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27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
GENIUS -- UNDIMMED AFTER 40 YEARS, October 8, 2001
A musician's viruosity on his/her instrument of choice may be measured in many ways -- chiefly, I suppose, in the ability to make that instrument pour forth the notes that are in the musician's mind, slow or fast, loudly or softly, as the music being performed requires. Many musicians have been blessed with the ability to take this up a notch -- they miraculously transmit what they are feeling in their soul as they perform into the notes and phrases that the audience hears. John Coltrane was nothing short of a genius by the time he recorded these pieces -- joined by some of the finest musicians who ever played with him. Coltrane had learned the artistry of silence and restraint, coupling it with his sheer instrumental ability, bringing his music to a level rarely equalled before or since. This recording was begun in December of 1961 and finished in November 0f 1962 -- 40 years have passed, and it is still one of the premier jazz recordings ever made.The tunes on this recording are standards -- they were already classic examples of songwriting when Coltrane recorded them. His own compositions were without question groundbreaking, moving expressions of a man with deep feelings of spirituality and an unquenchable urge for exploration -- but when John Coltrane took these standards into his heart and played them out through his saxophone, they became his. This grouping was to become known as his quintisential quartet: McCoy Tyner (piano), Jimmy Garrison (bass) and Elvin Jones (drums) [Reggie Workman is heard on bass on track 7 only]. These four men had a playing empathy that most others only dream of. Every recording they made together shows stunning, unbelievable interplay -- and such respect for each other. After 40 years of listening to music of all types and genres, I can't think of any group more suited to playing together. I've been listening to this recording a lot lately, having been reminded of its lasting greatness by Karrin Allyson's vocal tribute recording of the same tracks (a fine recording also -- check it out). I was discussing the two albums one day at Waterloo Records with a friend who has worked there for many years -- he remarked that 'this is the album I sell to people who tell me they don't like jazz'. Far from being any sort of put-down of Coltrane -- for I know how much my friend admires his work -- it speaks to the universality of his appeal, his ability to touch literally ANYONE with an ear with the genius he possessed.
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19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The John Coltrane Quartet strikes again. 4 1/2 stars, May 17, 2000
Back in 1962 the John Coltrane Quartet already a formidable group did something unheard of in the field of jazz at the time. They released and entire album of ballads. At the time many critics though that the group was crazy to release an entire album of ballads, the said it would never work. Well, here we are almost 40 years later and concept albums are now quite the norm. Countless of other all ballad albums have been released but this one to me remains one of the best. I wouldn't go as far as to say that this is the best album by the Coltrane Quartet. (a love supreme or johnny Harman and john coltrane) It's a quiet personal album. The kind that you just listen through not to any particular track but all of it at once. This album really is the type of album you can listen to to relax (and not fall asleep)after a long day at work. There are no jams on this one so there's no one song to center the disk around. But, how they play these ballads. it puts most other ballad albums to shame. listen to Coltrane on the first track Say it (over and over again). It's as if he's singing with the horn. Another stand out track is the quietly sedated all of nothing at all. I am personally in love with the sullen it's easy to remember. Overall this is an excellent album of ballads, quiet introspective and beautiful. I'm sure they'll be playing this one 40 years from now.
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14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Pretty, gentle mood music, August 22, 2001
John Coltrane was one of the greatest ballad players in jazz so it's not surprising that he would do an album of all ballads. But oddly enough, I don't think I'd consider any of these songs to be among his classic ballad performances -- they aren't in the same class as Ogunde, After the Rain, I Want to Talk About You, Naima or Blue in Green. The Quartet approaches these eight standards very respectfully, with most taken at a slow tempo. Maybe the approach is too conservative, because the band sounds too restrained on some of the cuts and the short time span (most tunes are between 3 and 5 minutes) limits the scope of the improvisations. Trane really holds back, keeping the emotional range of the music a little too narrow for my liking. A plus is that Coltrane and Jones's relative restraint give more space to McCoy Tyner's piano. I don't know if I'd call this an ideal introduction to Coltrane's music; some people may love Ballads but hate his more exploratory albums post-1960, while others may like the more intense stuff and find this one too tame. (A good combination of mood and more intense playing is 1964's Crescent.) But in the end, you can't really argue with Coltrane's beautiful tone playing eight pretty melodies.
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~ Miles Davis
~ John Coltrane
~ John Coltrane
~ John Coltrane
~ John Coltrane
by John Coltrane Quartet 
