Years before John Coltrane had developed the momentum to pursue his solo career, he worked as a session musician, adding a dose of intensity and brilliance to numerous recording sessions. Since these albums were credited to a variety of artists - some of them dedicated exclusively to the session musicians gathered for that particular recording - many of them languished in obscurity. Wit h titles such as "Interplay for 2 Trumpets a nd 2 Tenors,&quo t; "Tenor Conclave" and "Baritones and French Horns," it is no wonder that they vanished from the limelight, but the music tells a story remarkably more complex and fascinating than the unimaginative titles suggest (Amazingly, the latter disk had a playing speed of 16 RPM, making it unplayable on many record players, and unlistenable on others, due to the poor quality of the slow playing speed).
If you owned an original copy of these releases today, they'd be valuable collector's items, but from an artistic perspective, the contents prove to be even more valuable. Hearing John Coltrane and Webster Young exchange contrasting solos is an immensely rewarding experience (and previously almost impossible). Add in team players like Kenny Burrell, Art Taylor and Paul Chambers, and it seems impossible that this session could have lapsed into obscurity.
Other revelations abound. Art Taylor is one of the m o st respected drummers in jazz, bu t his na m e never achieved the household recognition of his peers, including many of the sidemen who supported him on recording sessions. John Coltrane's presence enlivened one track from this release, and it appears here. In fact, virtually every session of Coltrane's for Prestige Records from September 1956 thru March 1958 appears here, and the variety is stunning as well as glorious. Original vinyl albums such as "Wheelin' and Dealin'," "The Cats" and "The Dealers" featured all-stars from the label playing together with a combination of relaxed intimacy and competitive intensity. Jackie McLean, Paul Quinichette, Mal Waldron, Tommy Flanagan, Pepper Adams, Frank Wess, Doug Watkins and Donald Byrd all appear in various configurations.
The historical relevance of these recordings to any fan of John Coltrane is immense, as you can literally hear him grow in confidence and stature. If you were to search out each of these albums on an ind i v i dual basis, it would cost hundreds, i f not thousands, of dollars. Compiled on five disks, they tell a story that goes far beyond mere words. They convey the character and artistry of a budding genius, painting the most accurate portrait yet of Coltrane's transition from session musician to jazz legend.
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