Lush Life [Original recording reissued]

John Coltrane | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 25, 1990)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording reissued
• Label: Ojc
• ASIN: B000000Y7L
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #218,859 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Recording engineer - Rudy Van Gelder Digital remastering, 1987 - Joe Tarantino

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Coltrane at the top of his game, September 17, 2003

By 

Arsophagus Wu (Tlon) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lush Life (Audio CD)

Most of these Prestige titles are blowing sessions, albeit pretty damn good blowing sessions as the jazz artists are talented live performers and these albums are nothing but little snippets of live performances. Generally, these cds by Miles Davis, Red Garland or John Coltrane give you that after-hours, dark, smoky nightclub feel. They're great to just toss on, and chill out because you not only feel like you're there, but also there really are some stellar performances as well.

Lush Life was one of those albums John Coltrane recorded sometime between his stint with Thelonious Monk and Miles Davis in the late 1950's. This is Coltrane at the top of his game during his fabled "sheets of sound" era, but also perhaps some of his most restrained. The first three tunes are piano-less ("the piano player didn't show up") reworkings of old classics ("Like Someone in Love," "I Love You") and an original ("Trane's Slo Blues"). The absence of the piano though, allows Coltrane to really dig deep, especially the Latino reworking of "I Love You." The last two tracks come from a later session in which the piano player did show up, and they are joined by a young Donald Byrd on trumpet. While the first three tracks previously mentioned are worth the price of admission, the band's rendition of Billy Strayhorn's classic Lush Life is literally awesome. Coltrane would later record this with vocalist, Johnny Hartman, but here his playing is strong and hard, and Byrd's solo, almost an afterthought adds to the excitement.

If you're new to jazz, or new to John Coltrane, this is an excellent album to start off with. I believe however, that Lush Life is the cornerstone to any jazz collection. First, Coltrane rarely recorded without a piano player and it's fascinating to hear him in this context. Second and most important, this is simply one of his best performances on record during the 50's. Essential.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Old-school Coltrane pleasing the ear, heart and mind..., March 2, 2003

By 

William E. Adams (Midland, Texas USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Lush Life (Audio CD)

This is only 36 minutes long, but they are good minutes. Mostly mellow, but with enough swing to satisfy, this CD includes three tunes recorded in the summer of '57 with just sax, bass and drums, and two laid down in January of '58 adding Donald Byrd on trumpet and Red Garland on piano. This is not the Coltrane of nine years later, the atonal, controversial, free-jazz experimenter with dissonance. This is recognizable, accessible, lovely stuff. Maybe not adventurous enough for the hip and avant-garde forces, but I'll bet you'll play it more often than his famous "Love Supreme" suite or even his "My Favorite Things" album. Read the other reviewers, who are better than I am at explaining the music. I just like it.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Coltrane shuffles off, on down that road, March 25, 2000

By 

"wednightprayermeeting" (Bellview, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lush Life (Audio CD)

THis album reflects a time when Coltrane was searching musically, as well as spiritually. In the transition of leaving Miles Davis for good, Coltrane knew he had to make a good few albums for his label of the time, Original Jazz Classics. While this period is not widely considered his best, I would be inclined to say that none of his music is "bad," and this album absolutely smokes. The title track is beautiful, jaunting; and "Trane's Slow Blues" is my definite favorite from this period. "Like Someone In Love" is absolutely and supremely melodic, and is also one of Trane's best of this period. This is not Giant Steps, or My Favorite Things, but this album has a feel all it's own. More blues rooted than a lot of his albums, but it is not blues at all, except for track #3. Five Stars.