Customer Reviews

Impressions

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is serious music, not for the casual jazz fan. But for Baby Boomers like myself who witnessed the birth of the free jazz movement back in the 1960s, this was a seminal transitional album that opened ears and minds to new post-bop and post-cool jazz possibilities. The highlights of this album are two long and intense live jams that cemented Coltrane's reputation as the most important sax player of his generation.

"India" features Coltrane on soprano sax, an instrument he single-handedly added to the jazz repertoire. On this track he explores the unique sonic as well as melodic possibilities of the instrument while evoking the imagery of the Indian snake charmer. He is ably supported by a brilliant rhythm section as well as fellow free jazz pioneer Eric Dolphy on clarinet.

For me, Coltrane's tenor sax performance on the track "Impressions" is perhaps the single most awesome extended sax solo I've ever heard. The song is based on a simple modal chord structure similar to the Miles Davis/Coltrane collaboration "So What", but Coltrane infuses this track with an animal ferocity that is light years beyond the cool detachment of the famous Davis track. "So What" gets you in the mood, but "Impressions" takes you to the climax.

As for the studio cuts, "After the Rain" is a pretty and evocative tone poem that perfectly captures the mood of the title. The other two tracks are relatively ordinary, but overall this is a special album for serious fans of Coltrane and modern jazz.

Originally released in 1963, Coltrane's "Impressions" is one of his most brilliant and beautiful records, one that compiled a variety of performances from various sources by the great Quartet with Jones, Garrison and Tyner. After the enormous success of My Favorite Things made him a star, and after the release of the extraordinary free and ground breaking "Live at the Village Vanguard" in '61, Coltrane had spent much of his ensuing studio time recording sweeter, milder, more conservative (but nonetheless brilliant) projects such as the sessions with Duke Ellington and Johnny Hartman. Before later rocketing off with his ever-more spiritual and experimental muse on "Ascension" and other late-career recordings, "Impressions" did much to re-establish Coltrane's ferocious and eloquent creativity before the public. An ideal introduction to Coltrane's pre- "A Love Supreme" music, "Impressions" contains "India", one of his most compelling modal pieces, with Coltrane floating above an evocative pulse on soprano saxophone; "Impressions", Coltrane's perennial re-working of Miles Davis'"So What", a break through to free flowing modal music whose original creation he had shared in on "Kind Of Blue; and "Up 'Gainst The Wall" , a cool-headed blues work-out that finds Coltrane searching for fresh phrasings over pianoless bass and drums. These recordings were in the vaults during '61 and '62, originating respectively at the Vanguard live sessions, and as part of the sessions that produced another beautiful, searching Impulse release, called "Coltrane." The original "Impressions" set closed with one of the most gorgeous pieces in Coltrane's, or anyone's, catalogue: a tender and lilting piece of sweet and melancholy balladry called "After The Rain", a piece reminiscent in its way of Naima, Welcome or Central Park West, other great Coltrane ballads. "After the Rain" is the equal of any of 'Trane's most gorgeous and evocative recordings, and is worth the price of the CD alone. The newly remastered CD version also includes another piece Coltrane played in his days with Miles' Quintet on Columbia, Stan Getz' Dear Old Stockholm in a version that finds Coltrane swinging harder, again over a bass and drum backing by the great Garrison and Jones. This is as fine a jazz release as you can find; Coltrane's fans know how true that is. New listeners will get a terrific overview from it of much that Coltrane was doing in the early 60's. Highest recommendation.

Ok, I know.. it's redundant to use that phrase to describe someone who was more of a chameleon than Madonna and David Bowie combined. Impressions isn't remarkable simply for being a snapshot of two different phases in John Coltrane's career. What makes it special - to me at least - is how *much* of his range it covers in a mere five tracks. I'm not exactly an expert and there's a lot of the JC catalogue I don't know, but I haven't found another album that crosses so much ground within one package. Yet.

Specifically, it's got two extended live blows. John's perpetual search for something indefinable made his music wander more and more away from the usual toe-tapping anyone-can-understand-it variety of jazz, and his onstage explorations were evolving into something completely unpredecented in terms of intensity (as well as sheer length). Here we get two such songs at 15 minutes each, showing just how in-depth (and how inventively) he liked to explore a motif over the course of a performance.

The title song is less of an invention than an adaptation (hence the title) - the basic form is that of Miles Davis's classic "So What," but molded and transmogrified and delivered at blistering hyper speed. "India" isn't quite as breathless; it's an excursion into middle-eastern modes instead, a little more subtle and nuanced. In both cases it can be a lot to handle at first, but there's enough going on to well reward some extended listens. And for those who might not want a whole show's worth of this stuff, this disc is an excellent small taste without the risk of becoming too much of a good thing.

And then there's the other side of Trane, represented by the other tracks. "Up 'Gainst the Wall" is a basic blues done in a trio with no piano - still exploring outside the basic quartet format he'd done so much with - and "Dear Old Stockholm" puts another exploratory spin on something that may have become a little too familiar. And for anyone who may have wondered whether Coltrane was getting too technical or too far-out, or lacked soul amid all the flurrying 'sheets of sound'.. the exquisitely gorgeous "After the Rain" should be plenty of evidence that he had an abundance of feeling still to share.

This isn't the most essential Coltrane album - or maybe even in the top five - but if your interest starts going beyond Giant Steps and A Love Supreme, I seriously doubt Impressions will be a disappointment.

There have been so many reissues of Coltrane's music, in so many versions, that it's worth knowing which you are buying. Currently there are actually two versions of "Impressions" on the market. In addition, the music on "Impressions" is also available on other currently available discs. If you're a Coltrane completist, you can probably save money by skipping this disc and assembling it from other purchases. If you're the kind of person who will stop at 10 or 12 Coltrane discs, you probably want to pick this one.

First, there is the 2008 reissue of "Impressions" on the Verve/Impulse originals series - it's just a straight up reissue of the original 1963 LP. The bulk of the album comes from two tracks off Coltrane's legendary and controversial 1961 Village Vanguard engagement. This is great, boundary pushing music - whether the exotic soprano saxophone stylings of "India" (featuring Eric Dolphy on bass clarinet) or the intense trio playing of "Impressions". If you want to skip buying "Impressions" (the album), you can get these tunes either on the 1 disc set "The Village Vanguard Master Takes" or the 4 CD Complete 1961 Village Vanguard Recordings box set.

There are also two studio recordings on the 2008 reissue. "After the Rain" is an absolute classic - a must for even the most casual Coltrane fan. It's a beautiful ballad in the "late Coltrane" style, with a gentle yearning melody and a floating rhythm. If skipping "Impressions", you can get it on the "Dear Old Stockholm" compilation.

"Up Against the Wall" is a very brief but intense blues, performed without piano. Coltrane was great at this sort of thing, and while it's not the best example of his playing in the genre, but it's very good and if you like this kind of thing I would definitely want to hear it. It's available on the 1997 reissue of Coltrane, but NOT on the 2008 Verve Originals reissue. (Confusing, I know.)

The 2000 reissue of "Impressions" includes all of the above, plus the bonus track "Dear Old Stockholm". This is a nice performance, but it's nowhere near as good as the version Coltrane recorded with Miles in 1956. I would call it inessential, but if you do want to hear it, you can either get it on this reissue or on the compilation "Dear Old Stockholm" (which also includes "After the Rain").

Overall the music here is essential and it's a very strong album, but you don't need to buy this album if you already own "Dear Old Stockholm", "Coltrane" (version with bonus tracks) and one of the two Vanguard releases mentioned above.

This album has been out of print for years, so I was thrilled to see it re released on CD. The album contains material from three separate sessions between '61 and '63. "India" and "Impressions" were recorded live at the Village Vanguard in '61. There are two basses on "India," similar to the Africa/Brass sessions from a few months earlier. Eric Dolphy sits in on bass clarinet, which is always a treat to hear. "Up 'Gainst the Wall," an interesting blues original recorded in '62, features a pianoless trio. Jones' drumming is typically intense throughout. "After the Rain" and the bonus track, "Dear Old Stockholm," were recorded in '63. "Rain," a lovely, peaceful ballad, is a drastic departure from the relentlessness of "Impressions." Coltrane takes liberty with the standard, "Stockholm," which contains the album's only piano solo. This is a wonderful album which finds Coltrane out on a limb long before "A Love Supreme." The only reason I'm not giving it five stars is that two of the songs are already available on "Live at the Village Vanguard."

A year after I had a major spiritual epiphany while listening to this album, I discovered that by the time St. John Coltrane recorded Impressions, he had made a vow to God that he would strive to create music that would inspire that very thing. The album opens with "India", a conversation between Trane and Mingus band alumnus Eric Dolphy, over a spacious and spare groove in spite of the addition of a second bass to simulate a talking drum. At times Dolphy's bass clarinet's timbre beautifully resembles a cello played in its lowest register. "Up 'Gainst the Wall" is a funky blues with a sense of humor. The title track is a vamp on the chord structure to "So What" by Miles Davis, and is one of Trane's finer moments, serving as the perfect middle-ground between the 50's Coltrane and the Father of Free Jazz he was to become. The album is rounded out by the lovely and brooding "After the Rain", arguably one of his greatest compositions. Here we find Elvin Jones playing a drum style consisting of dramatic West African-influenced drum rolls and surf-like waves of cymbal splashes, in a seemingly free-form manner, which was to become a signature sound in the quartet's later years. The moodiness conjures images of streets glistening with neon, steam rising from manholes, a lone couple stepping over a broken umbrella by the curb, breathing the air that only follows a rain...

As other reviewers have noted, this album collects performances from several sessions, both live and studio. The sessions ranged from 1961 to 1963. I like this album a lot and think it gives a fine demonstration of Coltrane's versatility as a musician, as an improviser, and as an artist. He demonstrates long and inventive solos on India and Impressions, he blows the Blues on Up 'Gainst the Wall, and he touches the heart with the beautiful ballad, After the Rain.

One important note for those considering buying this album: the 2008 "Originals" edition does not have the extra track Dear Old Stockholm that was added as a bonus to the 2000 edition. I have no idea why Impulse thinks fans would rather get less music just so they can have the exact same music that was on the original LP. If I had known this before buying Impressions, I probably would have gotten the older version. That being said, the list price of the new version is $3 less than the old version. I cannot tell if the album was remastered again in 2008, so I have no way of telling if the sound is any different.

People who enjoy this album will probably also enjoy the beautiful album Crescent from 1964.

This record is a perfect sampler of COLTRANE's early free jazz style that will go increasingly difficult to digest later on with ASCENSION.Some people will even question the fact that it can qualify as music.With IMPRESSIONS, JOHN had perhaps reached his peak in all aspects.The interplay with ERIC DOLPHY shows two great musicians willing to experiment and those two were so remarkably talented.COLTRANE was jazz's last great innovator and long pieces like IMPRESSIONS are a battlefield to showcase his machinegun imagination.Not a record to buy if you're not inclined to that kind of jazz,but a delight if you are game.

Coltrane's later period sound is vibrant as usual. Many of these selections were featured on 1999's release of Live at the Village Vanguard so it is very interesting to hear the studio versions. Great stuff.

John Coltrane / Impressions:

Personnel:
John Coltrane
McCoy Tyner
Jimmy Garrison
Elvin Jones
Eric Dolphy
Reggie Workman
Roy Haynes

If you only buy two Coltrane albums, let them be this one and "a love supreme".
Five Stars