Ballads (John Coltrane album)
Occupation
- Tenor Saxophone: John Coltrane
- Piano: McCoy Tyner
- Bass: Jimmy Garrison and Reggie Workman
- Drums: Elvin Jones
Ballads is a jazz album by John Coltrane, recorded by Rudy Van Gelder on 21 December 1961 and 18 September and 13 November 1962, released on Impulse! Records.
The album
In the creative phase Coltrane on Impulse Records, which began in 1961 with the Africa / Brass album and was to last until his death in 1967, falling three albums out, which presented the members of the then avant-garde jazz tenor saxophonist in a more conventional setting: being in September 1962 arisen album with Duke Ellington (Duke Ellington & John Coltrane, AS 30 ), his project with singer Johnny Hartman ( John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman, AS 40 ) in 1963 and the three recording sessions 1961/62 -rehearsed Ballads album, exclusively standards - material from the Great American Songbook presented, which is played by Coltrane Quartet in slow and medium speed. Even in his time at the label Prestige Records Coltrane had repeatedly played pieces that emphasize his lyrical side. Gene Lees points out in his liner notes towards the original album on early recordings with Tadd Dameron in which Coltrane ballads his game began to develop. After his motivation for this Album asked Coltrane named variety as a reason a change of speed
The first recording session took place at the end of 1961 and in the period after the European tour (still with Reggie Workman on bass ) instead. All other titles have been taken after the classic John Coltrane Quartet 's recordings of Coltrane's first studio album with his quartet ( published under the title Coltrane, AS 21 ) had finished. A studio appointment on 18 September 1962 ( before the recording project with Ellington ) was also used for Ballads. The remaining five tracks were recorded on November 13, 1962 for the session musicians brought versions of songs from popular music with, they discussed, listed the chord changes and even rehearsed a half hour. With one exception, each piece was recorded in a take; only when the played mid-tempo " All or Nothing at All ", there were a number of false starts because it was rhythmically complex than the remaining tracks.
Album Review
According to Coltrane biographer and Filtgen Except Bauer hits the listener after the recordings from the Village Vanguard here on a somewhat " braked Coltrane ". The presumption had been expressed, the initiative for the album go to the producer Bob Thiele back who wanted to smooth things over again and achieve higher sales figures. Nevertheless, the album was " insight, the wide range of Coltrane's music " and shows him as a " master of ballads interpretation. " In particular, the authors highlight the faster song " All or Nothing at All " show, " which offers the possibility for Coltrane to play punchy. With jumps from falsetto to the lowest register and shred stick rhythmic lines it leads to a drum solo, which decides the title. "
The authors Richard Cook and Brian Morton, who awarded the album in their Penguin Guide to Jazz, the second- highest rating, mention that another reason for the Ballads project also dental problems of saxophonist; also had Coltrane at that time difficulties with articulation, which forced him to this temporary limitation of his musical creativity. The authors emphasize in particular the exquisite ballad material that chose Coltrane and his teammates, like the classic " Too Young to Go Steady", " I Fall in Love So Easily " or " Nancy ( With the Laughing Face ) ". Also, the All Music Guide gave the album the second highest rating.
The title
- John Coltrane Quartet - Ballads ( Impulse AS 32 / 254607-2 )
The expanded new edition of the CD ( IMP 051156-2 ) also contains the title of " Vilia ", other versions of " All or Nothing at All ", " It's Easy to Remember" and " Greensleeves ".