Giant Steps

Occupation

Giant Steps is a jazz album by John Coltrane that was recorded in 1959 by Tom Dowd and published in January 1960.

The album

When picked up, especially in the 4th and May 5th, 1959 the album was Coltrane's first release for the record label Atlantic Records. " Giant Steps " is considered the main plate from the Atlantic phase 1959-1961 " With this album, Coltrane reached what was previously evident in approaches: an extraordinary formal unity, as well as many unusual harmonic complexity of the Samaritans .", write and Filtgen Except Bauer in their Coltrane biography.

In particular, the title track and the title countdown demonstrate the new harmonic concept: In contrast to the " sheets of sound" phase of the Prestige Coltrane solo on Giant Steps moves mainly in eighths, where he plays off the chord material underlying precise. Many tracks on the album have since become jazz standards, in addition to the title track Naima, the only ballad of the plate, dedicated to his then wife, and cousin Mary, a zwölftaktiger blues, " shows Coltrane's ability as a composer and improviser of Blue Theme " outstanding. Syeeda 's Song Flute played on Coltrane's stepdaughter and is child -song from the topic here. The Blues Mr. PC - a dedication to Paul Chambers - Wynton Kelly Flanagan represents.

The recording also marked a new qualitative leap for the saxophonist; the first time he was able to absorb all original compositions in a frame, which set a new standard in preparation for such recordings. Giant Steps is now regarded as an epoch-making classic and culmination of Coltrane's "classic" period.

The Giant Steps sessions: Different staff

Coltrane was for " Giant Steps " four or five days in the studio: At least Coltrane was not satisfied with the results of the first recording sessions in March and April 1959, so that more studio dates were required. Covered by the contract with Atlantic, he was able to also try out various occupations. "Especially the resulting two months before the final version published versions of the title track document the formulaic, with John Coltrane ... made ​​to the preparation of its misleading, Sheets of Sound ' mentioned scales cascades. They also show, with which determination of the tenor saxophonist worked on making the most of his ideas. " The definitive recording of the ballad Naima was only in December 1959, and was added to the master tape shortly before the album's release.

May 4 and 5 May 1959 ( recording of tracks 1-5, 7; alternative takes 10-12, and the additional alternate take 15)

  • John Coltrane - Tenor Saxophone
  • Tommy Flanagan - Piano
  • Paul Chambers - double bass
  • Art Taylor - drums

December 2, 1959 ( beginning with the master take track 6)

  • Wynton Kelly - piano, instead Flanagan
  • Jimmy Cobb - drums, instead of Taylor

April 1 and 26 March 1959 ( inclusion of alternative takes 8 and 9, and the additional alternative takes 13 and 14)

The titles of the sessions

Original LP Giant Steps, 1960 (Atlantic ) ( Title 1-7)

Edition history

Seven title of " Giant Steps " session appeared in May 1959 on the Atlantic album (Atlantic 1311 ). The alternate takes of the May session ( Countdown, Syeeda 's Song Flute and cousin Mary ) as well as the pieces of the previous session of 26 March ( in the cast Cedar Walton, Paul Chambers, Lex Humphries ) published in January 1975 on the LP Alternate Takes ( Atlantic 166B ).

Giant Steps is now available as CD; as well as " De Luxe Edition" with all the alternate takes. The 7- CD compilation The Heavyweight Champion: The Complete Atlantic Recordings also includes all the outtakes and false starts of " Giant Steps " session.

Effect story

The critics reacted rather irritated than impressed with the first publication of the album. After all, Downbeat wrote: "This LP can be among the most important. ".

In 2003, " Giant Steps " reaching number 102 in the list of 500 greatest albums of all time by the U.S. music magazine Rolling Stone. The following year, the album was included as one of fifty albums of the Library of Congress National Recording Registry.

The music magazine Jazzwise recorded the album in the list The 100 Jazz Albums That Shook the World; Keith Shadwick wrote:

Genre Soultrane Coltrane Jazz Down Beat Richard Cook (journalist) Milt Jackson
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