Customer Reviews

Stardust (RVG Remastered)

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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. "Stardust" features four tunes from Coltrane's last two Prestige sessions in 1958. Three of four tracks are quintet sessions featuring his then Miles Davis bandmates Red Garland and Paul Chambers, with Jimmy Cobb and Art Taylor alternating on drums, and Wilbur Harden and Freddie Hubbard splitting the trumpet duties. ("Time After Time" is a quartet track.) Ultimately, this disc is significant for two reasons -- a chance to hear Trane in a ballad setting at a time when he was best known for his sheets of sound, and for the introduction of young Hubbard. "Stardust" is not essential by any means, but even average Trane is better than 95% of anything else in the musical universe.

Look! Trane plays four great standards in unusual soft manner with Miles Davis quintet rhythm section & talent young trumpeters! All sidemen have match freedom in this session and his soloes are great. For example let's listen Paul Chambers bass solo with bow in "Stardust". Three standards are ballads & one is a dance. The album is great for romantic evening with beauty or for old friends meeting or simply for relaxation & rest.

Coltrane was best when he stuck to more traditional forms of jazz, because his free-form style was a perfect compliment to it. Here he does excellent versions of 'Stardust' and 'Time After Time'. The third song 'Love Thy Neighbor' is a little out of place, but still good. And 'Then I'll Be Tired of You' couldn't be better. A great jazz musician and an overlooked album from his Prestige recordings. Not quite on the level of the Impulse ballads album, but certainly a must-have for a fan, especially for the price.

I hadn't heard this cd until this past week (small wonder.......with all the reissues sprouting up the last 10-15 years). I believe this will be one of my favorites for a long time. Truthfully, I've never been a big Coltrane fan except while working with Miles.....but this is just about like that since it involves the same rhythm section. Even trumpeter Wilbur Harden sounds like he was influenced by Miles (that's possibly included in the liner notes but I felt this anyway). I listened to this because I'm a big Red Garland fan......so when I heard these great solos by Coltrane........talk about serendipity.

Bottom line, all 4 cuts are great! "Love Thy Neighbor" is a more medium tempo track but to me that's a nice change of pace from the ballads. Anyone who likes good jazz will appreciate this one!