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The First Lead 'Trane
30 JUN 09 CHRIS SLAWECKI
Even the most historic journey begins with a single step. Recorded on a single May 1957 date, the simply titled Coltrane (Prestige) marks John Coltrane's debut as a leader. In both its ballads and two original riff-bops on the blues, Coltrane foreshadows the incisive power that became a hallmark of his monster tenor style.
After Red Garland's piano intro lights the candles and draws the curtain, the ensemble wraps itself up deep in "Violets for Your Furs" and tenderly approaches "While My Lady Sleeps" as if trying to avoid awakening her (this remastered RVG edition sounds especially intimate and romantic). For a different mood, the ensemble collaboratively sings the up-tempo melody that signals it's off to the bebop races up and down "Straight Street."
"Bakai" simultaneously captures the sharp angles and turns of the bebop school from whence Coltrane came, and the deeper African rhythms where his musical explorations eventually led, two streams joined together by bassist Paul Chambers' open, walking blues that strolls right through its middle. Coltrane's investigative approach sounds fully grown, even on this first session as a leader.
Coltrane foreshadowed the long line of successful Prestige recordings worth rediscovering throughout the label's 60th anniversary year, including Traneing In ('57) Settin' The Pace ('57) and Soultrane ('58), all with the Red Garland Trio as backup, plus the legendary Lush Life ('58).
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Violets For Your Furs
John Coltrane, from Coltrane [Rudy Van ...
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I Can't Give You Anything But Love
Red Garland, from Red Garland's Piano ...
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Sugar Ray
Roy Haynes, Phineas Newborn, And Paul ...
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Soft Lights And Sweet Music
John Coltrane With The Red Garland Trio ...
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Rise ’n’ Shine
John Coltrane, from Settin' The Pace ...
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You Say You Care
John Coltrane, from Soultrane [Rudy Van ...
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Trane's Slo Blues
John Coltrane, from Lush Life [Rudy Van ...
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Gone Again
Red Garland Trio, from Groovy [Rudy Van ...
in this playlist.
