John Coltrane - Coltrane Plays The Blues
Title: Coltrane Plays The Blues
Product Detail: 1 CD - Jewel Box
Title: Coltrane Plays The Blues
Leader Artist: Coltrane, John Quartet
Reference: Atlantic 7567-81351-2
UPC: 0075678135125
Genre: Jazz
Instrument: Tenor Saxophone
Shipping Delay: 30 days max.
Label: Atlantic Warner Master Sounds Series
Recorded Date:October 24, 1960
Street Date: 1989/11/06
Extractor: EAC 0.99 prebeta 3
Read Mode: Secure with NO C2, accurate stream, disable cache.
Codec: Flac 1.2.1; Level 6
Flac Single Track
Size Torrent: 272 Mb
Cover Included
Tracks list
1. Blues to Elvin (07:52)
2. Blues to Bechet (05:45)
3. Blues to You (06:27)
4. Mr. Day (07:55)
5. Mr. Syms (05:21)
6. Mr. Knight (07:32)
7. [untitled original: Exotica] (05:19) (Bonus Track)
Listen to sample
http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/1096677/a/Coltrane+Plays+The+Blues.htm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olOYynQ-_Hw&feature=PlayList&p=C12DBCC5015AC35A&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=16
Personnel
John Coltrane — tenor and soprano saxophone
McCoy Tyner — piano
Steve Davis — bass
Elvin Jones — drums
review
October 1960 was one of those prolific times during Trane's career where in a short period he was able to turn out album after album of classic music in an extremely brief span. My Favorite Things, Coltrane's Sound, and Coltrane Plays the Blues, all cornerstones of jazz's period of transition of the early 60's were recorded in one month.
This unbelievable actuality brings me to the review of perhaps my favorite out of all of the 3. In the liner notes of Plays the Blues, Joe Goldberg describes a typical club date for Trane during this time. He states that when appearing at a club, the last set of the evening typically is devoted to the blues. Today it is hard for the majority of jazz listeners to imagine or even fathom seeing Trane at the Vanguard, the Half Note, or Birdland, but by putting Plays the Blues and closing your eyes, this album may be closest we can get to imagining a smoky club in the 60's at midnight, when the real fans come out to see Trane play the blues. The album itself is separated into two somewhat-relating halves. Blues for Elvin kicks the first half with a slow blues featuring the full quartet of the time (the classic quartet, save for Steve Davis instead of Jimmy Garrison), Trane builds a lovely, soulful solo with gorgeous accompaniment from McCoy. The next two tracks feature the trio of Elvin and Steve Davis, Blues for Bechet has Trane on soprano and Blues to You, my favorite track on the album has one of the finest solos on the blues I have ever heard.
The second half is tracks evoking other feelings of the blues. Mr. Day and Mr. Knight are much more modal examples of the blues and the best writing on the album as well as McCoy's best playing. These tunes should be considered a stepping point as to the direction of his music from then on. Compare these tracks to Chris Potter's tribute "The Source" on the fantastic Gratitude. Mr. Syms is a fascinating minor blues with jaw-dropping soprano work. Artist's ranging from Billy Bang to Mark Whitfield has covered this track.
Coltrane Plays the Blues is the most underrated masterpiece of Coltrane's early 60's transition period and has yet to take its deserved place with My Favorite Things or Africa/Brass as early classic. That withstanding, those who own Coltrane Plays the Blues, may see it as a treasure that comes as close as some can get to seeing the late set back at the Half Note in 1960
