Home » Jazz Articles » Building a Jazz Library » John Coltrane: A Liturgical Discography
John Coltrane: A Liturgical Discography
John Coltrane
saxophone1926 - 1967
To take the approach here, based on the liturgical calendar used by many Christian traditions, is not meant to evangelize, except maybe for a broad appreciation of Coltrane. Nor does it mean to overburden him. Granted, his public professions of faith in a higher power have affinity with this proposal, as does the recognition of him as a saint by an African Orthodox Church in San Francisco, California.
This discussion wants, instead, to contextualize key moments and recordings and make room for other inviting entry points into the discography. It also wants to embrace a breadth of his recordings (starting with 1955). The church calendar of this article provides a helpful framework to do these things. Consider that certain times and seasons, brief and intense ones, are not easily experienced as the routine and regular. Other times, the routine and regular, sustain people as much if not more. This logic, congruent with that of the calendar followed here, animates this look at Coltrane's music as well.
Advent
John ColtraneThe Complete 1961 Village Vanguard Recordings
Impulse!
1997
This four-CD set captures a series of nights by a Coltrane lineup augmented by, among others, the forward-thinking
Eric Dolphy
woodwinds1928 - 1964
Christmas
John Coltrane My Favorite Things
Atlantic
1960; Rhino, 2022
In addition to the title track's common association with the holiday (e.g., "Brown paper packages tied up with strings"), "My Favorite Things" is a bona fide crowd pleaser—wherever, whenever. So take twelve days to bask in the title track—including the signature piano intro of
McCoy Tyner
piano1938 - 2020
Epiphany
John ColtraneThe Heavyweight Champion: The Complete Atlantic Recordings
Atlantic
1995
Covering a pivotal two-year period, this set kicks off with material that would comprise Bags & Trane (Atlantic, 1961), a blues-drenched affair with Atlantic labelmate
Milt Jackson
vibraphone1923 - 1999
Ray Charles
piano and vocals1930 - 2004
Heavyweight Champion also includes My Favorite Things and Giant Steps (Atlantic, 1960), a watershed moment in the history of the tenor saxophone on account of its title track. That many of its song titles are names of friends and family members makes the album especially sweet. Coltrane and his bands would return to Giant Steps' "Naima," along with "My Favorite Things," for the rest of his career. While well regarded as a sideman and even as a leader up to this point, the Atlantic years are when Coltrane fully came into his own, and Epiphany provides time for it all.
Ash Wednesday
Thelonious Monk Quartet with John Coltrane At Carnegie Hall
Blue Note
2005
When unearthed in 2005, the tape of this 1957 concert grew the known recorded output of Coltrane with
Thelonious Monk
piano1917 - 1982
Miles Davis
trumpet1926 - 1991
Lent
Thelonious MonkThe Complete Riverside Recordings
Riverside
1986
Stop playing Coltrane and listen to Monk. For those who think of Lent as a time of self-denial, with some cheating being part of the deal, Coltrane appears on three Monk studio recordings, all products of his fertile association with the Riverside label and its subsidiaries: Monk's Music (Riverside, 1957), Thelonious Monk with John Coltrane (Jazzland, 1961), and Thelonious Himself (Riverside, 1957) for one track.
To travel forty days with Monk also respects approaches to the season that use it to build new awareness and deeper understandings. And to immerse oneself in Monk is to build a relationship with a primary foundation of modern jazz. While this discussion initially highlights the Riverside years, all Monk, from the early Blue Note and Prestige sessions through the later Columbia years and inclusive of one-offs, posthumous releases, and more should be heard eventually. As it rolls around every year, each successive Lent offers a new chance to explore different parts of the Monk discography—if one doesn't already listen to him January through December.
Easter Sunday
John Coltrane A Love Supreme
Impulse!
1965
A Love Supreme is a testament to transformation and revitalization. A four-part suite evocative of spiritual conventions ("Acknowledgment," "Resolution," "Pursuance," and "Psalm"), the piece plays like a cathartic thanksgiving. Despite the generous public embrace of the album when released, Coltrane and his classic quartet with McCoy Tyner (piano),
Jimmy Garrison
bass, acoustic1934 - 1976
Elvin Jones
drums1927 - 2004
Easter Season
John Coltrane
The Classic Quartet: The Complete Impulse! Studio Recordings
Impulse!
1998
John Coltrane
1963: New Directions
Impulse!
2018
John Coltrane
Ascension
Impulse!
1966
Coltrane on Impulse!, a division of ABC at the time, represents the artist at his peak. The box set treatment of his classic quartet's studio work encompasses his bourgeoning cosmic orientation as witnessed on "Out of This World" from Coltrane (Impulse! 1962) and the celestially directed and posthumously released Sun Ship (Impulse! 1971). The collection also includes A Love Supreme and its immediate precursor Crescent (Impulse! 1964), a brooding and bluesy outing that may go best with Holy Saturday, the day cloaked in mystery immediately before Easter Sunday. With barely any overlap, 1963: New Directions (Impulse! 2018) ideally complements the larger set. Inclusive of Coltrane's gorgeous balladry with vocalist
Johnny Hartman
vocals1923 - 1983
Pentecost Sunday
Miles Davis Kind of Blue
Columbia
1959
As the story goes, Davis came into the Columbia 30th Street Studio with some skeletal charts, and his band—with Coltrane back among the fold and some personnel changes, too—let a certain spirit take over to produce one of the most played jazz albums ever and its all-time greatest seller. A common first jazz album for many, it nevertheless has enduring appeal for those who have relished it for years. Regardless of how many times one has heard it, it deserves at least one day a year of binge listening to discover it all over again.
Pentecost, a.k.a. Ordinary Time
Miles Davis
The Legendary Prestige Quintet Sessions
Prestige
2006
John Coltrane
Fearless Leader
Prestige
2006
John Coltrane & FriendsSideman: Trane's Blue Note Sessions
Blue Note
2014
The longest season of the year provides ample time to luxuriate in the recordings that put Coltrane firmly on the map and on his way to the exalted runs on Atlantic and Impulse!
For almost five years I woke up to "Airegin" from Cookin' with the Miles Davis Quintet (Prestige, 1957) as my alarm. While not yet the titan he would become, the time with Davis—initially in the group known to history as the First Great Quintet with Davis (trumpet), Coltrane (tenor saxophone),
Red Garland
piano1923 - 1984
Paul Chambers
bass, acoustic1935 - 1969
Philly Joe Jones
drums1923 - 1985
Before I had ever heard his music, the song "John Coltrane Stereo Blues" by The Dream Syndicate (Medicine Show; A&M, 1984) made me, an impressionable high school kid, think Coltrane must epitomize late night, laid-back, swinging and bluesy 1950's jazz joints. A potent mix, for sure. Pentecost/Ordinary Time Coltrane has tons that hit that sweet spot. Enjoy it all.
Tags
Building a Jazz Library
Steve Cook
John Coltrane
Eric Dolphy
McCoy Tyner
Milt Jackson
Ray Charles
Thelonious Monk
Miles Davis
Jimmy Garrison
Elvin Jones
Johnny Hartman
Red Garland
Paul Chambers
Philly Joe Jones
Comments
PREVIOUS / NEXT
Support All About Jazz
All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.
Buy Now
