New Thing at Newport [Original recording remastered, Live]

John Coltrane, Archie Shepp, Anita O'Day | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 6, 2000)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered, Live
• Label: Polygram Records
• ASIN: B00004SST5
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #255,487 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Powerful dual set of live music., August 7, 2000

By 

"jazzfanmn" (St Cloud, MN United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: New Thing at Newport (Audio CD)

Recorded in the summer of 1965, this album throws the listener into a maelstrom of two jazz titans unafraid to test not only their musical boundries, but the listener's as well. The title, "New Thing at Newport" refers to the avante garde style of jazz Coltrane and Shepp unleash throughout the set. The first two tracks are Coltrane's "classic" quartet of McCoy Tyner on piano, Elvin Jones on drums, and Jimmy Garrison on bass. The first track , "One Down, One Up" is a beautiful example of what made this group so incredible. Tyner's soulful melodic chording and lithe solo lines, Jones' detonating sonic assault of his trap set, Coltrane's roaring, honking, and upper scale screetching, all wound around Garrison's pulsing bass work. "My Favorite Things", offers a more delicate form of power. Where the opening track is a rampaging loping dynamo, this version of one of 'Tranes most famous pieces is a soaring majestic exploration. Coltrane's music from 1961 on, especially after '65, tends to either grip or repulse the listener with the same intensity. This material is difficult, not as dense as Sun Ship, Ascension, Om, or Meditations, and may not be for the uninitiated. The second section features, Archie Shepp, who managed to do something few tenors of the avante garde era did, develope his own sound outside of Coltrane's influence. Shepp's tenor possesses a warm distinctive rasp that he collects into searing airy clusters. This parched tone is masterfully demostrated during an extended vamp on the track "Call Me By My Rightful Name". His set, while less dense than 'Trane's, is challenging. The group Shepp fronts consists of the distinctive vibeist, Bobby Hutcherson, Joe Chambers on drums, and Barre Phillips on bass. Phillips bows a haunting intro for the mournful spoken word lament for herion junkies on "Scag". Hutcherson's percussive, jagged approach adds a surreal atmoshpere to the material. The entire group really drives into "Rufus..." listen to Hutch absolutely go crazy behind Shepp's blistering vamp before tearing into his own solo. All listeners not familiar with these artists, or the jazz avante garde may wish to tread with caution. This music is intense and uncompromising. People with an open ear for new music are encouraged to check this disc out. After this cd finished I felt myself echoing the audience at the end of "My Favorite Things" pleading with the artists to return to the stage for more!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great music, HORRIBLE audio mix, October 18, 2008

By 

Kay Emm Gee - See all my reviews

This review is from: New Thing at Newport (Audio CD)

A fantastic CD in every way except for the HORRIBLE treble-biased sound.

Both the Trane and Shepp performances are strong, unfortunately the audio mix on the CD release is poor. The bass is extremely quiet, even after cracking up my sub-woofer the bass is still barely audible. The lack of bass does more than produce a difficult to listen to twangy sound. In this type of music it is the bass the joins the rhythm of the drums to the melody of the saxophone. Without the musical glue provided by the bass lines the music does not make sense. So enjoy this excellent music and crack that bass!

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting Juxtapostion though not either's best work, December 28, 2000

By 

Stephen (Virginia Beach, VA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: New Thing at Newport (Audio CD)

Shepp and Trane don't share the stage here. Each perform with their working groups at the time. Strangely, Shepp fares better than Coltrane. One Up has never been one of my favorite Coltrane tracks and this might be the weakest of all the officially released My Favorite Things, That said even a weaker Trane set from this time period is worth having.

Shepp on the other hand, makes great use of the rare opportunity to play at such a big festival. He and his group play a set that showcases Shepp's compostional skills and their group empathy. Shepp was never a completely "free" player. His dramatic background would lead him to utitlize his compostions as storytelling. He was branded radical for his "protest themes" speaking about the plight of African-Americans.