Meditations [ORIGINAL RECORDING REMASTERED]

John Coltrane

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 24, 1996)
• Original Release Date: November 23, 1965
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Label: Grp Records
• ASIN: B000003N8P
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (43 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #40,202 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Part of the Impulse Best 50! Series. Japanese exclusive 24-bit 96khz digitally remastered reissue of 1965 album. Packaged in a limited edition miniature gatefold LP sleeve. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars the masterwork of Coltrane's late, free period, February 10, 2001

By	R. Hutchinson "autonomeus" (a world ruled by fossil fuels and fossil minds) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Something was in the air in 1965. Bob Dylan plugged in his guitar and alienated much of his folk-music base. And John Coltrane headed off into the stratosphere of sacred, free playing and left most of his base, which was most jazz fans, in the dust. Most of them had forgiven him for his 1961 adventures with Eric Dolphy, and had come to revere the early '60s Quartet with Jones, Garrison and Tyner. But following A LOVE SUPREME, Coltrane set off in pursuit of an ecstatic vision that could not be contained in traditional jazz structures. I'll never forget the first time I heard this record in 1976, along with OM. I loved Ornette Coleman, but I found these records to be impenetrable, loud and ugly. Keep this in mind if you haven't heard music like this before.

Today, I find it beautiful, even the long opening track, "The Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost," which is nearly 13 minutes long, and culminates in a section that sounds like the tocsin being sounded by an atonal spiritual army. But that track affected my reception of the rest of the recording (LP, in those days) at first, and I never realized that the rest of the album isn't nearly as harsh. Pharoah Sanders on tenor and Rashied Ali on percussion are added to the Quartet. The second track, "Compassion," is more like the 1961 Vanguard material, with a very funky rolling drum beat. "Love" and "Serenity" sound as serene as you would expect, more like "A Love Supreme," interrupted by the intense, dissonant "Consequences."

MEDITATIONS is the single greatest work of Coltrane's late (post-LOVE SUPREME, 1965-1967) period. I feel that ASCENSION, with a large ensemble, is not nearly as effective, nor is OM. The others I recommend are SUN SHIP, an overlooked recording from the fall of 1965, the last with the Quartet, INTERSTELLAR SPACE, duets with drummer Rashied Ali, and LIVE AT THE VILLAGE VANGUARD AGAIN, with an unbelievable solo by Pharoah Sanders.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Explosive Meditations!!, September 27, 2004

By	Louie Bourland (Garden Grove CA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

"Meditations" is John Coltrane's 1966 album which indeed has a divided opinion amongst devotees. The album can easily be dismissed as 40 minutes worth of random noise however, after several listens, "Meditations" can be quite extraordinary ranking high with works such as "Ascension", "Kula Se Mama" and "Interstellar Space".
For "Meditations", Coltrane is augmented by a sextet featuring himself and Pharoah Sanders on tenor sax, pianist McCoy Tyner, bassist Jimmy Garrison and the dual drums of Elvin Jones and Rashied Ali. Like Coltrane's timeless classic "A Love Supreme", "Meditations" is an album-length suite with spiritual overtones. Unlike "A Love Supreme", the music is largely full of dense atonality and fiercely performed free-form improvisation. This music definitely cannot be categorized as 'easy listening'.
The opening track, "The Father and The Son and The Holy Ghost" is a nearly 13-minute excursion into dissonant realms with Coltrane and Sanders using their horns for a variety of sound effects. Sanders solo which enters nearly seven minutes into the track is especially effective with its use of tones that are beyond the highest notes of the instrument.
This track segues into "Compassion" in which the music becomes calmer and more listenable. McCoy Tyner's piano playing is a big highlight here as is Coltrane's lyrical sax lead towards the end.
After a brief pause, bassist Jimmy Garrison introduces the next track "Love" with a somber unaccompanied solo. Coltrane then joins Garrison two minutes into the track with an soaring lead line as the rest of the band joins in gradually crescendoing to an explosive climax which leads into the next piece "Consequences".
"Consequences" is a slight revist to the dense atonal runs which opened the album. Sanders and Coltrane introduce the track with a dual-sax conversation which Sanders winds up taking over. Once again, his playing is expressive, difficult to describe yet perfectly in context with the music. Coltrane rejoins Sanders briefly but Tyner's piano enters in as the rest of the band (except for Garrison) drops out. Here, Tyner's piano spotlight features some his best playing on a Coltrane album veering off into Classical realms.
Tyner's extended piano improvisation paves the way for the album's closing piece "Serenity", a meditative epilogue that features a beautifully executed sax lead line by Coltrane with a dynamic accompaniment from the other musicians - a calm finale to what is otherwise an intense album.
While it doesn't rank amongst Coltrane's best-loved works, "Meditations" is still undoubtedly a classic. Its explosive musical interplay along with its emotion-filled expression is unlike anything else Coltrane has done (except for maybe "Ascension"). It is a pure statement from one of Jazz music's legendary musicians.
Not for the faint of heart but still very recommended!!!

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Holy Father, December 21, 2000

By	Pharoah S. Wail (Inner Space) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

I'll just start by saying that if you think Coltrane's music peaked with GIANT STEPS or with his work in the Miles Davis band then you probably don't want to purhcase this cd. Straight-ahead, in-the-pocket jazz this is not.

This cd is The Anti-Giant Steps. Whereas Giant Steps is mainly just a display-piece for Coltrane's technical virtuosity, MEDITATIONS is nothing but ensemble improvisational exploration and emotional outpouring. Quite simply, this cd is Coltrane at his very best, and yet it is certainly not for everyone.

For me, the first 15 minutes or so of this cd may very well be the most engaging and emotionally fulfilling music that Coltrane ever made, and that is due in no small part to the "added" musicians, Pharoah Sanders and Rashied Ali. Pharoah's playing seems to either be loved or hated. One thing is for sure though, his soulful improvisations are not for the faint of heart. Though his detractors will just say "He can't play, he just squeaks". This is due to some listeners having a hard time understanding and accepting alternate visions of personal expression. It takes more than just a shallow, superficial listen to understand Pharoah's playing. Pharoah is as deep and emotional a tenor player as has ever existed, and he and Coltrane connect wonderfully on this cd. I also think that McCoy Tyner (pianist) is better on this cd than on any other late-period Coltrane recordings.

There are no words I can use that would give you a feeling of the music contained on this cd, I'll just say that everything Coltrane had learned about himself, music, and the deep importance of nurturing the Human Spirit comes out in this music.