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Coltrane, John – 1961 – 1962 - First years with Impulse Records, Spiritual
Identifier
021994
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
In May 1961, Coltrane's contract with Atlantic was bought out by the newly formed Impulse! Records label. An advantage to Coltrane recording with Impulse! was that it would enable him to work again with engineer Rudy Van Gelder, who had taped both his and Davis' Prestige sessions, as well as Blue Train. It was at Van Gelder's new studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey that Coltrane would record most of his records for the label.
By early 1961, bassist Davis had been replaced by Reggie Workman, while Eric Dolphy joined the group as a second horn around the same time. The quintet had a celebrated (and extensively recorded) residency in November 1961 at the Village Vanguard, which demonstrated Coltrane's new direction.
It featured the most experimental music he had played up to this point, influenced by Indian ragas, the recent developments in modal jazz, and the burgeoning free jazz movement. The most celebrated of the Vanguard tunes was the 15-minute blues, "Chasin' the 'Trane".
Coltrane "Live" at the Village Vanguard was the tenth album by Coltrane and his first live album, released in 1962 on Impulse Records. It was the first album to feature the members of the classic quartet of himself with McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Garrison, and Elvin Jones. In contrast to his previous album for Impulse!, this one generated much turmoil among both critics and audience alike with its challenging music.
A description of the experience
John Coltrane Spiritual
Side one
|
No. |
Title |
Writer(s) |
Length |
|
1. |
"Spiritual" |
John Coltrane |
13:47 |
|
2. |
"Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise" |
Sigmund Romberg |
6:36 |
Side two
|
No. |
Title |
Writer(s) |
Length |
|
1. |
"Chasin' the Trane" |
John Coltrane |
16:08 |