Standard Coltrane

John Coltrane | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 1, 1991)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Ojc
• ASIN: B000000YDW
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #405,952 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

From the Artist

"I was the engineer on the recording session and I also made the masters for the original LP issue of this album. Since the advent of the CD, other people have been making the masters. Mastering is the final step in the process of creating the sound of the finished product. Now, thanks to the folks at the Concord Music Group who have given me the opportunity to remaster these albums, I can present my version of the music on CD using modern technology. I remember the session well, I remember how the musicians wanted to sound, and I remember their reactions to the playbacks. Today, I feel strongly that I am their messenger." -- Rudy Van Gelder --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Product Description

The Rudy Van Gelder Remasters Series brings fans reissues of essential modern jazz classics remastered by legendary jazz recording engineer Rudy Van Gelder, who was the original recording engineer for the recording sessions. All tracks have been transferred from the original analog masters and remastered with 24-Bit technology. Each title in the series includes original and new liner notes. In this title of the series, Coltrane plays alongside Wilbur Harden, Red Garland, Paul Chambers, and Jimmy Cobb. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This marks the time that Trane began to leave the station..., October 14, 2003

By 

"douglasnegley" (Pittsburgh, Pa. United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Standard Coltrane (Audio CD)

I must disagree with the previous review. The rhythm section of Garland, Chambers, and Cobb is "of the calibre" of any and all who played before this or after this with John Coltrane. It is Coltrane himself, especially on this one, whose genius and virtuosity begin to lead him, quite logically, away from this spot. The fact that I like this particular spot better than where he heads off to is completely irrelevant. At least it is if art, talent, and one's own creativity are valid. This recording, along with "Settin' The Pace", both recorded within 4 months of each other - in the pivotal year for Trane of 1958 - shows the bind he was in then. At times, mostly on the latter (which was recorded in the spring of '58), Trane seems to be perfectly content...or maybe a better way to put it would be "in synch"...with the groove that some of the best 'straight-ahead' jazz players that have lived to date are laying down for him, and with him. Then, there are other times when he seems to be pulling against...or maybe just on...that same groove - or maybe just trying to take it 'somewhere else'. Specifically, listen to his playing on "I'll Get By" (recorded in the summer of '58) - from "Standard Coltrane". It is restless almost to the point of being uncomfortable... for him as well as the sidemen. When Wilbur Harden comes in, it is almost like a sigh of relief comes over the band. They all knew it - it was time for Trane to move on. I mean, how many ballads can you play perfectly, or with so much romantic lyricism...and how many blues grooves, and so on. This is my last Trane review, so I'm going to really try to make a point here. With a genius such as Coltrane there need not be - SHOULD not be - any Time, or Subjectivity. No 'early' Trane, no 'better' Trane. Simply 'different' Trane. Perhaps the fact that John Coltrane's art attracts such vehemence of opinion...a lot like Parker's did...among followers of different "periods" is due to that fundamental lack of allowing his creative self to just BE without holding on too tightly to any one part of it. I may not like where Trane's art led him, but I sure do respect his choice to take it there.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Very Enjoyable Disc..., November 21, 2011

By 

30BirdsJazz (Waukegan, IL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Standard Coltrane (Audio CD)

For big time Coltrane fans or those who really want to delve deeply into his work, the previous reviewer was probably on to something with the recommendation to invest in the box set Fearless Leader. I just want to offer a few thoughts on this specific disc, since I am particularly enjoying this one currently. Standard Coltrane (not to be confused with the compilation disc of Impulse! tracks called Coltrane Standards) is an albeit short, yet great collection of tracks (with a horribly ugly cover). The RVG version is a nice improvement because of the 24-bit remastering and the revisited liner notes by Coltrane authority Ashley Kahn.

Recorded in 1958 with Wilbur Harden, Red Garland, Paul Chambers, and Jimmy Cobb, this session would sit on the Prestige shelves until 1962 when Coltrane's early Sixties notoriety caused record companies to search their vaults and start to issue hidden gems like this disc. Coltrane was very familiar with Garland and Chambers from his years of working with them as sidemen in Miles Davis' groups and Cobb had been working along with Coltrane in Davis' current group at the time of this session. Garland and Chambers alone add a depth to these tracks that makes this a valuable addition to the discography of Coltrane. For my ears, Chambers really stands out on "Invitation" with this serving as one of his most lyrical performances on record.

However, the more unique addition was Wilbur Harden on trumpet. Harden, who unfortunately is not very well known today, had a very brief recording career in the late 50s and early 60s. His career is mostly associated with Detroiters Yusuf Lateef and Curtis Fuller and his 1958 recordings with Coltrane. Harden's warm sound is a great complement to the Coltrane of this period, offering us a very different sounding quintet than the typical Miles Davis versions. It's sad that Harden's poor health prevented us from being able to enjoy this partnership more. (For fans of this combo, Prestige also spread some other pieces of this particular recording session onto Coltrane's Bahia and Stardust.)

Since this recording is not essential listening from Coltrane, I won't give it 5 stars. Due to its great energy, virtuosity, and listenability I wholeheartedly rate it with 4 stars though without a doubt. If you come across a cheap version of this disc, snatch it up. After a few spins in the player, chances are that you'll be as hooked as me.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars 'Trane Is the "Standard", August 15, 2009

By 

Michael B. Richman (Portland, Maine USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Standard Coltrane (Audio CD)

While I've owned all of John Coltrane's Atlantic and Impulse recordings for going on 15 years, it is only recently that I've sought to complete my collection of his various albums on the Prestige label, many of which have been recently remastered in the RVG series. These late 50s works don't reach the same lofty improvisational heights of his mid 60s masterpieces, and generally don't even feature the first rate original compisitions of his early 60s dates, but what they do have is Trane's trademark tenor-sax tone, which is truly one of the great listening pleasures in all of jazz. "Standard Coltrane" features four tunes from Coltrane's penultimate Prestige session of July 11, 1958 -- two more tracks recorded on this day were included on Stardust (RVG Remastered) (see my review). All of the numbers feature a quintet of his then Miles Davis bandmates Red Garland, Paul Chambers and Jimmy Cobb, with Wilbur Harden joining the frontline on trumpet. This disc is meaningful as a chance to hear Trane in a primarily ballad setting at a time when he was best known for his trademark "sheets of sound." While "Standard" is not essential by any means, even average Trane sets a standard by which all other jazz tenor-saxophonists must be judged.