John Coltrane: “One down, one up(Live at the Half Note)”

one down, one up front cover

I’ve just bought this 2-CD box with two live sessions (NY March 26, and May 7, 1965) performed by the legendary John Coltrane Quartet (John Coltrane, sax, McCoy Tyner, piano, Jimmy Garrison,bass and Elvin Jones, drums). These sessions has been passed hand on hand in bootlegs, but recently Impulse Records edited and remastered the recordings.

I didn’t hear all the John Coltrane’s discography, but I understand here we have an inflection point.

The first track, that gives the name to the box, is an arrow to the very hard bop we can hear in “Meditations”(1965) to the final “Olatunji Live” (1967). In fact, the Quartet would dissolve that year.

In “Afro Blue” I see the African roots of the hard bop, and future influences to actual accoustic groups like Chick Corea and Brad Meldhau trios.

I think the improvisation of “Song of Praise” connects with the masterpiece “A love supreme” (1964). More than in “Afro Blue”, the Quartet seems a trio, and Coltrane only appears like spice in different moments.

Finally, “My favorite things” is an amazing 22 min. improvisation using a theme from a musical as leiv motiv. You can guess what is.

(Hey, this my humbly first public comment about jazz, and I’m not an expert, please don’t get in anger ;-) )

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