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Coltrane obsessive?


fasstrack

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I was listening to the WKCR Coltrane birthday broadcast, and to be honest had to shut it off a few times.

John Coltrane was a searching musician and unbelievably hard worker. And he got results. Not every hard worker does.

But I find myself thinking when listening to stuff, say, post the Atlantic period 'Gee, this is amazing, but it's so intense'. I find that my tastes have changed and certain great players. like 'Trane or Bill Evans, I have to be in the mood for. With 'Trane the main thing is that he works my ears so hard, especially in the final period. The intensity doesn't relax, but gets me wired. I don't mean the ballads. Dear Lord is a work of art. I cite it because it's from after those fabulous Blue Note and Prestige periods.  

 

Some of this is doubtless me. but I'd like to know what others think.,,    

 

 

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I love free jazz, but I must confess I sold my "live in Japan", "live in Seattle" albums many years ago because I never enjoyed them much.  I don't want to listen to a 40 minute "my favorite things" or a 10 minute Jimmy Garrison solo. Sacrilegious?  Perhaps.  

That said, I think "meditations" is a beast.  

I got rid of "Om" too and never bothered to hear the recent "temple" live release.

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1 hour ago, chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez said:

did anyone see that jimmy heath clip that went round the other day and he said he was all- hey coltrane willie mays broke a record or somethin and coltrane was all: whos wiliie mays? he was 100% involved in his music!

I heard him say that in a Kennedy Center interview...

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The intensity is so well communicated with Trane. And oddly I find it calming for me when I have the time to focus on the music. I can ride the intensity, the flow of ideas and I'm really taken away. 

This man's dedication and propulsive drive are alien to me. I've never been able to be that committed to anything other than loving a woman. But I can understand it in that way. On those occasions when I can immerse myself in the most intense of the work I come out of it changed in little ways. For the better for the most part, though I confess there are times when I feel as if I was assaulted with a lot of pain through the music, but even that is cathartic.

I guess the bottom line is that I wouldn't change any of the trajectory of Trane's flight.

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I love Trane's intensity too, it's cathartic, and even at his most out, there's something there to bring you back in.  It's the soul of a man laid bare almost, everything is there for the listener.  He never forgot about bebop or the blues, though it shows itself in less obvious ways, "Leo" on "Live in Japan".  I have to be in the mood for "Live in Japan" or "Seattle" as well, but when that mood strikes, it's right.

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2 hours ago, fasstrack said:

And they have, um, 'talents'. Or I do hope so, for your, um, pleasure's sake...

Well, I know how to love someone and be loved. Second marriage. . . didn't want to lose my first wife, but almost nine  years later to be married again and loved and love this way, it's made my life so much more happy and peaceful. I'd wish this on anyone. 

Edited by jazzbo
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2 hours ago, jazzbo said:

Well, I know how to love someone and be loved. Second marriage. . . didn't want to lose my first wife, but almost nine  years later to be married again and loved and love this way, it's made my life so much more happy and peaceful. I'd wish this on anyone. 

Then wish it on me. Please...

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Back to the original post: I hear you fasstrack.  

For me, the music after the dissolution of the classic quartet is very much a "just occasionally" thing.

But the Impulse stuff with the classic quartet is more "everyday-type" music -- even though it's still HIGH-intensity music.  

I guess that's where I make the distinction. 

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the Jimmy Garrison solos are a bit much, but they are there because they belong. It would be nice if they were separate tracks and I could skip them if I'm not in the mood.

 

Late Trane is fine by me. I listen to what fits the moment.

Edited by 7/4
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On 9/24/2016 at 11:03 AM, Homefromtheforest said:

And tomorrow never knows!

Turn off your mind, relax and float down stream

5 hours ago, 7/4 said:

the Jimmy Garrison solos are a bit much, but they are there because they belong. It would be nice if they were separate tracks and I could skip them if I'm not in the mood.

 

Late Trane is fine by me. I listen to what fits the moment.

I tend to fast forward through the Garrison and Pharoah solos on the live stuff from that period.  And 'Live in Seattle" has always seemed a mess to me (though a pretty fascinating mess), easy enough to see why Tyner and Elvin exited shortly thereafter.  "Meditations" really was a miracle, give the confusion of the recordings around it.

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