Additional information
Personnel: John Coltrane (soprano & tenor saxophones); McCoy Tyner (piano); Jimmy Garrison (bass); Elvin Jones (drums). Recorded live in Europe in 1962. Originally released on Pablo (2308-227). Includes liner notes by Norman Granz and Dan Morgenstern. Digitally remastered by Kirk Felton (1992, Fantasy Studios, Berkeley, California). THE classic Coltrane Quartet--Tyner, Garrison, Jones--recorded live on a tour of Europe in the fall of 1962. One of the most influential jazz groups in history recorded live before an appreciative audience, and you could be there. Coltrane was, at this point, straining at the "bonds" of the song form and what was then considered "proper" jazz soloing, and his group was developing an empathy unique to all the great jazz bands (Dave Brubeck and Ornette Coleman's Quartets, Miles Davis' '50s & '60s Quintets). Here, they take on extended workouts on two tunes Coltrane had not played in years: the title tune and "Traneing In." Coltrane was also balancing playing "pretty" with the energized, frenetic "wail" of abandon some critics of the time thought "unmusical." For those who want to hear 'Trane--and jazz itself--at a pivotal point, as well as those who want a live document of one of the primo jazz groups of all time (Elvin Jones can move the Earth with his drums), this is recommended.
