John Coltrane

To say that John Coltrane is one of the greatest jazz musicians in the history of the genre is to utter a banal truism, but amid all of the (well-deserved) hubbub over Giant Steps and A Love Supreme, it is extremely edifying to pick up this 1958 effort and hear how well the man could play standards and especially ballads. Assisting him in this worthy endeavor are various combinations of Earl May and Paul Chambers on bass and Louis Hayes, Albert Heath, and Art Taylor on drums. Without a piano supplying much of the harmony of the song, Coltrane is extremely exposed, having to rely upon his own melodic inventiveness to ground his improvisations in both the chords and melody of the tune itself, while simultaneously commenting upon them. It's a difficult task, but one for which Coltrane is uncommonly prepared. Throughout the record, the saxophonist sounds more like Charlie Parker than usual, especially on the terrific "Like Someone in Love," but that doesn't mean that he doesn't get some of his own best licks in as well. Saxophone ballads are rarely more interesting and more beautiful. The Latin groove to "I Love You" is a delight, especially so considering that the rhythm section sounds like it's going to fall apart at any second. The sole deviation from the saxophone trio format features assistance from Red Garland and Donald Byrd on a reading of "Lush Life," which is so perfectly realized that one begins to wonder why successive generations of jazzers still persist in attempting to improve upon it. A perfect track and a perfect album, one well deserving of its classic status.