Live At The Village Vanguard

Performer: John Coltrane
Artist: McCoy Tyner; Elvin Jones; Eric Dolphy; Reggie Workman
Engineer: Rudy Van Gelder
Producer: Bob Thiele; Bob Thiele
Distributor: Universal Distribution

Notes: Personnel: John Coltrane (soprano & tenor saxophones); Eric Dolphy (bass clarinet); McCoy Tyner (piano); Reggie Workman (acoustic bass); Elvin Jones (drums). Recorded at The Village Vanguard, New York on November 2 and 3, 1961. Includes original liner notes by Nat Hentoff. All songs written by John Coltrane except "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise" (Sigmund Romberg/Oscar Hammerstein II). Personnel: John Coltrane (soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone); John Coltrane; Ahmed Abdul-Malik (oud); Pharoah Sanders (tenor saxophone); Reggie Workman (acoustic bass); Roy Haynes (drums); Eric Dolphy (flute, bass clarinet, alto saxophone); McCoy Tyner (piano); Elvin Jones (drums). Liner Note Author: Nat Hentoff. Recording information: The Village Vanguard, New York, NY (11/02/1961/11/03/1961). This set documents the four-night stand by John Coltrane (sax) and his quintet at the Village Vanguard in New York City, November 1 -- 5, 1961. Although these are not newly discovered tapes -- as the majority of the selections have turned up on no less than five separate releases -- their restoration is significant in assessing motifs in Coltrane's [read: multi-show] live appearances. Coltrane is accompanied by an all-star ensemble of Eric Dolphy (alto sax/bass clarinet), Garvin Bushell (oboe/contrabassoon), Ahmed Abdul-Malik (oud), McCoy Tyner (piano), Jimmy Garrison (bass), Reggie Workman (bass), Elvin Jones (drums), and Roy Haynes (drums). Their presence is as equally vital as Coltrane's -- inspiring as well as informing the dimensions of improvisation. With the knowledge that the entire run was being documented to create some sort of retail document, Coltrane chose nine specific compositions to concentrate on. The choice of material likewise had a tremendous impact on the personnel of the band -- evidenced by Bushnell's contributions during "Spiritual" and Abdul-Malik's within the context of the extended "India." Each set bears its own distinctive shading and emphasis. Parties wishing to hear the run in its entirety are encouraged to check out the multi-disc Complete 1961 Village Vanguard Recordings (1997) as there are multiple takes of the same songs. This allows even the most unsophisticated jazz consumer the opportunity to note the difference in the various versions, while contrasting the player's widely diverse performance styles. The highly recommended box set also includes a nine-panel fold out poster, 48-page liner notes booklet -- with a complete discography for the included material -- and other ephemera, such as rarely published photographs. ~ Lindsay Planer

Through both the force of his music and his personal character, saxophonist John Coltrane remains among the most influential jazz artists of all time. After a stint with the classic Miles Davis band of the late 1950s, the tenor titan embarked on a decade of staggering creativity. With the daunting GIANT STEPS, he exploded the possibilities of post-bop harmony; subsequently, he formed his "classic quartet" with McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Garrison, and Elvin Jones--the ideal group for Coltrane's ever-expanding sonic vocabulary. As the '60s progressed, he also added the soprano sax to the mix and explored the use of modes, before finally moving on to the inspired free playing on records such as ASCENSION and INTERSTELLAR SPACE in his last years.

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