Live! at the Village Vanguard

Occupation

• Tenor Saxophone: John Coltrane
• Bass Clarinet: Eric Dolphy
• Piano: McCoy Tyner
• Bass: Reggie Workman
• Drums: Elvin Jones

Coltrane "Live" at the Village Vanguard is a jazz album by John Coltrane, recorded in New York jazz club the Village Vanguard on November 2 and 3 in 1961 and published in 1962 on Impulse! Records. The complete recordings from November 1 to 5 published in 1997 under the title The Complete 1961 Village Vanguard Recordings.

• 7.3 The Complete 1961 Village Vanguard Recordings

The album

During his time at Atlantic Records, last recorded in the May 1961 album Olé was formed the 'classic' John Coltrane Quartet out, first with pianist McCoy Tyner, drummer Elvin Jones and bassist Reggie Workman, who was then replaced by Jimmy Garrison, after these participated in the sessions at the Village Vanguard. At the same time Coltrane worked with Eric Dolphy, Coltrane's regular quartet of added to the tone of the bass clarinet and flute.

On 24 October 1961, the band arrived in New York City to two weeks to appear in the Club Village Vanguard and take up new titles. Coltrane wanted to record in a relaxed club atmosphere; " I like the club feeling, especially such an intimate atmosphere as that of the Village Vanguard". It was him particularly to communicate with the audience. In addition to John Coltrane with his quartet play Eric Dolphy and, with some additional appearances Jimmy Garrison as a second bassist Ahmed Abdul Malik on an unidentified instrument (possibly a Tanpura ), the oboist Garvin Bushell, who already in the Africa / Brass Session mid- 1961 had participated, and Roy Haynes on drums. John Coltrane jazz critic Nat Hentoff told the cooperation with Dolphy, they had a lot of discussion about the possibilities of improvisation, about working with scales and technical issues. It would make sense for him to have Dolphy in the group, this is stimulating for him, Coltrane said.

The music of the album

The first track of the album, "Spiritual ", based on an actual Spiritual, which also contains Worksong elements; Coltrane played the tenor saxophone, accompanied by Eric Dolphy on bass clarinet, which is sometimes used in counterpoint. After McCoy Tyner piano solo Coltrane picks up the soprano saxophone for further improvisation and creating new sounds within the piece. Previously Dolphy and Tyner had space for their solos. The piece ends with the theme by Coltrane and Dolphy. The reason for the recording of the piece Coltrane called in an interview with Nat Hentoff for the original liner notes, the swinging game from Elvin Jones, initially with the broom, only during Coltrane's solo with the sticks.

The only jazz standard, " Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise " begins in mainstream fashion by the rhythm section; Coltrane's solo on the soprano saxophone sells the serene mood.

The Coltrane biographer and Filtgen Except Bauer described the last track of the album, the 16-minute " Chasin 'the Trane " that has taken the entire B- side of the album, as the absolute increase; Coltrane bubble " in the truest sense of the word the soul from the body." " Chasin 'the Trane " was a spontaneous play, written; Based on the Blue scheme Coltrane long solos - this time without piano accompaniment - and uses melody strings that produce a concentrated and contemplative mood in their density. Worn and promoted is the whole of Elvin Jones, Reggie Workman also ensures together with accentuation in music.

Edition history

At the time of the contract start with Impulse! Records was Creed Taylor, the producer; the time of the Village Vanguard recordings but took Bob Thiele those tasks in the young jazz label. It was planned to hold an evening of the concert series; but when Thiele heard the music, he decided to record four of the last five evenings; There were 22 different takes, even though there were only nine different titles, and some four versions were then developed. Coltrane and Thiele then spent some time in Rudy Van Gelder's studio and chose for the album Coltrane Live at the Village Vanguard ( Impulse AS -20) three title, "Spiritual " on November 3, " Softly As in a Morning Sunrise " and " Chasin 'the Trane " of 2 November. About a year later Coltrane chose another title for an album, combined with studio recordings from 1962 /63 for the album Impressions ( Impulse AS -42). This is then the title of " India" and " Impressions" of 3 November published. In 1977, then appeared more recordings of the concerts on the double album The Other Village Vanguard Tapes and Trane's Modes ( Impulse 9361-2 ).

First, the Village Vanguard recordings were published with unclear and incomplete occupation information; the producer Michael Cuscuna heard for the re-release in 1997 along with Reggie Workman all tapes again starting to be classified accordingly occupation and title. All tracks of the performances were then published in the edition of The Complete 1961 Village Vanguard Recordings 1997. In 1998, the title of the original LP appeared coupled with the other two recordings, Coltrane had even selected for publication on the CD Live at the Village Vanguard - The Master Takes.

The Complete 1961 Village Vanguard Recordings

David A. Wild, listed in the liner notes to the edition of the complete concert recordings from the Village Vanguard in 1961 that Bob Thiele probably wanted to draw the focus on Coltrane at his first choice; while the important contribution Eric Dolphy at the concerts came initially too short, which corrects the complete edition essential. His bass clarinet game is now to be heard in songs like " Spiritual " and " Naima ". However, his flute playing in the Coltrane band is not documented in these recordings. "

Another important player was bassist Jimmy Garrison, especially in the taken on November 2, " Chasin 'the Train" for the first time. After Workman still participated in the Tournament of the Coltrane band, which followed the Village Vanguard performances, then became a regular bassist with Garrison Coltrane, as Workman left the band in December. For versions of his composition "India" that are not included on the original LP, Coltrane extended the band is still around two jazz unusual voices: the oboe ( and the contrabassoon in "Spiritual " ), played by Garvin Bushell and the Tanpura, Ahmed Abdul -Malik played and gave the piece an oriental flair. Include the ballad " Naima " is now under proper titles; Coltrane had played for contractual reasons changed, in which he overthrew the melody.

The "regular" band members were. At the four evenings John Coltrane with Eric Dolphy, McCoy Tyner, Reggie Workman and Elvin Jones Already with the first recorded title "India" on November 1, was added Ahmed Abdul- Malik, in " Impressions" played as the bassist Jimmy Garrison for Workman. In " Brasilia " continued from pianist Tyner. On the evening of November 2, Roy Haynes played for Jones on drums in " Chasin 'Another Trane "; Tyner stops after a short game. For the following items "India" and "Spiritual " is added oboist / bassoonist Garvin Bushell. After " Softly As In A Morning Sunrise" with the "regular" band Garrison came in " Chasin 'the Trane " for Workman, which was played as a trio. Garrison also played in " Impressions" with, again with McCoy Tyner.

The "Impressions " version of November 3 is taken with Garrison; with the two bassists Garrison and Workman played the Coltrane band this evening "India" and "Miles ' Mode". In the Sunday concert on November 5 was again "India" included in an enlarged configuration, with two bass players, Malik and Bushell; it was followed by "Spiritual " in addition with Bushell on the contrabassoon.

On the question of why there had been no recordings of the Saturday concert (4 November ), David A. Wild believes that producer Bob Thiele had probably gathered enough material for a publication and wanted to avoid the noisy recording conditions one Saturday evening. So it was only to the two additional recordings on Sunday, November 5, from "India" and "Spiritual ".

The Village Vanguard editions in chronological overview

Album Review

The Village Vanguard appearance in the contemporary jazz criticism

David Wild is in his essay for the complete edition of the concert recordings 1997, the voices of contemporary jazz critic again. So wrote the Swedish Radio reporter Claes Dahlgren, who witnessed one of the few critics of the concerts later in the Swedish music magazine " Orkester journals ". His negative judgment contained remarks about Coltrane play ( "sounds like polka "); He wondered about the appearances, " as if they were a kind of fun." Another critical voice came at that time by the critic John Tynan, who wrote "Come on, call me a reactionary, I was the object of a musical Nonsenses, held by Coltrane and his acolytes Dolphy in the name of jazz. " This article appeared in the Down Beat edition of 21 November 1961 while Coltrane was staying with his band in Europe, and had a controversial discussion about the episode and eventually led to the article " John Coltrane and Eric Dolphy Answers the Jazz Critics " in down Beat on April 12, 1962. Subsequently the discussions Dolphy had left the band in March; the next studio album for the Impulse! label, Coltrane (1962), took accordingly conservative.

Today's review of the recordings

Richard Cook and Brian Morton, both the complete edition of The Complete 1961 Village Vanguard Recordings as well as the newly released single CD Live at the Village Vanguard -The Master Takes valued in their The Penguin Guide to Jazz with the highest grade, particularly lifting the title " Chasin 'the Trane " out: he was at that time a " physical shock " was; " Something it had not been given in the former Jazz". Coltrane's solo on " Impressions" was one of his most important throughout his entire career. Thus, Coltrane was at that time to the leading exponents of the modal "school" of improvisation. " Chasin 'the Trane " broke with convention also in terms of length, could expect the audience at the beginning of the 1960s. Brian Priestley also raises in the Rough Guide Jazz forth the interpretations of " Chasin 'the Trane " and " Impressions".

The title

• CD reissue Live in the Village Vanguard - The Mater Takes, 1998 ( pulses 051251-2 )

The Complete 1961 Village Vanguard Recordings

• 4- CD set of all recordings of concerts of 1961 Village Vanguard ( Impulse IMPD 4-232 )