{"product_id":"the-best-of-john-coltrane","title":"The Best of John Coltrane","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis year marks the centennial of\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJohn Coltrane,\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003ewhose groundbreaking artistry as a saxophonist, composer, and band leader made him one of the most influential musical figures of the 20\u003csup\u003eth\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ecentury. To honor his immeasurable impact,\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCraft Recordings\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003elooks back at Coltrane’s earliest days as a leader with a curated collection of originals and standards. Produced with the full support of the John Coltrane Estate,\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Best of\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eJohn Coltrane\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003edraws from the saxophonist’s 1957–1958 sessions—a period of rapid artistic evolution as he established his sound. These defining recordings—including\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“Traneing In,” “Theme for Ernie,”\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003eand\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“Trinkle, Tinkle”\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e(with Thelonious Monk)—helped cement Coltrane’s legacy as an innovative force in jazz music.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA perfect introduction for new listeners and a prized acquisition for aficionados,\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eThe Best of\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eJohn Coltrane\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003earrives\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMarch 13\u003csup\u003eth\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eexclusively on vinyl. In addition to a classic black pressing, the album can also be found in two limited-edition variants: a\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBaby Blue\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003eLP (only at Books-a-Million) and a\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eViolet\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eLP (Barnes \u0026amp; Noble).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA giant in the modern musical landscape,\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJohn Coltrane\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e(1926 – 1967) transformed the sound of jazz as a saxophonist, leader, and composer. The pioneering artist established himself in the mid-50s, playing as a sideman for the likes of Sonny Rollins, Thelonious Monk, and, most prominently, Miles Davis. Then, in 1957, he took his career to the next level, signing with\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePrestige Records\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eto record his first albums as a leader. These formative sessions—captured primarily in Rudy Van Gelder’s famed Hackensack Studio between 1957-58—found Coltrane coming into his own, as he developed his rapid-fire “Sheets of Sound” improvisational style.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnother high-profile collaboration showcased here is with legendary pianist\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThelonious Monk\u003c\/strong\u003e, with whom Coltrane famously performed during a storied six-month residency at New York’s Five Spot Café. The Monk-penned\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“Trinkle, Tinkle”\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003ewas recorded with bassist\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWilbur Ware\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eand drummer\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eShadow Wilson\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eand released on the 1961\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJazzland\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003etitle,\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eThelonious Monk with John Coltrane\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis period also found the horn player putting his inimitable touch on a variety of standards from the Great American Songbook, including the Baker\/Fragos\/Gasparre hit,\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“I Hear a Rhapsody”\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e(featuring Garland, Chambers, and drummer\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAlbert Heath\u003c\/strong\u003e) and Cole Porter’s\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“I Love You,”\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e(with Taylor and bassist\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEarl May\u003c\/strong\u003e) both of which appeared on 1961’s\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eLush Life\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e. Another highlight is the Romberg\/Hammerstein classic\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“Lover Come Back to Me,”\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003eperformed exquisitely by Garland, Chambers, Taylor, and trumpeter\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDonald Byrd\u003c\/strong\u003e, from Coltrane’s 1964 album,\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eBlack Pearls\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy the turn of the ’60s, the virtuosic musician was already shifting his approach—moving away from the densely packed “Sheets of Sound” style and toward the more open, exploratory language of modal improvisation. Yet, these early sessions remain an important chapter in Coltrane’s artistic evolution, capturing the innovative artist on the cusp of fame, while laying the groundwork for the even more revolutionary work that followed.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"John Coltrane","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57218304278863,"sku":"4810","price":27.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0887\/6785\/6975\/files\/The_Best_of_John_Coltrane.png?v=1773244709","url":"https:\/\/secondlinerecords.com\/products\/the-best-of-john-coltrane","provider":"Second Line Records","version":"1.0","type":"link"}