uncultured ? .

Am I listening to the wrong albums ? .

Or is he the jazz equivelant of Ywengie Malmsteen .
 
It took me a while. I find it best to ignore him if I'm not getting it, and usually it comes to me. He is very out there though. Have you tried Ballads or some of the early Prestige stuff?
 
early said:
I know he has a god like status amongst jazz fans , and I'm a jazz novice , and I've only listened to " Love Supreme " and " Giant Steps " , two oft cited " classics " , but to me he seems to relentlessly overplay .
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There are many jazz aficionados who didn't and still don't get Coltrane or any of the 'New Thing'. Perhaps it's just not for you.

I don't particularly like the two albums you mention - they seem very overrated to me - and I much prefer his later work to anything he did on Atlantic or Prestige (which immediately puts me in a small minority). Although I enjoy many of Coltrane's extended solo explorations, to be frank he can also be irritating and rather tediously repetitive, and I find more invention and imagination in several other saxophonists, some of whom owe an obvious debt to Coltrane. If you want to hear less of Coltrane the virtuoso, and more of him working with other musicians, albums such as Africa / Brass, Ascension and Meditations might be worth trying - although the latter two are very far from traditional jazz music, and are among the first free jazz recordings made. If this puts you off, do try Africa / Brass though - it is really excellent.

Interestingly, many of the European free improvisers in the late 60s actively disassociated themselves from music based on a soloing virtuoso (or 'hot licks', as Derek Bailey put it). Groups like the Spontaneous Music Ensemble are worth listening to - Quintessence, a landmark recording, has recently been reissued on Emanem.
 
Miles saw (heard) his genius early on. It just takes a little while longer for the rest of us. And yes, he has become GOD to this card carrying atheist.

d
 
I love Miles , and when Coltrane plays with him it seems to rein in
his extremism , and to my ears he sounds so much better .

I think I'll give 'Trane a rest , and try again latter .

Cheer's , e .
 
If you like the Miles period Coltrane start with the Prestige albums from that period (56-58). I'm pretty sure you will love them as there is no real stretch from how he was playing with Davis. I haven't got nearly enough of them myself (there are loads) but the ones I have are truly superb.

Tony.
 
Tony L said:
If you like the Miles period Coltrane start with the Prestige albums from that period (56-58). I'm pretty sure you will love them as there is no real stretch from how he was playing with Davis. I haven't got nearly enough of them myself (there are loads) but the ones I have are truly superb.

Tony.
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Indeed - from that period I would recommend Soultrane, Traneing In and (on Blue Note) Blue Train. All great and all a bit err calmer than some of the later stuff. Guarantee you will like My Favorite Things on Atlantic as well.

Cheers

Rich
 
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