John Coltrane: Soultrane (Original Jazz Classics Series) (Limited Edition) (180 g) (LP)

Based on “Coltrane” and “John Coltrane and the Red Garland Trio”—his first two albums as bandleader on the Prestige label—the material on “Soultrane” is truly extraordinary. The Red Garland–Paul Chambers–Arthur Taylor rhythm section provides the perfect accompaniment for “’Trane,” who was widely recognized at the time as one of the two most influential tenor saxophonists in jazz—the other being Sonny Rollins. “Soultrane” opens with a sweeping variation on “Good Bait,” a Tadd Dameron/Count Basie collaboration first recorded by Dizzy Gillespie in the 1940s. The way Coltrane plays the twists and turns of this melody gives it a touch of a minuet, complemented by solos from Garland and Chambers in the same solid groove. “I Want To Talk About You” is a ballad written and originally recorded by Billy Eckstine in the mid-1940s—a completely new take as a jazz interpretation. The second side begins with a piece by Joe Stein and Leo Robin, “You Say You Care,” which, like the previous track, had never before been heard in a jazz arrangement. Trane frequently changes the key while maintaining a moderately fast, swinging tempo. “Theme For Ernie” is a smoldering ballad by Philadelphia native Freddie Lacey, which he dedicated to former Gillespie alto saxophonist Ernie Henry, who died suddenly in December 1957. Garland begins the final track, “Russian Lullaby,” with an introduction in a different time signature before Coltrane cuts in. This, combined with Coltrane’s earlier interpretation of “Soft Lights And Sweet Music,” gives the impression that the guys particularly enjoy playing their Irving Berlin tunes at high speed. Given Coltrane’s astonishing solo work both preceding and following *Soultrane*—notably “Lush Life” and “Blue Train”—the All Music Guide notes that this album “may not have received the exclusive attention it so richly deserves.” “Original Jazz Classics” celebrates John Coltrane’s 100th birthday with this release of his 1958 album “Soultrane.” Recorded at Van Gelder Studios in New Jersey, the album features five tracks by the quartet with Coltrane, as well as Red Garland (piano), Paul Chambers (bass), and Art Taylor (drums). This reissue of the album is released on 180-gram vinyl, pressed by RTI, with fully analog mastering from the original tapes at Cohearent Audio and a Stoughton tip-on cover. Original Jazz Classics was launched in 1982 under Fantasy Records and revived in 2023 with a focus on audiophile reissues of groundbreaking jazz recordings. With over 850 reissues to date from the groundbreaking catalogs of Prestige, Riverside, Galaxy, Contemporary, Jazzland, Milestone, and others, OJC remains a trusted source for discovering and rediscovering jazz.