John Coltrane: 'Coltrane,' 1957

The tenor saxophonist's first album as a leader

After two years recording as a sideman for Prestige, tenor saxophonist John Coltrane finally convinced label-founder Bob Weinstock to let him record as a leader. Part of the delay was Coltrane’s integral participation in the Miles Davis Quintet, starting in 1955. The other two factors were waiting until Coltrane had kicked his heroin habit and holding off until his reputation had grown.

Much of the credit for raising Coltrane’s visibility with jazz fans belongs to liner-notes writer Ira Gitler, who regularly extolled the saxophonist’s soulful prowess and commanding technique on the back of Prestige albums. Now, Craft Recordings has re-issued Coltrane remastered and reissued on 180-gram vinyl.

Coltrane was recorded in May 1957, with John Coltrane (ts), Johnnie Splawn (tp on Bakai, Straight Street, While My Lady Sleeps and Chronic Blues), Sahib Shihab (bs on Bakai, Straight Street and Chronic Blues); Red Garland (p on Bakai, Violets for Your Furs and Time Was) and Mal Waldron (p on Straight Street, While My Lady Sleeps and Chronic Blues); Paul Chambers (b) and Albert “Tootie” Heath (d).

Cal Massey’s Bakai is meaty, with other horns added; the standards Violets for Your Furs, a walking ballad, and Time Was, a medium-tempo walking ballad, date back to the 1940s.

Coltrane’s Straight Street is a gorgeous piece with horns and the album’s high point; Chronic Blues is a minor-key work by Coltrane that features strong playing by Shihab and Coltrane. While My Lady Steeps by Gus Kahn and Bronislaw Kaper, was written for the film The Chocolate Soldier and sung by Nelson Eddy. It’s perhaps the piece that most foreshadows Coltrane’s sound and sensitivity.

As Ira wrote in the notes:

“John Coltrane is, in a sense, a new star but has not arrived through high-pressure press agentry. He has been building on more solid ground…. Trane has steadily increased his accomplishments on his instrument and has gained new admirers for his playing among fellow musicians and the serious listening public.”

Also reissued on vinyl by Craft Recordings is Cookin’ With the Miles Davis Quintet. The CDs and downloads have undergone a 24-bit/192kHz HD process.

You’ll find these albums on vinyl here and here.

Here’s Straight Street…