John Coltrane - A Love Supreme: Live In Seattle

An exciting development! Thank you for the information.

Looking at my copy of the Impulse 2-record set, LIVE IN SEATTLE, I see of course that Donald Garrett is listed as playing bass clarinet, not bass, as he is on this new A Love Supreme. There is an amusing story about this (which may be correct?)- Dutch musician Cornelis Hazevoet wrote:

"Over the years, in liners, books and lists, Don Garrett has been attributed with playing bass clarinet. This is wrong. The man only played bass and clarinet (the small and straight horn, that is)... In 1975, Garrett played in my band and I've specifically asked him about it (because I already felt something was wrong with it). He most specifically and pertinently told me that he never played bass clarinet in his entire life, only the small, straight horn (which he played in my band too)... Perhaps, the error originated from the fact that Garrett was listed somewhere as playing 'bass, clarinet', which subsequently evolved into 'bass clarinet'. Whatever is the case, Garrett did not play bass clarinet on any Coltrane record nor anywhere else."

Just read this on The New York Times:

"What a Rare, Live ‘A Love Supreme’ Reveals About John Coltrane
A long-buried private recording of the suite, captured in October 1965, allows listeners to experience more sides of the musician than some major albums in his catalog."

www.nytimes.com/2021/10/19/arts/music/john-coltrane-a-love-supreme-live-in-seattle.html

One day, people that pay to stream music are going to wake up and realise that they own zero music by their favourite musicians.

I have received my copy of the new album A LOVE SUPREME LIVE IN SEATTLE. The album should be of great interest to many who love the original album, as I do, and those interested in the arc of Coltrane’s musical career and development. Unfortunately, being recorded in a club and not by professional audio technicians, it has several technical flaws, including a marked imbalance of instruments – the piano and especially the drums being given great precedence at the expense of the horns and especially the two basses, tracks being cut off abruptly and the inclusion of three “Interludes” which feature long drum and bass solos, whose relationship to the organization of the piece is unclear.



All of that being said, release of the recordings is an important event for those who admire Coltrane’s work. The addition of three musicians – Pharoah Sanders, tenor sax, Carlos Ward, alto, Donald Garrett, bass – signals, in a way the death knell of the classic quartet. To a large extent, however, at this early point in the shift of Coltrane’s focus, the “extra” musicians remain peripheral. The core of the group, especially on this version of “A Love Supreme,” remains the quartet. I find the interactions among the four to be extraordinary, with Tyner, Garrison, and especially Jones ready and able to follow their leader anywhere, even to the furthest reaches of extreme passion and expressivity. When listening to Coltrane’s solos in Resolution and Pursuance, I often marveled at the accompaniment, which was always complementing, encouraging or even leading the soloist. The rendition of Psalm in this “live” version eschews the tenor sax “recitation” of the lyrics, as on the studio album, for a freer and more ecstatically passionate version, with the three other players again providing perfect accompaniment. This is a beautiful new version of Psalm.



Hearing this piece makes me wonder once again why Coltrane felt so compelled to expand the group, especially with musicians who were at lower technical levels of instrumental technique and accomplishment. I had often surmised that it was to inject new vitality and vigor to the band, to expand its emotional repertoire. But here I find that it was Coltrane himself that was developing the new voice with the apparent encouragement of his three long-term accomplices. Sanders comes on with a more extreme version of the tenor sax voice, a preference for the altissimo range and overtones, raspy and snarling – but he seems, in this context, almost a caricature of Coltrane’s own ideas and development. For me, a striking and moving moment on the album comes at the very entry of Sanders’ first extended sax solo. After Coltrane, who has been playing with (as Lewis Porter describes in the liner notes) “a warm and powerful sound,” Sander’s comes in, all snarling and growling – and in a heartbeat, Tyner and Jones explode in an overwhelming volley of drums and chords, almost as if they are battling this new beast in their midst. At first listen, I found this an attractive notion, but as the piece went on I found that Tyner and Jones were as apt and capable of letting loose these moments of apparent Armageddon wherever it was needed, whether in response to the voice of their leader himself or even the alto of the humble Ward. Taken as a whole, the album again confirms the almost superhuman abilities of this quartet of players, perhaps most definitely, of Elvin Jones. The emphasis on the drums in the mix makes it impossible to ignore his technical excellence and in particular, his contribution to the creation of the band’s sound.



In many regards, I find this new album more important and informative than LIVE IN SEATTLE recorded at the same date (and released in 1971). For many decades I have had a mint original of this two record set in my collection – and it remains in near mint condition because it is one of my least favorite Coltrane albums – I probably have listened to it no more than two or three times in as many decades. On some cuts I thought that Sanders was distractedly at odds with Tyner, unwilling – or unable – to take his cue from other musicians, over and over again playing notes that bore virtually no harmonic relationship to, but rather clashed abysmally, with what Tyner and Garrison were playing, ignoring Jones’ expert prodding toward rhythmic climaxes, etc, etc. Sometimes I felt almost embarrassed for Tyner as he strived mightily to “accompany” Sanders – for example, playing long trills, as if to mimic Sander’s wavering tone - but perhaps he was mocking the tenor player rather than gamely attempting to complement him. (I have admired Sanders’ playing on many subsequent albums, including LIVE AT THE VILLAGE VANGUARD AGAIN! and on some of his own albums, particularly his first albums as a leader with Impulse. I even think that his version of “Ole” on HEART IS A MELODY, on the Theresa label,
outdoes Coltane’s own version in some respects.



In summary, this is an album that will bear repeated listening and is well worth adding to any Coltrane collection.



Concurrently, I have also finished reading DR. FAUSTUS, Thomas Mann’s epic retelling of the classic Faust story of a man who sells his soul to Satan in order to achieve greatness – to be the very best in some sphere during his lifetime. In this version of the legend, the life story of the fictional composer, Adrian Leverkühn, is told. It is set in Germany in the late 19th century and on through the First World War, through the rise of Hitler and the beginning of the Second World War. The story of this one man’s life, Leverkühn’s, is posed as a reflection of, in some cases a foreshadowing of, world events. Leverkühn initially studies theology, achieving a doctoral degree in the subject, but soon returns to his first love, of music. He wishes to revolutionize music, to eventually create a kind of antithesis of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. In the story, he is posited as the discoverer and developer of the twelve-tone technique. (In a postscript Mann acknowledges the true developer, Arnold Schoenberg, and explains that much of the musical discussion in the book is based on Schoenberg’s great THEORIES OF HARMONY). In the end, Leverkühn calls together a group of his friends and acquaintances and confesses to the crimes he has been responsible for – the deaths of one of his best friends and even of his own sister’s child. By this point, the assembled group take Leverkühn to simply be a madman, and the story is so cleverly structured by Mann that it remains unclear if Leverkühn was indeed responsible for the foul deeds he confesses, or, for that matter, had ever really met and made a bargain with “Satan” – or was it all just in his mind?



There have been many interpretations of the classic Faust legend. We wonder why there is a cultural need for such a story, which has been retold in almost countless versions – in the great plays by Goethe and Marlowe and in numerous operas, books and movies. One reason may be that we average, imperfect humans have a hard time understanding where and how true and undeniable genius originates and develops. What accounts for an Albert Einstein, a Bach or a Mozart, or, for some, a John Coltrane or Miles Davis? It seems that some people need an explanatory superhuman element – a spiritual gift beyond understanding - perhaps a bargain with the devil? Though this may sound silly, think of the notions of witchcraft, or of shamanism – the belief among many throughout the ages that people who have developed some special knowledge or ability – of efficacious medical treatments or “cures”, an ability to predict the weather, a special understanding of the habits of animals, a special political acumen, or even a talent to lead the masses – most be in league with the devil or other spiritual elements. Some may think that men such as Hitler or Stalin made a pact with an Evil One. If you believe that humanity has moved beyond such superstitions, think again; think of those who idolize certain right-wing "leaders," imagining they will root out the evils of liberals who surely must engage in bizarre sex practices and drink the blood of children in the basements of Washington D.C. pizza parlors.

All About Jazz recently interviewed Impulse! President, Jamie Krents:

“AAJ: The release of Both Directions At Once, Blue World and A Love Supreme Live In Seattle were unexpected treats. Do you have any more surprises like that up your sleeve?

JK: We do. We have some more John Coltrane stuff coming up, but it would be premature for me to go into the details now. And in 2023 we also have some more stuff coming from Alice Coltrane. That's probably the only one I can allude to now. Sorry to be vague. But yes, releases of previously unavailable, quality music have become a central part of what we do. It's really just a matter of sorting through what things should be out there, which the artists would be proud of, and what should remain in the vault because they're not meant to be out there.”

www.allaboutjazz.com/jamie-krents-the-new-impulse-president-turns-up-the-flame-shabaka-hutchings