Which Train?

Posted by: Steve Shochet on 11 August 2004

I just noticed that there is yet another version of Coltrane's Blue Train. The new CD is remastered by Rudy Van Gelder. I have the "Ultimate Blue Train," which was remastered and released a couple of years ago. Has anyone listened to the new one and compared it to other releases? Do you think it is worth replacing the old version?

Compared to the original CD releases, I have found most remastered CD's superior, but it seems like many of the more famous albums get redone every few years--money making scheme, or improved sonics?

Steve
Posted on: 12 August 2004 by sideshowbob
Blue Train, like Kind of Blue, is constantly being remastered, remixed, re-released. In my heretical opinion it's a fairly minor item in Trane's discography and only gets the star treatment from Blue Note because it was the only session Trane did for them.

-- Ian
Posted on: 12 August 2004 by kj burrell
With you on that. I don't like the way the Blue Note Archives are being constantly regurgitated and repackaged - although they are tempting when you can get them for £5 or whatever.

Agree about Blue Train: it sounds like a recording whre Coltrane was finding his voice and still reigned in by tradition. I play the title track but thats it. And I've only 1 copy compared to 3 of Love Supreme and 4 of Kind of Blue!

What would be your five essential Coltrane records? I think I'd have Love Supreme ( obviously), the live Stockholm sets with Eric Dolphy in one of their guises, Giant Steps, maybe Om,and although it's not an easy listen I really like the last live recording released a couple of years ago.

Kevin
Posted on: 12 August 2004 by sideshowbob
quote:

What would be your five essential Coltrane records?


Depends entirely which day of the week you ask me!

Today, I'd probably say: of the Atlantic period, Giant Steps; of the early Impulse period, Live At the Village Vanguard; of the classic quartet, A Love Supreme; of the Pharoah Sanders era, Live at the Village Vanguard Again; of the last recordings, Interstellar Space.

But basically, everyone should have everything he ever recorded. Life isn't fully worth living otherwise...

-- Ian