Jazz fans are always searching out for “lost” recordings of their favorite groups. We have a few of them, such as a poorly recorded concert of Clifford Brown with Max Roach, Miles Davis’ off balanced recording with John Coltrane, Bill Evans and Cannonball Adderley from 1959, Duke Ellington’s band in 1941, and Bill Evans’ legendary Village Vanguard recordings with Scott LaFaro and Paul Motian.
Here’s a treat for all fans; a finding of John Coltrane’s legendary quartet with McCoy Tyner/p, Jimmy Garrison/b and Elvin Jones/dr recording a concert of the classic A Love Supreme, not only in its entirety as in a suite format, but with some guests sitting in, including Pharoah Sanders on tenor sax, bassist Donald (Rafael) Garrett and a cameo by tenor saxist Carlos Ward sitting in for a bit.
There was another similar release a number of years ago, from a 1965 gig in Antibes, France with his core quartet. The setting here is 1965 Seattle, Washington’s tiny Penthouse jazz club, and judging by the applause, the overwhelmed crowd was appreciative if not massive.
The music itself is in good but not pristine sound, with Jones’ drums way out in front most of the time and Coltrane in the center of the mix. The bass sounds remarkably alive, with Tyner just a wee bit distant, but acceptable.
The presentation has the four major themes separated by various “Interludes” ranging from four minutes to six or seven, usually in a solo or duo format.
Things open up with a declaratory “Acknowledgement” that features a surprising bit of Latin percussion to join together with the cataclysmic Jones and full fisted Tyner. A bass solo and tiny amount of drum work on “Interlude 1” lead into a mano a mano match between Coltrane and Jones on an incendiary “Resolution”, leading into an avalanche of a drum solo in “Interlude 2”. Tyner almost steals the show when he is fierce and mercurial on his feature that stretches out for a 13 minute “Resolution” after Sanders passes the incendiary baton, while Coltrane wails in agonizing form. Garrett and Garrison take turns soloing on a pair of “Interludes” that have the bass strings plucked, strummed and picked before Coltrane comes in for a glorious rubato over Jones’ tom toms on the concluding “Psalm”, with the crowd sounding as exhausted as the musicians. This is music that is presented as viscerally, spiritually and mentally challenging and thrilling.
An important Ebenezer in Coltrane’s pilgrimage that is a “must-have” for both fans and sojourners.