John Coltrane
Coltrane
Prestige RVG Masters
www.concordmusicgroup.com

Miles Davis
Miles: The New Miles Davis Quintet
Prestige RVG Masters
www.concordmusicgroup.com

Eric Dolphy
At The Five Spot, Vol. 2
Prestige RVG Masters
www.concordmusicgroup.com
By George W. Harris

Here are a trio of excellent reissues from a time when excitement was in the air; when each release by an artist was met with rabid anticipation.

John Coltrane was still a few months away from his classic “Blue Train” session, but only a couple of months since his lifechanging sessions with Thelonious Monk. This is also his first “real” session as a leader, as opposed to being either a sideman or co-leader, and he shows that he’s got some ideas floating around his noggin. With Red Garland or Mal Waldron/p, Paul Chambers/b and Tootie Heath/dr, Trane adds Johnnie Splawns trumpet and Sahib Shihab’s bari on some exotic sounding tunes like “Bakai” and “Straight Street.” All of Trane’s solos show a surprising maturity from his early Miles days, particularly on the haunting “While My Lady Sleeps” and “Violets For Your Furs.” One of his best Prestige outings.

Miles Davis had finally put the finishing touches on his first “classic” quintet (with Coltrane, Garland, Chambers and Philly Joe Jones/dr) when he made this November 1955 recording. While it isn’t on the level of the legendary May and October 56 dates, the playing is still quite impressive. Davis’ muted “Just Squeeze Me” and “S’posin” wiggle the notes out exquisitely, while the band struts through “The Theme” and Benny Golson’s “Stablemates” with nascent confidence.

Eric Dolphy’s 1961 gig at the New York club is captured here with a bonus selections of “Booker’s Waltz” and “Number Eight” giving the listener a feel for avant-garde jazz when it was actually causing controversy and not just headaches. Mal Waldron’s piano is slightly out of tune, but that just adds to the atmosphere, as Booker Little/tp, Richard Davis/b and Ed Blackwell join in for some stretched out versions of “Aggression” and “Like Someone In Love.” Dolphy switches between flute, bass clarinet and alto sax for the songs with his flute on “Someone” being most easily digestible. Little is in an inspired mood, particularly on his own “Waltz” while the fast and loose rhythm section bends back and forth like a giant rubber band. A feast for adventurous ears.