The Impulse Albums: Volume Three (5-cd Box Set)

Specially priced, limited edition 5-CD box set containing five classic, influential John Coltrane albums from his Impulse discography.

Each album newly remastered from the original master tapes.

Includes:

CD 1 - "The John Coltrane Quartet Plays" (1965)
Originally issued as Impulse A-85

01. Chim Chim Cheree [From Walt Disney's
Mary Poppins] (Sherman-Sherman) 6:58
02. Brazilia (Coltrane) 12:57
03. Nature Boy (Ahbez) 8:03
04. Song Of Praise (Coltrane) 9:47

CD 2 - "New Thing At Newport" (1966)
Originally issued as Impulse A-94

01. Introduction 1:08
02. One Down, One Up (Coltrane) 12:43
03. Rufus (Swung His Face At Last To The Wind,
Then His Neck Snapped) (Shepp) 5:13
04. Le Matin Des Noire (Shepp) 7:57
05. Scag (Shepp) 3:09
06. Call Me By My Rightful Name (Shepp) 6:35

CD 3 - "Ascension" (*) (1966)
Originally issued as Impulse A-95
(*) Contains both released versions

01. Ascension [Edition II] 40:25
02. Ascension [Edition I] 38:31

CD 4 - "Meditations" (1966)
Originally issued as Impulse A 9110

01. The Father And The Son
And The Holy Ghost (Coltrane) 12:51
02. Compassion (Coltrane) 6:49
03. Love (Coltrane) 8:09
04. Consequences (Coltrane) 9:12
05. Serenity (Coltrane) 3:29

CD 5 - "Kulu Sé Mama" (1967)
Originally issued as Impulse A 9106

01. Kulu Sé Mama (Juno Se Mama) (Lewis) 8:58
02. Vigil (Coltrane) 4:28
03. Welcome (Coltrane) 5:23
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Personnel on "Quartet Plays":
John Coltrane (ts), McCoy Tyner (p), Art Davis, Jimmy Garrison (b), Elvin Jones (d).
Tracks #1 & 3 recorded at Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, February 18, 1965
Tracks #2 & 4 recorded at Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, on May 17, 1965

Personnel on "New Thing At Newport":
John Coltrane (ts), McCoy Tyner (p), Jimmy Garrison (b), Elvin Jones (d).
Recorded live at "Newport Jazz Festival", Newport, Rhode Island, on July 2, 1965

Personnel on "Ascension":
Freddie Hubbard, Dewey Johnson (tp), Marion Brown, John Tchicai (as), John Coltrane, Pharoah Sanders, Archie Shepp (ts), McCoy Tyner (p), Art Davis, Jimmy Garrison (b), Elvin Jones (d).
Recorded at Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, on June 28, 1965

Personnel on "Meditations":
John Coltrane, Pharoah Sanders (ts), McCoy Tyner (p), Jimmy Garrison (b), Rashied Ali, Elvin Jones (d).
Recorded at Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, on November 23, 1965

Personnel on "Kulu Sé Mama":
John Coltrane, Pharoah Sanders (ts), Donald Garrett (b-cl), McCoy Tyner (p), Jimmy Garrison (b), Elvin Jones (d), Frank Butler (d, perc), Juno Lewis (vcl, per).
Track #1 recorded at Western Recorders, Los Angeles, California, on October 14, 1965
Track #2 recorded at Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, on June 16, 1965
Track #3 recorded at Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, on June 10, 1965
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Notes:

Packaged together in this 5-disc box set as part of Verve's excellent Originals series, these titles represent a little over half of the studio sides that John Coltrane and his quartet, as well as his sextet, cut in 1965, between February and November.

While it's true that many musicians recorded often during the '50s and '60s -- recorded sessions paid as well or better than gigs for sidemen anyway -- when given the range of expression and growth found here, this is an astonishing accomplishment, especially given the consistent quality of the music.

These dates include, in order of recording dates: The John Coltrane Quartet Plays Chim Chim Cheree, Song of Praise, Nature Boy, Braziliana, Kulu Sé Mama, Ascension, New Thing at Newport (a split album with the Archie Shepp quartet), and Meditations with Pharoah Sanders and Rashied Ali added to the ranks of the 'Trane, with McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Garrison, and Elvin Jones' quartet.

If you have these recordings already, these masters are superior to anything issued in the United States before, if you don't, and are interested in Coltrane's music you need them -- especially for the super budget price tag.

Thom Jurek -All Music Guide