The Heavyweight Champion: The Complete Atlantic Recordings of John Coltrane (Incl: 7 CD's; 72 Pg. Hd.C. Book) [BOX SET]

John Coltrane

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 15, 1995)
• Original Release Date: August 15, 1995
• Number of Discs: 7
• Format: Box set
• Note on Boxed Sets: During shipping, discs in boxed sets occasionally become dislodged without damage. Please examine and play these discs. If you are not completely satisfied, we'll refund or replace your purchase.
• Label: Atlantic / Wea
• ASIN: B0000033K2
• Also Available in: Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #6,925 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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  #17 in	Music > Jazz > Compilations > Bebop & Post-Bop
  #24 in	Music > Jazz > Avant Garde & Free Jazz
  #46 in	Music > Jazz > Bebop > Hard Bop

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
John Coltrane not only made his reputation once and for all during his brief 1959-61 stay at Atlantic Records; he cut enough material to allow the label to continue releasing "new" albums (the Don Cherry collaboration The Avant-Garde) until a year before his 1967 death. The Heavyweight Champion collects those masters plus revealing alternate takes and false starts in a typical handsome Rhino box that is also packed with informative notes and great Lee Friedlander photos. While the sheer volume of music and emotion Coltrane and cohorts throw at the listener might make purchases of individual discs like My Favorite Things, Giant Steps, and Coltrane's Sound a wise choice, those committed enough to jump right in won't regret adding these seven CDs to their collections. Coltrane had kicked his multilayered sonic and spiritual quest into fifth gear by the time of his Atlantic debut, and to say he scorched plenty of earth while under the care of staff producer Nesuhi Ertegun is only the beginning of an ample description of his achievements at the label. Though he was to go even further at Impulse!, where he ended his career, Champion's tracks rate in the very small beyond-five-stars category. --Rickey Wright

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

37 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great music and great packaging, January 9, 2000

By	Ravi Desai "Ravi" (India) - See all my reviews

This is a great box set. 7Cds comprising all of Coltranes work on the Atlantic label. This includes all the material on 10 albums: 1.Giant Steps, 2.Coltrane Jazz, 3.Bags and Trane, 4. My favorite things, 5. ole coltrane, 6. coltrane plays the blues, 7. coltranes sound, 8. the avant garde, 9. the coltrane legacy, 10. coltrane-alternate takes. These albums are all contained on the first 6 discs in the set. the track order has been modified so that tracks are presented in the original chronological order. The seventh disc consists of several alternate takes(which are only available in this box set). This is great material and is should be in every serious jazz collection. it is worth noting that most of this is available as individual discs and many collectors may want to accumulate this one CD at a time. The accompanying book and overall packagingare excellent My only complaint is that this is a very expensive set. there are also a lot of alternate takes (but serious listeners will enjoy these). buyers should note that this is not a complete collection of Coltrane's work. A lot of coltranes best work(Alove supreme)was done on Impulse records and is therefore not in this set. Overall this is a wonderful collection, if it were only more affordable

18 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Coltrane's Best - Great Set, October 25, 2000

By	Scott McFarland (Manassas, VA United States) - See all my reviews

I have the other 2 box sets of Coltrane's recorded works - the 16-CD Prestige set and the 8-CD Impulse set. This is by far the most impressive, definitive, and even of the sets.

John finds himself on here - he cuts his seminal "Giant Steps" material on Discs 1 and 2, then moves on to form his original quartet (with Elvin, McCoy, and Steve Davis) and cut a wealth of blues-inspired material while the band was fresh. He discovers the soprano sax and plays some startling figures on it (the best-known being "My Favorite Things"). The compositions on here are perfect and the playing pretty great. John never sounded better, and I can't imagine anyone with an interest in jazz not enjoying the heck out of this set.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Every Note He Recorded For Atlantic... Plus!, January 18, 1998

By A Customer

This 7 CD boxed set from Atlantic/Rhino records contains all of Coltrane's issued material from the Atlantic years on 6 CDs (chronologically), plus a 7th CD of never-before released Atlantic material unavailable anywhere else! The liner notes are bound in a CD-sized hardcover book, and are quite extensive. Sound quality is excellent! Granted, this boxed set is a bit pricey, and may put a dent in your economy, but if you're a Coltrane fan, it's a gold mine! As they say in the liner notes: "Whatever we have, you (now) have. That's all there is, and there isn't any more". Another beautiful package from Rhino Records!! END