Coltrane: The Story of a Sound
Posted by: dsteady on 27 December 2007
This is a great read for Coltrane fans. It is by Ben Ratliff, the jazz critic for the New York Times, and is more a biography of Coltrane's sound as of the man himself.
Ratliff's exposition on Trane's technique and the intricacies of his chordal and modal structures are explained with a musician's appreciation of these things, yet are rendered with a perspicuity that makes them easy to grasp by a layman like myself.
In any event, I'm having great fun this holiday reading the book while also listening to the examples that Ratliff cites as watershed moments in Coltrane's musical evolution.
It would be helpful to have these title while reading the book:
Milestones -- Miles davis
Kind of Blue-- Davis
Monk and Coltrane at Carnegie Hall -- Monk/Coltrane
Giant Steps - Coltrane
John Coltrane Plays the Blues -- Coltrane
My Favorite Things -- Coltrane
Live at the Village Vanguard (1961) -- Coltrane (splurge and get the 4 CD box set, it's worth it)
That's as far as I've got in the book, about 40% read. Obviously, the more Coltrane you have to play the more you can follow along. Ratliff really opened my eyes to "Plays the Blues" and "Coltrane's Sound" two albums I had overlooked for the more obvious choices of his Atlantic era. "Plays the Blues" has quickly taken my top spot from this period -- it is, in my opinion, a better album than "My favorite Things."
Happy New Year,
Daniel
Ratliff's exposition on Trane's technique and the intricacies of his chordal and modal structures are explained with a musician's appreciation of these things, yet are rendered with a perspicuity that makes them easy to grasp by a layman like myself.
In any event, I'm having great fun this holiday reading the book while also listening to the examples that Ratliff cites as watershed moments in Coltrane's musical evolution.
It would be helpful to have these title while reading the book:
Milestones -- Miles davis
Kind of Blue-- Davis
Monk and Coltrane at Carnegie Hall -- Monk/Coltrane
Giant Steps - Coltrane
John Coltrane Plays the Blues -- Coltrane
My Favorite Things -- Coltrane
Live at the Village Vanguard (1961) -- Coltrane (splurge and get the 4 CD box set, it's worth it)
That's as far as I've got in the book, about 40% read. Obviously, the more Coltrane you have to play the more you can follow along. Ratliff really opened my eyes to "Plays the Blues" and "Coltrane's Sound" two albums I had overlooked for the more obvious choices of his Atlantic era. "Plays the Blues" has quickly taken my top spot from this period -- it is, in my opinion, a better album than "My favorite Things."
Happy New Year,
Daniel
quote:Originally posted by bishopla:
Thanks Daniel, Being a Coltrane fan and having all the titles listed, looks like all I need is the book.
Larry
It's been a great way to break the seal on my "Heavyweight Champ...." box set.
quote:Originally posted by Fender:
This man in my opinion one of the greatest musicians that walked the planet.
Regards,
Fender (Strat)
Agreed. It is interesting to read what a broad intellect he had as well. He was quite a scholar.
quote:As well as the titles already listed = essential are Blue Train, A Love Supreme and Coltrane's Sound.
Fender
Ratliff also opened my eyes to "Coltrane's Sound." I'm guessing the book will work towards a lengthy chapter devoted only to ALS, but I haven't reached it yet. I decide to buy an old LP12 and get back into vinyl solely because of my disappointment with ALS on cd.
dn'l